Course Syllabus

Course Information:

• Instructor: David M. Perry
• Class Times: MWF 9:40-10:40
• Location: MAIN 010
• Office: Old Main 308
• Office Phone : (507) 646-6668
• Office Hours : MW 11:00-12:00
• Email: perry@macalester.edu
• URL: http://www.macalester.edu/courses/hist294silk/

Course Description:

The phrase "Silk Road," a term coined in the late 19th century, describes a number of different routes by which merchants conveyed silk and other valuable commodities from the East to the West during the period from roughly 100 B.C.E. to 1350 C.E. In this class, we are going to study the Silk Road itself, many of the cultures and states that rose and fell along the Silk Road, and especially moments of interaction (commercial, political, cultural, etc.) among the cultures. We will read many different types of texts and consider multiple types of evidence, but focus chiefly on primary data that invokes cross-cultural contact (i.e. diplomats, merchants, and other travelers). We will combine primary and secondary material and discuss how to use all the different types of data and analysis available to scholars. The chief goal is to learn about the Silk Road. The secondary goal is to learn how to learn about the Silk Road. Assignments and readings are designed with both goals in mind.

Required Texts:

Please purchase the following texts from the bookstore

• J. Bentley, Old World Encounters
• S. Whitfield, Life along the Silk Road
• R. Foltz, Religions of the Silk Road
• J. Weatherford, Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World

There will be numerous other readings either posted online or given out in class. You are required to bring all readings due on any given day to class to aid in discussion. For online materials, this means you must print them out.

Course Requirements and Assignments:

• Paper #1 - 15%
  • 1200-word paper on Faxian, Xuanzang, and the Han Narrative Histories. More details to be handed out in class when the due date is closer.
  • Due Monday, Feb. 19
• Midterm Exam - 20%
  • Essay and identification questions. In-class exam. One side of an 8.5 by 11 sheet of paper allowed as notes.
  • On Friday, March 1
• Paper #2 - 20%
  • 1200-word paper on S. Whitfield's book Life on the Silk Road and its utility in understanding the Silk Road. More details to be handed out when the due date is closer.
  • Due Wednesday, April 11
• Final Exam - 30%
  • Date and Time TBA
  • One side of an 8.5 by 11 sheet of paper allowed as notes.
  • At least one essay question will ask you to think about all the contents of the course, and the rest will be on material post-March 1.
• Participation and Attendance - 15%
  • Participation is more than just showing up, but it starts with just showing up. You cannot participate if you are not here. I will take attendance every day. Unexcused absences will weigh heavily against your participation grade.
    • Excused absences - severe illness with doctor's note, death in the family, acts of God, or legitimate Macalester activities (i.e. official sporting or musical events) will obviously not incur any direct penalty. You need to let me know ahead of time (for events) and you are responsible for catching up on material missed by consulting both me and your peers.
  • But participation is about more than just showing up. It's about doing the reading, being prepared to talk about it, volunteering your input, being involved in group work, preparing for discussions, and generally being an asset to the class as a whole. We will have a variety of ways in which you can participate, but none matter more than being an active member in our small-group and full-class discussions.
  • Part of the participation grade will be drawn from many informal activities assigned throughout the semester. These will be graded pass/fail, if at all, but will be taken as a sign of your preparedness and out-of-class effort.
  • If I suspect that the class is not doing the reading, I may assign additional writing assignments, pop-quizzes, or other modes of examination as necessary. Let's all hope it isn't!
  • Your participation is a large percent of your grade. You will need to earn it. Take initiative. Do not expect to speak only when directly called upon and ace this section of the class.
  • Finally, being late consistently may be counted as being absent. It will certainly lower your participation grade.

The Grade

• Paper #1 - 15%
• Midterm Exam - 20%
• Paper #2 - 20%
• Final Exam - 30%
• Participation and Attendance - 15%

Course Policies

1. Follow the policies in the Macalester College Student Handbook . If you are unsure about whether something is plagiarism or cheating, ask first.
2. No assignment, under any circumstances, will be accepted by fax or email.
3. Students must bring readings to class on the day they are assigned. Print out online materials. If we don't talk about something in class, you need to bring it to the next class too unless told otherwise.
4. Writing assignments and examinations are due at the beginning of class. DO NOT EVER SKIP CLASS TO TRY AND FINISH YOUR PAPER. Printing errors and lost data are a fact of the computer age. If you wait until the last minute and encounter technical difficulties, your paper may still be counted as late.
5. For every day a paper or project is late, you lose one full grade per day (A to B, B to C, etc.). Do not test this system. Turn your work in on time. Stapled. With your name on every page. Typed. Double-spaced. In a 12-point font. With room on the margins for comments. Printed on only one side of the paper (for ease of comments). Please! I know this seems like a hassle, but it makes grading them and reading them easier. Be merciful to my eyesight.