Great Caesar’s Ghost! Are Traditional History Courses Vanishing?

New York Times ^ | June 10, 2009 | Patricia Cohen

[warchild9]

I’m a little late to this one, but...

I teach six sections a semester of modern Western Civ and classes on World War II. In the fall, I pick up a section on the War Between the States, which I’m very much looking forward to.

My approach to all this is very straightforward, with papers and two “reaction sheets” due for each class, where the students THINK about a topic, and then give me their opinions. We require lots of thinking from our students; but, then, we are considered an elite school and I’d estimate half of my students are looking towards law or graduate school.

I am a Reagan Republican, now an Independent, as are half of my coworkers. The loons who see a commie in every classroom have never been to college, it’s obvious.

[CatoRenasci]

Don't forget both of Paul Johnson's books. Modern Times is fantastic, a History of the American People good, but flawed. There are truly few sweeping books left.

I'm at work on a "big" project that is essentially a "Patriot's History of the Modern World." Probably 60% finished.

I like Johnson, but I find him interesting, but perhaps to much a popularizer for my taste. His Intellectuals was good in places, but he horribly badly misreads Nietzsche (as do many who haven't really studied Nietzsche), which put me off the book.

I look forward to your next project.

We should probably also include the somewhat idiosyncratic From Dawn to Decadence by Jacques Barzun. It's great stuff, but probably better suited to those who've already digested Palmer thoroughly than as a place to start.

[wildbill]

She was working on her Masters to get a raise.

[Hegemony Cricket]

What’s that phrase about people who know more and more about less and less...