Social Revolution in the Third World
History 404/504
Dale Graden                                                                

Fall 2002
Mondays 6-8:20 pm
Admin 326

Office: Admin 305 A; telephone: 885-8956
Office hour: Thursday 2-3 or by appointment
Email: Graden@uidaho.edu
Online: www.class.uidaho.edu/Graden/
This syllabus is available online

Our planet has been divided into several worlds, including the first world (mainly composed of industrialized northern countries), the third world ("underdeveloped" nations found often in the south) and a fourth world (the poorest locales ranging from urban environments to Bangladesh). During the 20th century, and particularly since 1945, regions in the "third world" have been seen (particularly by influential politicians and those individuals who shape the policies of wealthy nations and international lending agencies) as volatile and unstable. Such views have contributed to distrust, arrogance and a massive proliferation in the sale of military goods, large and small (presently an annual international trade estimated at sixty billion dollars a year).
Numerous variables have contributed to rebellions and revolutions in the third world during the 20th century, including (among others) the inflexibility of archaic governmental structures, corrupt dictators and military regimes, corrupt democracies, maldistribution of wealth, and the presence of a billion people living on an income of less than one dollar a day.
This course examines some of the reasons for revolutions in the third world and the legacies of those revolutions.

Everyone will write three three (3) typewritten book critiques of three to four (3-4) pages to be selected from the titles listed below (not including DeFronzo, Revolutions and Revolutionary Movements [hereafter R and RMs]). The first book critique is required on Koestler, Darkness at Noon, and is due on September 9. If you prefer to write on another book for critiques number two and three, please inform me in advance. These book critiques are an opportunity for you to show that you have read and thought critically about the assigned reading.

The three critiques of 3-4 pages are assigned to help you to learn how to write effectively and to ensure that you come to the specific discussion meeting prepared to talk about your ideas and interpretations. These essays should address some theme(s) which you consider relevant from the assigned reading. The short paper is not a “book report.” Rather, it is a critique of the book that you have read. I want to read about your ideas and observations and critical analysis, and not an overview of what the author has written. Show me that you have read and thought about the book. According to the law of effective writing, the paper should begin with an introduction, and the last sentence of the introductory paragraph should inform the reader (me) of the central theme or focus of the critique. Then construct coherent paragraphs that analyze in a logical manner the topic. Finally, finish with a conclusion.

Please, write the paper a few days before the due date, so that you can return to it and review it thoroughly at least once before you hand it to me. This will enable you to make corrections and refinements. I have read hundreds of these short papers, and know when someone has scribbled down a bunch of ideas the night before and when the assignment has been approached seriously. I believe that these short papers are important. And you have asked why? Because the majority of students graduate from universities and colleges across the land unable to write 3-4 coherent pages on a specific topic or reading. I hope that you find the readings challenging and stimulating. In other words, I hope that the books I have chosen make you feel like you want to take pen (computer, typewriter) in hand to write down your ideas. The discussion offers a great opportunity for you to share with the class your ideas, impressions, sentiments, worldview, etc. I am convinced that we all have much to gain by engaging in a reasoned and critical dialogue with each other, no matter if you agree or disagree with the viewpoint of other persons. Many former students have let me know that they considered these writing opportunities an important part of their university education. Late papers will not be accepted. You are welcome to write as many papers as you like, and such initiatives will be considered in my final evaluation of your participation in this course. Also, I encourage you to take advantage of the great opportunities that are available to you at the UI writing center.

If you are taking the course for graduate credit, I request that you write a five to ten (5-10) page essay on a topic of your choice. Please meet with me at your earliest convenience to discuss the paper.

Please attend the seminar meetings. If you miss more than four (4) classes, your final evaluation will drop by a grade.

Books available at the UI Bookstore and at other friendly locales, like Bookpeople on Main in downtown Moscow.

James DeFronzo, Revolutions and Revolutionary Movements Westview Press ISBN 0813323940
Arthur Koestler, Darkness at Noon Bantam ISBN 0553265954
Noam Chomsky, Rethinking Camelot, South End Press, ISBN 0896084582
Khai Nguyen, Past Continuous, Curbstone, ISBN 1880684780
John Mason Hart, Revolutionary Mexico: The Coming and Process of the Mexican Revolution, University of California Press ISBN 052067444
Victor Dreke, From Escambray to the Congo: In the Whirlwind of the Cuban Revolution, Pathfinder Books, ISBN 0873489470
Julia Alvarez, In the Time of the Butterflies
Plume/Penguin ISBN 0452274427
Sahar Khalifeh, Wild Thorns, Interlink Publishing Group, ISBN 1566563364
Noam Chomsky, 9-11 Seven Stories Press ISBN 1583224890

August 26 Introduction

September 2 no class, Labor Day

Sept 9 Russia’s Revolution and Legacy

Arthur Koestler, Darkness at Noon

R and RMs, 1-71

Required book critique number one is due

Recommended is the film "Burnt by the Sun." This film is available at Bookpeople and the UI / WSU collection. Also recommended is the film "East/West."

Sept 16 China’s Revolution and Legacy

R and RMs, 73-188

Discussion led by guest UI Professor Pingchao Zhu

Sept 23 Vietnam

R and RMs, 119-66

Noam Chomsky, Rethinking Camelot
View segments of the documentary "Vietnam: The War at Home"

Optional book critique number two is due

Sept 30 Vietnam

Khai Nguyen, Past Continuous
View segments of the video "From the Barrel of a Gun"

Optional book critique number three is due

October 7 Mexico

John Mason Hart, Revolutionary Mexico: The Coming and Process of the Mexican Revolution

Optional book critique number four is due

Oct 14 Cuba

R and RMs, 167-203

Victor Dreke, From Escambray to the Congo: In the Whirlwind of the Cuban Revolution

Optional book critique number five is due

Oct 21 Dominican Republic

Julia Alvarez, In the Time of the Butterflies

Optional book critique number six is due

Recommended readings include:

Bruce J. Calder, The Impact of Intervention: The Dominican Republic during the U.S. Occupation of 1916-1924
Bernard Diederich, Trujillo: The Death of a Dictator
Mario Vargas Llosa, The Feast of the Goat, translated by Edith Grossman
Manuel Vasquez Montalban, Galindez
Julia Alvarez, In the Name of Salome'

Oct 28 South Africa

R and RMs, 291-332

In preparation for the film "Lumumba" (see below) recommended readings include:

Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness
Mark Twain, "King Leopold's Soliloquy"
Adam Hochschild, King Leopold's Ghost 
Barbara Kingsolver, The Poisonwood Bible

Please note: On Thursday October 31, the film "LUMUMBA" will be shown in the SUB-Borah Theater at 7 and 9:30 pm. This film is recommended.

November 4 East Timor

Recommended readings at Mother Jones site

http://www.motherjones.com/east_timor/

Please read Noam Chomsky, "Why Americans should care about East Timor," Mother Jones Magazine, August 26, 1999

http://www.motherjones.com/east_timor/comment/chomsky.html

Guest presentation by Abilio Monteiro

Nov 11 Palestine

Sahar Khalifeh, Wild Thorns

Optional book critique number seven is due

Nov 18 Palestine

Highly recommended is a series of five essays on the Israeli - Palestinian conflict at the Boston Globe. Go to Boston Globe website at http://www.boston.com/globe and on the left side go to Special Reports : Obstacles to Peace. These articles have been written by Charles A. Radin

Recommended is Edward Said, Covering Islam: How the Media and the Experts Determine How We See the Rest of the World

Recommended is Edward Said, "Israel, Iraq and the US," Counterpunch, 
October 19, 2002 at http://counterpunch.org/said1019.html

Thanksgiving

December 2 US responses to revolution in the third world

Noam Chomsky, 9-11

Robert Jensen, Citizens of the Empire: Thoughts on Patriotism, Dissent, and Hope online at http://www.nowarcollective.com/citizensoftheempire.pdf

Robert Jensen, "The American Political Paradox: More Freedom, Less Democracy," at Counterpunch, "America's Best Political Newsletter," October 12, 2002: http://www.counterpunch.org/jensen1012.html

Recommended is Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon, The Age of Sacred Terror
and Craig Calhoun, Paul Price and Ashley Timmer, eds., Understanding September 11

Chomsky's 9-11 or Jensen essays optional critique number eight is due

Dec 9 Conclusions