History 5: Europe Since 1900

Note: This is an in-person class, which will meet on the Ocean Campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:10-12:25 pm during Spring 2025. 

Course Description

This course explores the history of Europe from 1900 to the present. By reading and analyzing selected primary and secondary source documents, we will examine Europe's major political, economic, social, and cultural developments and global relationships through a diversity of lenses. While we will discuss national and international politics, economics, and international relations, our class will also focus on the personal stories and experiences of everyday Europeans—soldiers, workers, women, religious and ethnic minorities, immigrants, and citizens living under democratic, fascistic and totalitarian regimes. In exploring the everyday, lived experiences of many “ordinary” Europeans, we can understand how the global topics in twentieth-century European history shaped real people’s lives.

This course meets the following graduation or transfer requirements: CCSF GE Areas D and E, CSU GE Areas C2 and D, IGETC Areas 3B and 4, and meets a requirement for the AA-T in History.

Course Description

After successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Evaluate and synthesize historical evidence and interpretations by using methods of inquiry and expression appropriate to the study of Europe since 1900.

2. Interpret primary and secondary sources to be integrated as support in a written argument or interpretation of topics covering Europe since 1900.

3. Evaluate the impact of a wide breadth of societal trends and changes related to Europe since 1900.

4. Explain the major technological and scientific developments in the history of Europe since 1900, their causes and effects, and their historical significance.

5. Examine artistic and cultural traditions in their historical context in the history of Europe since 1900.

6. Analyze Europe since 1900 within a global context that also includes non-European countries.

Books

There are three required books for this class:

1. Textbook: Michael D. Richards and Paul R. Waibel, Twentieth-Century Europe: 1900 to the Present, 4th Edition (2024), Wiley Blackwell, ISBN 978-1-119-87873-5. Available in paper or e-book format through the CCSF bookstore or online bookstores

2. Nicolas Proctor and John Moser, Restoring the World, 1945: Security and Empire at Yalta, UNC Press, 2020, ISBN: 978-1-4696-5984-8.

3. For your final project in this class, you will read your choice of ONE of the following graphic novels:

• Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman–available through the CCSF and SF libraries and free version online

• Safe Area Goražde: The War in Eastern Bosnia, 1992-1995 by Joe Sacco—available through the CCSF and SF libraries

• Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin—available through the SF library

You may also buy your choice of graphic novel through the campus bookstore, local bookstore, Amazon, etc.

All other required readings will be posted on Canvas

Go to https://ccsf.instructure.com

Username: CCSF ID number (examples: W12345678 or @12345678)

Your Canvas password is your RAM ID password  

Assignments

Homework and In-Class Assignments—420 points

Students will complete periodic homework and in-class assignments. All homework assignments are due at the beginning of the class period either in hard copy or uploaded to the Canvas assignment page. Homework not completed by the beginning of the class will only receive partial credit.

Reacting to the Past Roleplaying Project—200 points

We will be playing an interactive, student-led, roleplaying game as part of this class, where students will be asked to take on the parts of British, Soviet, and American negotiators at the 1945 Yalta Conference that helped shape the end of WWII and the early cold war. In this activity, students will have the chance to do history themselves, as well as practice real world skills applicable to any career—negotiation, cooperation, persuasion, public speaking, and argument-based writing. Students will be asked to complete background reading and assignments, and prepare speeches and policy memos as part of the game, and will receive a grade for their participation in the game, based primarily on preparation, effort, and active engagement.

Final Graphic Novel Project—180 points

Your final project in this class will be reading and analyzing your choice of 3 graphic novels related to the European history we will discuss during the semester. The project will be completed over a couple weeks and will ask you to reflect on the historical context you learned in the class, the story presented in the graphic novel, and the visual elements and information conveyed in the graphic novel's illustrations.

This class does NOT have midterm or final exams. However, I reserve the right to add a weekly quiz on the textbook and/or lecture material if class attendance is low and/or students are not completing the required textbook reading.

Course Policies

Attendance—Students are expected to attend class regularly and attendance will be taken. Students with more than 6 absences may be dropped from the course. Exceptions will only be made in special circumstances, at instructor’s discretion.  Tardiness where the student arrives more than halfway through the class will be counted as an unexcused absence, unless valid reason for lateness is provided. Students with frequent tardiness may be dropped from the class after 15 tardy arrivals.

Enrollment—It is students’ responsibility to drop the class by the appropriate college deadline (see below for list of dates) if they no longer wish to be enrolled in the class.

Incompletes—An “Incomplete” grade will only be assigned to students who are unable to complete the course in the given semester due to a serious illness, family emergency, or other unavoidable situation. Students requesting an Incomplete grade must be passing the class at the time they become unable to complete the course, and an Incomplete will only be granted to finish a few assignments at the end of the course (not the majority of the course). Students facing such circumstances should contact me ASAP to discuss options and requirements. For incomplete grades, the course must be completed according to an agreed upon schedule during the next academic semester.

Grading

There are a total of 800 points possible in this course. To calculate your final grade, simply add up your scores on all the assignments. All grades will be posted on Canvas under “Grades.” The following grading scale will be used for the class.

A = 720-800 points                 D = 480-559 points          

B = 640-719 points F = 479 points and below

C = 560-639 points   

Late Policy—Since homework assignments must be completed on time to ensure a good class discussion, homework turned in after the beginning of the class on the date due will only receive partial credit (up to 75% of the points possible on the assignment). Exceptions will be made in case of illness, family emergency, etc.

Extra Credit—Students will have the option to complete periodic extra credit assignments. All extra credit assignments are due on the date specified and late extra credit will be subject to a late penalty. Students may also gain extra credit through especially active class participation on class discussion days.

Academic Integrity Policy

Students who register in CCSF classes must abide by the CCSF Student Code of Conduct. Violation of the code is basis for referral to the Student Conduct Coordinator or dismissal from class or the College. See the Office of Student Affairs.

I expect honesty and integrity from all students in this class. Collaborating with other students on assignments, copying information from an online source, submitting AI-generated writing, or using someone else's work without citation are ALL considered acts of academic dishonesty and will result in a grade of 0 for that assignment. Repeated instances of plagiarism or cheating will result in an F in the course and the incident will be reported to the Office of Student Affairs.

Understanding and Avoiding Plagiarism and Cheating:

• Submitting someone else's work as your own—Submitting work you did not complete on your own is cheating. Submitting an assignment written, in whole or in part, by someone other than yourself, is considered an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for that assignment.

• Submitting AI-generated writing as your own—Submitting work you did not complete entirely on your own is cheating. Submitting an assignment written, in whole or in part, by generative AI software is an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for that assignment. Students ARE permitted to grammar-checking programs (like Grammarly, although NOT any generative AI features of those programs) and language translation programs in this class, although it is best practice to save both a “pre” and “post” translation version of your paper, in case of issues.

• Inappropriate collaboration—Collaborating with other students on assignments (in ways not specifically instructed to do so by the professor), in whole or in part, is considered an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for or assignment. I encourage students to share information and ideas, but NOT their work.

• Projects will be checked with anti-plagiarism software—You will have access to the anti-plagiarism software's "similarity report" on your assignment as soon as you submit your Reacting to the Past and graphic novel projects. A small to moderate percent "similarity report" from the software is to be expected for most assignments, since students are asked to discuss the same set of topics using the same sources. However, higher percent "similarity reports" often indicate information copied from an internet source or found to be similar to another (past or present) student's assignment. Assignments verified to contain information copied from an internet source, AI-generated writing, or presenting the work of someone else as your own will be considered plagiarism and will result in a 0 on the assignment. 

Resources

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities—Students seeking disability-related accommodations are encouraged to register with Disabled Students Programs and Services located in Room 323 of the Rosenberg Library. DSPS can be contacted in person (Rosenberg 323), via phone (415) 452-5481, or via email at dspsacom@ccsf.edu. Please see the DSPS website for more information about office hours, and alternate locations.

If you already have approved accommodations for classroom or testing because of a disability, be sure to submit your DSPS accommodation document to the instructor as soon as possible. If you have emergency medical information to share or need special arrangements if the building needs to be evacuated, please make an appointment with the instructor as soon as possible.

Academic Tutoring—As a City College student, you can access many free services to help you succeed in your classes and navigate college. Please come to the STAR (student tutoring and resource) Center for free Peer and Professional tutoring and mentoring, individual or group study spaces, workshops that center your learning needs, an open-access computer lab with printing, and a welcoming community. Our centers and labs are free and available online and in person. Please join us: we care about your success! Visit the STAR Center within the Learning Assistance Department.

Library—City College of San Francisco's Library offers many services to help you with your classes. Take online library workshops, learn how to get started on a research project, borrow textbooks and other instructional materials, and much more. Borrow Technology from the Library - Chromebooks, laptops, and hotspots can be borrowed from all CCSF Libraries.

Visit City College libraries in person at Rosenberg (at Ocean Campus), the Chinatown/North Beach Center, the Downtown Center, the Evans Center, the John Adams Center, and the Mission Center. A librarian is on-site and available to help during open hours.

Financial Aid—Unlock Your Financial Aid Potential: FAFSA/CADAA Adventure Awaits! We encourage you to apply to maximize all Financial Aid resources! Learn more about FAFSA and CADAA. Come visit us in the Financial Aid Office located in MUB 270 or email: finaid@ccsf.edu

Counseling—Counselors are here to help you find your way through City College and support you in completing your educational goals. Please make an appointment to see a counselor by visiting Counseling. To view your education plan, please visit Degree Works.

Admissions and Records—The Office of Admissions and Records/Registration is the beginning and the end, along with everything in between in your journey at CCSF. From getting started to registering each term to completing your degree and accessing your academic records, we provide the services to help ensure a smooth transition in achieving your educational goals. We want to be your partners on this journey. Visit us in MUB 130 (Registration) or MUB 188 (Admissions & Records).

Classroom Community and Expectations

Everyone belongs in this class! I believe that all students, of varying backgrounds, races, abilities, nationalities, genders, sexual orientations, beliefs, religions, and socio-economic status, have the right to access a higher education and receive the resources and support they need to achieve their educational and professional goals. I welcome, encourage, and engage in diverse perspectives in respectful dialogue, and commit this class to being critically race-conscious, anti-racist, and culturally responsive in all that we do.

I hope you will join me in committing to fostering a learning and working environment based on open communication and mutual respect and to building as safe and healthy a community for learning as we can. I welcome you.

Student Expectations—You will succeed in this course if you meet the following expectations:

• Be open to new ideas: Some of what we discuss in this class may be new to you. It may be different from what you've learned in other history classes. We will talk about many challenging and polarizing topics—like racism, colonialism, religion, political divides, and the historical inequality of many groups. Take time to reflect on your own views, challenge your own assumptions, and learn from your classmates.

• Think critically about the course material: This class does not emphasize memorizing dates and names, but rather developing critical thinking skills and understanding the “big picture” of key historical moments. This deeper practice of history is more challenging, but also more rewarding and enlightening.

• Show respect for yourself, your classmates and me. Value each other’s opinions, unique experiences, and values. Listen when others are speaking and if you disagree, do so respectfully. Please raise your hand if you wish to talk when I ask a question or start a discussion.

• Engage in respectful, historically-based discussions: In this class, we will explore and discuss some challenging topics, many of which relate to current debates and may be topics on which you and your classmates have strong opinions. Since this is a history class, I will be asking you to keep our discussions historically grounded. Group discussions are a great forum for learning from each other's diverse experiences and perspectives, and for expressing your ideas, but you are all expected to do so in a mature, respectful way.

• Be on time and attentive during class: Please make every effort to arrive to class on time and remain for the entire class (let me know if you need to leave early for some reason). Please silence your cells phones before class and do not use your phone, tablet or laptop for non-course related activities during class.

• Do your own and your best work: Strive to submit work that you are proud of and which reflects your knowledge.

• Ask questions! Email me, ask a question on the Q&A Forum, ask your group members.

• Reach out for help if you need it: It is my job to help you succeed in this class, but I’m not a mind reader, so I need you to reach out if you have questions or could use some help.

Instructor Expectations—Here is what you can expect of me:

• I will treat you and your ideas with respect.

• I will strive to teach you something new each week.

• I will be accessible to you—by email, office appointments, and the Q&A Forum—and answer all questions in a timely manner.

• I will respond to your email or message within 24 hours during the week, unless I inform you otherwise. It may take me longer to reply during weekends or holidays, but I do value prompt communication.

• I will grade your assignments within one week (usually sooner!) and provide constructive comments about your work. (If you have submitted late work, it may take longer.) You will see all your grades in the Canvas Grades.

• I care about each of you. Your education matters to me and I am here to help you.

• I will strive to create a supportive learning community.

• I will work hard to make this a great class!