Office: SS632 Winter Term Telephone: or Office Hours: MWF 10:00-11:00 or by appointment Address:

Transcription

1 Historical Studies 525-L01 The University of Calgary Dr. R.D. Francis 2008/2009 Academic Year Office: SS632 Winter Term Telephone: or Office Hours: MWF 10:00-11:00 or by appointment Address: TOPICS IN CANADIAN INTELLECTUAL HISTORY: TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL REFORM COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will examine the perspective of English-Canadian intellectuals on industrialism and technology. The course will focus on major Canadian thinkers who addressed the issue of technology and its impact on society, and offered responses to the concerns raised. The course will begin essentially in the mid-19 th century with T.C. Keefer s reflections on the impact of the technology of railroads and end with an examination of some current Canadian theorists of technology. This is a seminar course in which students will read common material, largely primary sources, and should be prepared to discuss this material together in a seminar format. There will be no lectures in the course. In addition, each student will give an oral report on a book or collection of essays related to one of the seminar topics. COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Seminar Participation: 30% Oral/Written Report: 20% Major Research Paper: Due: April 01, % TENTATIVE SEMINAR TOPICS: Thomas Keefer and the Technology of Railroads The Intellectual Component of the New Urban and Industrial Society Education for the New Industrial and Technological Age William Lyon Mackenzie King as a Social Critic Stephen Leacock on the New Urban-Industrial Society The Group of Seven as Social Critics The Novelist as Social Critic: F.P. Grove, The Master of the Mill Harold Innis on Technology

2 Marshall McLuhan: Technology and the Global Village George Parkin Grant on Technology Northrop Frye and the Scientific-Technological Myth Ursula Franklin and Derrick de Kerckhove on Technology and Modernism REQUIRED TEXTS: Collection of Readings: Available from the Bookstore. Frederick Philip Grove, Master of the Mill (available in class) RESERVE READING: Babe, Robert E., Canadian Communication Thought: Ten Foundational Writers Bliss, Michael, A Living Profit Bowker, Alan, ed., The Social Criticism of Stephen Leacock Duffy, Dennis, Marshall McLuhan Franklin, Ursula, The Real World of Technology Grant, George, Technology and Empire Innis, Harold, The Bias of Communication Keefer, T.C. Philosophy of Railroads Kerckhove, Derrick de, Connected Intelligence King, William Lyon Mackenzie, Industry and Humanity Kroker, Arthur, Technology and the Canadian Mind Massolin, Philip, Canadian Intellectuals, the Tory Tradition, and the Challenge Of Modernity, McLuhan, Marshall, Understanding Media Sutherland, Neil, Children in English-Canadian Society Watson, Alexander John, Marginal Man: The Dark Vision of Harold Innis ************

3 Historical Studies 525-L01 (continued) EXPLANATION OF COURSE REQUIRMENTS Seminar Participation (30%) This mark will be assessed on the basis of preparedness, knowledge of the readings, participation in the weekly discussions, and originality of contribution. Discussion will be based on common readings that we will discuss together. Oral/Written Report (20%) Each student will be required once during the term to give an oral report and to lead the discussion one of the seminar topics. The report will be based on a book or a couple of articles in addition to the common required readings that all students will have done. Your oral report should be in the nature of 15 to 20 minutes, based on notes but not to be read. A written version of this report of 5-7 pages is to be submitted the day that you give your oral report. Major Term Paper (50%) The term paper should be based on a thorough reading and analysis of the sources related to one of the seminar topics or a related topic. Please consult with me about your topic. Students should not limit their reading to the titles in the course outline, and should incorporate primary sources. Your paper should be in the range of pages including footnotes/endnotes and bibliography. Please consult the Department of History Essay Guide for the proper format for your paper. In evaluating your essay, I will look for the following: The extent of your research into the historical literature on the topic. The use and incorporation of primary sources. A thesis statement that your argue throughout Good analysis.

4 The ability to set your topic into the broader context of Canadian intellectual or social history. Proper footnotes/endnotes Good style of writing PLAGIARISM * * * * * Plagiarism occurs when one submits or presents one's work in a course, or ideas and/or passages in a written piece of work, as if it were one's own work done expressly for that particular course, when, in fact, it is not. As noted in the Department of History Guide to Essay Presentation, plagiarism may take several forms: Failure to cite sources properly may be considered plagiarism. This could include quotations, and wording used from another source but not acknowledged. Borrowed, purchased, and/or ghostwritten papers are considered plagiarism, as is submitting one's own work for more than one course without the permission of the instructor(s) involved. Extensive paraphrasing of one or a few sources is also considered plagiarism, even when notes are used, unless the essay is a critical analysis of those works. The use of notes does not justify the sustained presentation of another author's language and ideas as one's own. Plagiarism is a serious academic offence. A plagiarized paper will automatically be failed. Plagiarism may also result in a failing grade for the entire course and other penalties as noted in The University of Calgary Calendar. SAFEWALK/Campus Security:

5 Historical Studies 525-L01 (continued) SEMINAR TOPICS AND READINGS (* =On Reserve; R = Report. All others are in the Book of Readings) Week 1: Jan. 14 Introduction Week 2: T.C. Keefer on the Technology of Railroads Jan. 21 T.C. Keefer, Philosophy of Railroads(1854) (Excerpt), pp. 1-6 T.C. Keefer, "Montreal" (1854), pp H.V. Nelles, "Introduction" to Philosophy of Railroads(1972) (R) Week 3: The Intellectual Component of the New Industrial Society Jan. 28 Rev. W.R.G. Mellen, "Wealth and Its Uses" (1879), pp Goldwin Smith, "A True Captain of Industry" (1881), pp Adam Shortt, "In Defence of Millionaires," pp Michael Bliss, A Living Profit (R) Week 4: Feb. 04 Education for the New Industrial Age Henry Bovey, The Fundamental Conceptions Which Enter Into Technology, pp Educating Canadians (Excerpts), pp Neil Sutherland, Children in English-Canadian Society. (R) Week 5: William Lyon Mackenzie King s Industry and Humanity Feb. 11 William Lyon Mackenzie King, Industry and Humanity (1918) (Excerpt), pp Reg Whitaker, "The Liberal Corporatist Ideas of Mackenzie King," Labour, vol. 2 (1977). (*) (R) Week 6: Stephen Leacock as Social Critic Feb. 25 Stephen Leacock, The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice (1920) (Excerpt), pp

6 Ramsay Cook, "Stephen Leacock and the Age of Plutocracy, ," in Character and Circumstance: Essays in Honour of D.G. Creighton, ed. by J.S. Moir (1970), pp (*) (R) Allan Bowker, "Introduction" to The Social Criticism of Stephen Leacock (R) Week 7: The Group of Seven as Social Critics Mar. 04 "Forward to First Exhibition of the Group of Seven" (1921), p. 115 Lauren Harris, "The Group of Seven in Canadian History," Canadian Historical Association, Historical Papers (1948), pp Peter Mellen, The Group of Seven (R) Week 8: The Novelist as Social Critic Mar. 11 Frederick Philip Grove, Master of the Mill (1944) Week 9: Harold A. Innis on Technology Mar. 18 Harold Innis, The Bias of Communication (1951), "Minerva s Owl," pp "A Critical Review," pp Harold Innis, Empire and Communications (1950) (Excerpt), pp James Carey, "Harold Adams Innis and Marshall McLuhan," Antioch Review, 27 (Spring 1967). (Photocopy on Reserve) R. Douglas Francis, "The Anatomy of Power: A Theme in the Writing of Harold A. Innis," in Nation, Ideas, Identities: Essays In Honour of Ramsay Cook, pp (Photocopy on Reserve) Robert E. Babe, "The Communication Thought of Harold Adams Innis" in Canadian Communication Thought: Ten Foundational Writers, pp (R) Arthur Kroker, "Technological Realism: Harold Innis s Empire of Communication," in Technology and the Canadian Mind, pp (R) Week 10: Mar. 25 Marshall McLuhan Marshall McLuhan, The Gutenberg Galaxy (1962) (Excerpt), pp Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man (1965) (Excerpt), pp Marshall McLuhan, "Playboy Interview," in Essential McLuhan, ed., by Eric McLuhan and Frank Zingrove (1995), pp James Carey, "Harold Adams Innis and Marshall McLuhan," Antioch Review, 27 (Spring 1967). (* Photocopy on Reserve)

7 Robert E. Babe, "The Communication Thought of Marshall McLuhan" in Canadian Communication Thought: Ten Foundational Writers, pp (R) Arthur Kroker, "Technological Humanism: The Processed World of Marshall McLuhan," in Technology and the Canadian Mind, pp (R) Week 11: Apr. 01 Northrop Frye on Technology Northrop Frye, The Modern Century (1967) ( Excerpts) City of the End of Things, pp Clair de Lune Intellectuel, pp Northrop Frye, The Educated Imagination (R) Robert E. Babe, "The Communication Thought of Northrop Frye," in Canadian Communication Thought: Ten Foundational Writers, pp ( R ) Week 12: George Parkin Grant on Technology Apr. 08 George Grant, Technology and Empire (1969) "In Defence of North America," pp "A Platitude," pp Thinking About Technology, pp George Grant, Lament for a Nation (1965) (R) Robert E. Babe, "The Communication Thought of George Grant," In Canadian Communication Thought: Ten Foundational Writers, pp (R) Arthur Kroker, "Technological Dependency: George Grant as the Nietzsche of the New World," in Technology and the Canadian Mind, pp (R) Week 13: Ursula Franklin/Derrick de Kerckhove Apr. 15 Ursula Franklin, The Real World of Technology (Excerpt), pp Derrick de Kerckhove, Connected Intelligence (Excerpt), pp

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