Southeastern Louisiana University
History 484/584
Audience and Media in Public History
Fall 2005
Professor: Dr. Benac
Office: 347E Fayard Hall
Telephone: 549-5723
Office Hours: ______
Course Description
Hist 484/584 Audience and Media. Credit three hours. Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of the instructor. A detailed study of the key concerns for the public historian, audience and media, including how to tailor presentations to meet the needs of the audience as well as the benefits and limitations of various types of media. Students will also discuss the ethical complications of public presentation of historical subjects. Offered every two years in the spring semester.
Classroom Decorum
Free discussion, inquiry, and expression is encouraged in this class. Classroom behavior that interferes with either (a) the instructor's ability to conduct the class or (b) the ability of students to benefit from the instruction is not acceptable. Examples may include routinely entering class late or departing early; use of beepers, cellular telephones, or other electronic devices; repeatedly talking in class without being recognized; talking while others are speaking; or arguing in a way that is perceived as "crossing the civility line." In the event of a situation where a student legitimately needs to carry a beeper/cellular telephone to class, prior notice and approval of the instructor is required. Turn off all cell phones and pagers before class begins.
E-Mail Communication
University e-mail policy reads (in part) as follows, "[Faculty] Uses of non-Southeastern e-mail addresses for communication with students regarding University business or educational matters are not acceptable...." In compliance with this policy, please use only your SLU e-mail address when contacting me about the course. I will not respond to non-SLU e-mail addresses. Recall, that your SLU e-mail accounts are accessible through the Internet via "Web-Mail" which can be reached from the SLU homepage: http://www.selu.edu." Sending an e-mail does not absolve you of your responsibility to attend class or complete assignments. You must receive recognition of your e-mail before it is considered communication.
Office hours and availability
I will be in my office during the scheduled hours to provide any assistance that could lead to your success in the course. Feel free to call me at my office number listed on the syllabus. If you are unable to reach me leave a message clearly stating your name, number, and when you will be there and I will try to return your call one time, I will not “play phone-tag”.
NOTE: It is the policy of the University that the classroom is not a place for children, and that students are not to bring their family members for day care or baby sitting.
NOTE: If you are a qualified student with a disability seeking accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you are required to self-identify with the Office of Disability Services, Room 203, Student Union. You must bring me documentation from the Office of Disability Services at least two weeks prior to any assignment to which it applies.
Last Day to withdraw is ______
Academic Honesty
No form of cheating will be tolerated. Academic dishonesty, in any form, will result in immediate punishment to the full extent outlined by university policy. For examples regarding citations and what constitutes plagiarism see Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.
Course Objectives
The primary objective of this course is to introduce students to the varieties of outlets for historical work and the considerations necessary when addressing non-academic audiences.
Requirements
Make-up work will only be accepted when you provide a suitable written excuse from a doctor or proper university official. All assignments are already scheduled, if you have a pre-existing conflict you must notify me within the first week of courses. There will be no alternate test times for excuses not recognized in the university handbook.
Book (Popular) Review 15% Of final grade
Book (Academic) Review 15%
Exhibit Review 20%
Movie Review 10%
Term Paper 40%
Book (Popular) Review: Each undergraduate student will be responsible for reviewing and presenting to the class one of the popular books assigned for class reading. Graduate students will complete and present two reviews. Undergraduate reviews will be 2-3 pages in length, graduate students will write 3-5 pages.
Book (Academic) Review: Each undergraduate student will be responsible for reviewing and presenting to the class one of the academic books assigned for class reading. Graduate students will complete and present two reviews. Undergraduate reviews will be 2-3 pages in length, graduate students will write 3-5 pages.
Exhibit Review: Select and review a museum or historical-society exhibit. Be sure to consider the institution’s mission, goals, and audience. Consider the use of technology, artifacts, texts, colors, and security issues. Undergraduate reviews will be 2-3 pages in length, graduate students will write 3-5 pages.
Movie Review: Each undergraduate student will be responsible for reviewing and analyzing in an oral presentation one of the movies watched in class. Undergraduate reviews will be 2-3 pages in length, graduate students will write 3-5 pages.
Term Paper: (final regular class period) The completed term paper will be a thorough, detailed, and well-written paper discussing the benefits and restrictions various media formats present for public historians. A successful paper will support its points with useful examples. A well-planned prospectus will greatly facilitate the successful completion of the term paper. Undergraduates will write 10-12 pages and graduate students will write 15-20 pages.
Grading Scale
A=90%
B=80-89%
C=70-79%
D=60-69%
F=anything below 59%
Attendance
Attendance is required and it is expected that each student will contribute to the class. Each student will be allowed three absences (excused or otherwise). For every absence after three you will lose one letter grade. For example: If you have 85% in the class but miss four meetings your grade will fall from a B to a C. If you were to miss five meetings your grade would fall to a D. So make sure to come to class. Two tardies count as one absence.
Course Outline
This class will consist of three main units: 1) Book reviews 2) Exhibit review and 3) Film review. The three units will be tied together by a single comparative paper due at the end of the semester.
In part one of the course students will review both a scholarly and a popular history book. Students will consider the books as pieces of literature as well as historical texts. This unit provides students to clearly grasp some of the key differences between presenting historical material from the public and for a scholarly audience.
Part two of the course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to review an historical exhibit. Students will consider the role of artifacts, text, and technology, as well as the institution’s mission and resources.
The third portion of the course will be devoted to the comparison and analysis of a film based on an historic subject. Students will review the film for its accuracy, biases, and ability to communicate with a public audience.
Texts (Specific readings will be assigned in class)
Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for the Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations [either the fifth or sixth edition] (The University of Chicago Press)
George F. Custen, Bio/Pics: How Hollywood Constructed Public History (Rutgers University Press, 1992)
Ivan Karp and Steven D. Lavine, Exhibiting Cultures: The Poetics and Politics of Museum Display (Smithsonian Institution Press, 1991)
David Glassberg, American Historical Pageantry: The Uses of Tradition in the Early Twentieth Century (University of North Carolina Press, 1990)
Jane Desmond, Staging Tourism: Bodies on Display From Waikiki to Sea World (University of Chicago Press, 2001)
Jack Ellis, The Documentary Idea: A Critical History of English-Language Documentary Film and Video (Pearson, Allyn, & Bacon, 1988)
Erik Barnouw, Documentary—History Non-Fiction Film (1993)
Bill Nichols, Introduction to Documentary (Indiana University Press, 2001)
Alan Rosenthal, Writing, Directing, and Producing Documentary Films and Videos (Southern Illinois University Press, 1996)
Barry Keith Grant, Jeanette Sloniowski, and Bill Nichols, Documenting the Documentary: Close Readings of Documentary Film and Video (Wayne State University Press, 1998)
Bill Nichols, Representing Reality: Issues and Concepts in Documentary (Indiana University Press, 1992)
Gertrude Himmelfarb, On Looking Into the Abyss: Untimely Thoughts on Culture and Society (Vintage Books, 1995)