History 739 Topics in Near Eastern and World History

1. History 739Topics in Near Eastern andWorld History Dr. John Curry john.curry@unlv.edu http://faculty.unlv.edu/curryj5 Room B-326 (History Conference Room) Class meets: 4:00-7:30pm Office Hours: Tuesday 2:30-4:00pm

2. Purposes of the seminar course differ from that of colloquium Seminars focus less on a defined reading list, and more on researching and writing process Can serve as a more in-depth continuation of work done in earlier course, or an opportunity to strike out anew into new areas Research: show ability to tap into new sources and new areas to construct your study Writing process: work on constructing a solid, well-constructed vehicle for your argument

3. Focusing on the writing process: some helpful works For citation: make sure you follow Chicago-style guidelines in Kate Turabian’s work (syllabus) Despite dated elements, skimming through the various points embodied in William Strunk and E.B. White’s The Elements of Style can be very helpful in avoiding classic structural errors William Zinsser’s On Writing Well offers an informal series of observations on writing good non-fiction which can be helpful

4. Less modest goals for the Fall Semester session Begin with John Darwin’s After Tamerlane; a study of global history since 1400 that you should begin as soon as possible Shifting from global to regional: a new work by Giancarlo Casale on the Ottoman Age of Exploration—how to make regional global? Conclude with Richard Bulliet’s new work Cotton, Climate and Camels; how do local structures have potentially global impact?

5. The longer haul: seminars are much more about individuals Library research day (September 9): prepare list of specific questions for Priscilla Finley The writing circle process—how to make your writing better and more accessible to diverse audiences, and how it can be used (October) Staying in touch: November is the loneliest month of any seminar Final presentations, both written and oral: making your work “ready for market”

6. More on the individual projects growing out of the course Colloquiums are aimed at mastering a body of scholarly literature, with the emphasis on fuller reading, structure of individual works Seminars have a different strategy—must dip into far more materials, but perhaps less fully than in the case of colloquiums Potential dangers: one must not lose critical edge when reading more widely! Some examples; and on dividing bibliographies into primary, secondary and tertiary works

7. The Fall Semester cadre:(no need for) introductions Erika Goff Kathryn James Sherwin Moshiri Renee Wiseman • Status report: How, if at all, has your thoughts about what to do this semester changed having been given time to reflect on it for a few weeks?

8. Hitting the ground running: issues of immediate concern First order of business: for next week (Sept. 2), prepare a draft proposal statement that seeks to convince an outside force of the importance of your seminar project—why is this important? Questions on library resources to be e-mailed to Priscilla Finley (priscilla.finley@unlv.edu) by September 7 at 5:00pm; follow up Sept. 9 Discussion of John Darwin on Sept. 16 (since this is the longest work, you should start early!) Conclude with Casale and Bulliet, Sept. 23 & 30