HIST 3015 - Emotion in Historical Perspective

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2024

How we feel and what counts as an emotion changes across time and geographical space. This course introduces students to the history of emotions, highlighting how our emotional worlds, how we feel and show our feelings, what language we use to express emotion, and the social acceptability of particular emotional expressions, have changed over time. Students will encounter some of the key concepts or approaches used by historians to understand how emotions worked in the past, and a range of examples from the medieval to the modern and across the world that highlight the diversity of emotional experience. Key issues that can be explored by students include how emotions are involved in national identity and the making of communities; how emotions are shaped by gender or within families; how the media uses emotion to shape public opinion; and the role of emotion in legal practices and the creation of justice. More generally, we will consider how emotions make history. Through lectures, workshops and structured learning activities, students will have the opportunity to try out some of key history of emotion concepts by applying them to original historical sources. In learning about the past, students might also come to better understand the operation of emotion in the present. This is an interdisciplinary course and may appeal to students interested in emotion in psychology, biology, anthropology, literature and philosophy, as well as history.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code HIST 3015
    Course Emotion in Historical Perspective
    Coordinating Unit Historical and Classical Studies
    Term Semester 1
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours a week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites At least 6 units of Level II undergraduate study
    Incompatible HIST 2091
    Course Description How we feel and what counts as an emotion changes across time and geographical space. This course introduces students to the history of emotions, highlighting how our emotional worlds, how we feel and show our feelings, what language we use to express emotion, and the social acceptability of particular emotional expressions, have changed over time. Students will encounter some of the key concepts or approaches used by historians to understand how emotions worked in the past, and a range of examples from the medieval to the modern and across the world that highlight the diversity of emotional experience. Key issues that can be explored by students include how emotions are involved in national identity and the making of communities; how emotions are shaped by gender or within families; how the media uses emotion to shape public opinion; and the role of emotion in legal practices and the creation of justice. More generally, we will consider how emotions make history. Through lectures, workshops and structured learning activities, students will have the opportunity to try out some of key history of emotion concepts by applying them to original historical sources. In learning about the past, students might also come to better understand the operation of emotion in the present. This is an interdisciplinary course and may appeal to students interested in emotion in psychology, biology, anthropology, literature and philosophy, as well as history.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Emma Carson

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1. have a focused understanding of the historiography of the history of emotions;
    2. be aware of how different methodologies and concepts shape debates in the history of emotions;
    3. be able to locate, contextualise and analyse primary and secondary sources relevant to the history of emotions as part of independent or collaborative research;
    4. be able to apply appropriate history of emotions methodologies or concepts to primary and secondary sources to engage with historical problems;
    5. be able to effectively use appropriate spoken and written formats to portray their understanding of the history of emotions;
    6. be able to work independently of staff to achieve research goals in the history of emotion and contribute findings to group learning activities;
    7. be able to proficiently use contemporary technologies to communicate learning and research findings;
    8. be able to participate in professional practice and ethical issues in researching the history of emotions;
    9. have an understanding of the diversity of emotions across historical time and the ways they shape and are shaped by temporal and geographical context.









    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)

    Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth

    Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.

    1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9

    Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving

    Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.

    2, 3, 4, 6

    Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills

    Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.

    6

    Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness

    Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.

    2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

    Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency

    Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.

    9

    Attribute 6: Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency

    Graduates have an understanding of, and respect for, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values, culture and knowledge.

    1

    Attribute 7: Digital capabilities

    Graduates are well prepared for living, learning and working in a digital society.

    2, 5, 7

    Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

    Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.

    1, 9
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    This course is taught using the following textbook: Katie Barclay, The History of Emotions: A Student Guide to Methods and Sources (Red Globe Press, 2020). There are a small number of copies in the library, but it is strongly recommended that you purchase your own copy. You will use it every week!
    Recommended Resources
    Katie Barclay, Sharon Crozier-De Rosa and Peter Stearns, Eds, Sources for the History of Emotions: A Guide (Routledge, 2020) is very useful for this course. It is available online through the library and might be worth looking at ahead of class.
    Online Learning
    This course is supported by online activities on MyUni that should be completed ahead of class.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This course is taught through a series of online activities followed by a two hour in-person workshop.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    Structured learning
    Online activities: 1 hour per week
    Workshop: 2 hours per week
    Self-directed learning
    Reading: 6 hours per week
    Research: 2 hours per week
    Assignment preparation: 2 hours per week

    Total: 156 hours

    Learning Activities Summary
    This course is designed to teach students to apply methods, theories and concepts to the history of emotions. For the first several weeks of the course, we work through a new method, theory or concept that we could use with our source materials to help us interpret them better and to pull out the emotions that are embedded within them. In the later weeks, we explore a number of history of emotions case studies to explore how historians do this work and how we might learn from them as we develop our assignments.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Primary source exercise 800 words
    Methodology essay 1500 words
    Research essay 2700 words
    Assessment Related Requirements
    None
    Assessment Detail
    Primary source exercise (800 words, 20%): This assignment will test understanding of how historians might identify emotions within primary source material.

    Methodology essay (1,500 words, 30%): This essay will test their understanding of the methodologies and concepts used in the history of emotions. Students shall select from a range of questions designed to assess this knowledge and skillset.

    Research project (2500 words, 50%): This project will provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of historiographical debates in the field and to use their research with primary sources and case studies to engage with historical problems. Students will be create their own question using the material they have been working with throughout the course (with permission to ensure it is appropriate to the course learning outcomes).




     


    Submission
    Assignments are submitted through Turnitin on MyUni.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

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