Vietnam
Topic:
Modern Vietnam 4 cr. Mentor: Rounds, Chris
Level:Advanced Liberal Indicator:Liberal
Gen Ed: 6. Other World Civilizations
Not Applicable
B. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
This study will be guided by Chris Rounds, mentor in History at the Binghamton Unit of Empire State College.
This study is designed to provide students with an overview of the history of modern Vietnam, and to suggest some ways that a broad range of texts can contribute to an understand of complex historical issues.
The student should begin by reading chapters 1-12 of Duong Van Mai Elliott's The Sacred Willow: Four Generations in the Life of a Vietnamese Family. This reading will provide a thoughtful introduction to the Vietnamese experience in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The student should maintain a Learning Journal while reading, and share it with the tutor. Details regarding the use of the Learning Journal will be provided.
Next, the student should read Marilyn B. Young's The Vietnam Wars: 1945-1990, while continuing to read parallel chapters in The Sacred Willow. The Learning Journal should continue to be used, both to capture the essence of each reading and to compare the two.
When the student has completed both texts, she/he should discuss with the tutor two additional readings designed to round-out the student's understanding of the Vietnamese experience and to allow for the exploration of issues of particular interest to the student. The student will write a critical review of each of these works, following guidelines provided by the tutor. Each review should be 4-6 pages in length [1000-1500 words]. These essays should be appropriately documented and should demonstrate the student's ability integrate ideas from the earlier readings in the evaluation of these works.
C. METHOD AND CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION
The student's work in this study will be evaluated based on the written work described above and occasional, less formal, exchanges with the tutor. Students completing this study at the introductory level should demonstrate a growing understanding of the nature of the Vietnamese historical experience, and an appreciation for the roles played by the French and Americans in that history. Written work at the introductory level should demonstrate the student's ability to translate ideas and arguments from each author's words into their own, and should provide evidence of the student's ability to hear and respond to feedback from the tutor. The critical reviews should be well-organized and clearly written, providing evidence of the student's ability to 'listen to' the perspective of each author and thoughtfully critique each work in light of the earlier reading. Work at the advanced undergraduate level should provide particular evidence of the student's ability to appreciate, articulate and analyze a range of perspectives on historical issues, and an ability to discover and use supplementary sources, including book reviews. Essay organization and presentation are of particular importance to the successful completion of advanced level work.
The work in this study is intended to build toward the final assignments, providing students with opportunities to improve their critical, analytical and writing skills as the study progresses. The timely and sequential submission of assignments is essential to the success of this project. Later assignments should provide evidence of the student's ability to hear and respond positively to criticism.