HUMANITIES 514 (Fall 2009)

The Twentieth Century, Part I (1900-1945): An Interdisciplinary Introduction

This course examines the relationships of literature, art, philosophy, and science in the first half of the twentieth century. Topics include the rise of modernism in literature and the arts, the distinctive themes of twentieth-century philosophy, and crucial developments in the sciences. Major figures whose works will be studied include Einstein, Russell, Freud, and Picasso.

The course is jointly taught by four faculty members: Prof. Rebecca Schwartz (Art History), Prof. Petar Ramadanovic (English), Prof. Jan Golinski (History), and Prof. Valentine Dusek (Philosophy). Each faculty member leads one of the four discussion sections of the course: 514A (Schwartz), 514B (Ramadanovic), 514C (Golinski), 514D (Dusek).

The class meets every Monday and Wednesday, 1:10 - 2:00 p.m. Lectures are given in Paul Creative Arts Center A218. Check the schedule (below) to see when section meetings are held instead of the lecture. For sections 514B, 514C, and 514D, the section meetings are in a different room from the lectures: 514B is in Hamilton Smith 218, 514C is in the Southeastern Residential Community 104, 514D is in Hamilton Smith 8.

Three tests will be given in the lecture classroom, as shown in the schedule (below). These will account for half of your total grade for the class. The other half will depend on papers and other assignments set by your section leader.

Books for purchase (available at Durham Book Exchange and UNH Campus Bookstore):

Albert Einstein, Relativity: The Special and the General Theory (Penguin Classics, 2006, ISBN-10: 0143039822).
Mikhail Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita (Penguin Classics, 2001, ISBN-10: 0141180145).
Bertrand Russell, Mysticism and Logic (Dover Publications, 2004, ISBN-10: 0486434400).
Sigmund Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents (Norton, 2005, ISBN: 9780393301588).
Michael Friedman, The Parting of the Ways: Carnap, Cassirer, and Heidegger (Open Court, 2000, ISBN-10: 0812694252).

Richard Wright, Native Son and How “Bigger” was Born (Harper, 1993, ISBN-10: 00601812494).

Additional essential readings will be distributed electronically via the Blackboard system or assigned from online sources. You should make sure you can access the class pages on the Blackboard system as soon as possible. If you have not used Blackboard before, look at the FAQ page, which is accessible from the CIS homepage: http://cis.unh.edu/blackboard. You can also get help from the staff at the Academic Commons in Dimond Library.

Accommodations:

Students needing disability accommodations should contact UNH Disability Services for Students, 118 Memorial Union Building (603-862-2607) as soon as possible. Students who are already registered and wish to receive accommodations in this course should share their accommodation letter with their section instructor at the beginning of the semester. All information regarding disabilities is confidential.

Schedule:

Mon 31 Aug: Introduction to the course (Golinski)

Wed 2 Sep: Einstein and relativity (1) (Golinski)

Mon 7 Sep: **Labor Day Holiday**

Wed 9 Sep: Einstein and relativity (2) (Golinski)

Mon 14 Sep: **SECTION MEETING** (see above for location)

Wed 16 Sep: Cubism (Schwartz)

Mon 21 Sep: Modernism: Mikhail Bulgakov (1) (Ramadanovic)

Wed 23 Sep: Modernism: Mikhail Bulgakov (2) (Ramadanovic)

Mon 28 Sep: Russell and Haldane (Dusek)

Wed 30 Sep: **SECTION MEETING**

Mon 5 Oct: **TEST #1**

Wed 7 Oct: World War I poetry (Ramadanovic)

Mon 12 Oct: **Fall Break Holiday**

Tue 13 Oct (MONDAY schedule): Freud (Golinski)

Wed 14 Oct: **SECTION MEETING**

Mon 19 Oct: Surrealism in art (Schwartz)

Wed 21 Oct: Surrealism in literature (Ramadanovic)

Mon 26 Oct: The Bauhaus school (Schwartz)

Wed 28 Oct: Carnap and Heidegger (Dusek)

Mon 2 Nov: **SECTION MEETING**

Wed 4 Nov: **TEST #2**

Mon 9 Nov: Quantum physics (Golinski)

Wed 11 Nov: **Veterans Day Holiday**

Mon 16 Nov: Whitehead and Eddington (Dusek)

Wed 18 Nov: Carnap, Heidegger, and totalitarian philosophy (Dusek)

Mon 23 Nov: **SECTION MEETING**

Wed 25 Nov: Eugenics and totalitarian science (Golinski)

Mon 30 Nov: Art and politics (1) (Schwartz)

Wed 2 Dec: Art and politics (2) (Schwartz)

Mon 7 Dec: African-American writing: Richard Wright (Ramadanovic)

Wed 9 Dec: **SECTION MEETING**

Wed 16 Dec (1:00 - 3:00): **TEST #3**