HIST. 410: DRINK! (3CR)

Liquid Refreshment in World HistoryProf. Eric G. E. ZuelowFall 2015 T/TH 3:30-4:50Decary 206Office: Marcil 204Office Hrs: T, W, Th. 1-2:30 or by appointmentEmail: ezuelow@une.eduPhone: 207-602-2310

During the 1980s, two University of Pennsylvania scholars suggested that the very first hunter-gatherers to settle down and form villages did so because they wanted to assure a steady supply of beer. From at least that moment, some 10,000 years ago, drink played an important, even pivotal, role in virtually every society around the world. Drink is connected with religious movements, political control, economic change, major historical

events, and social activities. Literature is replete with references to alcohol, coffee, tea, and even soda. Just what is it about fluid refreshment that has so captivated the human imagination, so ingrained itself within the human experience?

This READING seminar is modeled closely on the format of graduate-level history courses. It will examine the place of beverages

(whether alcoholic or not) in society from earliest times, addressing the social, cultural, political, religious, and economic implications of fluid refreshment across time and geographic space.

This class meets the ADV Core requirement.

REQUIRED TEXTS

Stewart Lee Allen, The Devil’s Cup: A History of the World According to Coffee (Ballantine Books, 1999). ISBN-13: 978-0345441492

Victor H. Mair and Erling Hoh, The True History of Tea (Thames and Hudson, 2009). ISBN-13: 978-0500251461

Tom Standage, A History of the World in 6 Glasses (Walker & Co., 2005). ISBN-13: 978-0802715524

Jessica Warner, Craze: Gin and Debauchery in an Age of Reason (Random House, 2002). ISBN-13: 978-0812968996

Richard Mendelson, From Demon to Darling: A Legal History of Wine in America (University of California Press, 2009). ISBN-13: 978-0520259430

Patrick E. McGovern, Uncorking the Past: The Quest for Wine, Beer, and Other Alcoholic Beverages (University of California Press, 2009). ISBN-13: 978-0520253797

Additional readings are available for download, either directly from websites listed in the

course schedule or in the “Shared Files” section for this course in Blackboard.

RECOMMENDED TEXTS The following text offers extensive advice about how to succeed in history courses—including

information about how to write papers, how to take notes, how best to study, and how to properly cite sources. Although there will be no formal reading assignments drawn from this book, I will likely refer to it from time to time. I strongly advise you to purchase a copy and to keep it on hand throughout your tenure in history courses here at UNE.

Vincent Alan Clark, A Guide to Your History Course (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson

Prentice Hall, 2009). ISBN: ISBN: 0-13-185087-3

LEARNING OUTCOMES

This course will have four primary learning outcomes:

1. Students will discuss and explain both written and oral arguments; 2. Students will learn to better evaluate historical arguments; 3. Students will compose critiques of existing scholarship related to the history of liquid

refreshment; 4. Students will survey the development of beverages in world history.

Although not specifically listed as a learning outcome, this class is designed to help history majors better prepare to successfully complete our department’s capstone requirement: the senior thesis. This said, non-majors will also benefit, not only by improving writing, reading, and thinking skills, but also by exploring how historians look at the world. Both majors and non-majors should notice that the world is far more complicated and interconnected than it might at first seem. With these goals in mind, you will be asked to complete a significant number of secondary readings while also taking notes as you do so, co-lead two discussions and present two short oral summaries of the assigned readings, write three short book reviews, and complete a 7-10 page historiographical essay. This class is fundamentally about reading and discussing scholarly work. As such, and above all else, you will be expected to actively take part in discussions.

LEADING DISCUSSION AND ORAL PRESENTATIONS

As noted above, this course is modeled on grad seminars at a top-tier graduate institution (albeit with a significantly reduced work load). As such, you will be expected to play an active role in directing the course itself. This task will involve presenting two short oral presentations and taking a significant role in leading those class sessions during which you give a presentation. The primary goal of your oral presentations (which should be roughly 5-minutes in length) is to refresh everybody’s memory about the day’s reading while at the same time raising a few significant questions that we should consider during our discussion. Begin with a brief summary of the reading, focusing on major arguments or ideas. Just what exactly is the author telling us? From there, you ought to provide a short explanation of the strengths and weaknesses of his/her approach. Why are these strengths or weaknesses? Finally, you need to begin to navigate us in the direction of a substantive discussion of the work under consideration. Come prepared with questions for the group and be ready to assist me in leading the class. As just stated, you will help me direct the discussion on the day of your presentation. After the presentations are complete (two per day), we will begin working through your questions by considering possible answers from a variety of angles. Together we will generate a “deep” discussion of the work in question, probing it from as many perspectives as possible. I will also come prepared with a variety of questions that should supplement your own. As schedules permit, presenters should meet with me either via email or in person to discuss how we will approach each given body of material, to exchange questions, and to consider possible discussion directions that may develop.

This assignment is worth 10% of your overall grade. (5% ea.)

ULTIMATE GOAL: As a result of this assignment you will improve your reading comprehension and oral abilities. Just as important, you will increase your ability to

critically engage with written work, assessing arguments and raising questions for further consideration.

BOOK/ARTICLE REVIEWS

Scholarly book reviews represent far more than short summaries of a given work and they extend well beyond a simple declaration that a given piece of writing is “good” or “bad.” Instead, scholarly reviews provide a summary of major arguments, concise discussion of source materials and approach, and a critical assessment of the merits of a given work. What makes a book either weak or strong? Why should scholars read (or avoid) a specific book? What, if any, contribution does it make to our understanding of a topic? Done well, book reviews represent a concise critical assessment of a larger piece of scholarship and play an invaluable role in the scholarly enterprise. They are very difficult to do well. Reviews are short so there is little room for extraneous language. Reviews should be pointed. Don’t leave readers confused. They must provide a concise summary of a work while not getting bogged down in unnecessary detail. Reviews must go straight to the point. Ernest C. Bolt, Jr., the Samuel Chiles Mitchell-Jacob Billikopf Professor of History at the University of Richmond, offers the following advice to his upper-level undergraduate students and it applies equally well in our class:

1. Tell the reader why the book is worth reading (or not worth reading). 2. Tell the reader the author's purpose (this is usually stated in the preface, introduction, or elsewhere in the early part of the book). Do not get involved in saying what type of book or coverage of the subject you would have written. 3. Recognize that thorough reading and comprehension will help produce better results. Reading a scholarly monograph will likely take more time than reading a novel . . . 4. Comment on the methodology used by the author, especially if he/she uses new approaches. 5. Tell the reader whether the book being reviewed is truly outstanding (based on your reaction or the reaction of others), backing up your opinion (or that of others). 6. It is permissible to judge a book as “interesting,” poorly organized, or “helpful,” but in all cases use examples to support your judgment. 7. Telling the reader “I enjoyed the book” or “the book is good” offers very little of substance. But telling the reader about the contributions the author makes, with specific examples, is a useful feature of any review. 8. Always maintain fairness and avoid intemperate personal comments. Readers and scholars alike will differ on many subjects and the way to handle them. In professional circles, authors are frequently given the opportunity to respond to reviewers, especially when the intellectual exchange has become heated and personal. 9. Critical book reviewing often includes a discussion of bias. If you believe the author has demonstrated a biased position or viewpoint, it is proper to indicate this. But be sure what you see

as bias does not reflect a bias of your own. If you have a bias, you must tell the reader, and in either of these situations, this level of analysis should not take much space. 10. We seldom write or see perfect reviews. The critical review is a form of writing by historians (and other scholars) that is unlike any other—essay, book, article, encyclopedia entry, research paper, abstract, etc. Yet it is probably the type of writing most students will do later in life. You may not write book reviews exactly. But you likely will be asked to write clearly, briefly, and critically. You will be expected to focus on what is most important as you engage written documents and as you interact with others in your professional community. (You can read Professor Bolt’s full comments at: https://facultystaff.richmond.edu/~ebolt/History327/writing.html.)

In this class, you will be required to write three short reviews. They should reflect the following format.

1) Include full bibliographic details at the top of your review. Use the following form: a. Books: Eric G.E. Zuelow, Making Ireland Irish: Tourism and National Identity

since the Irish Civil War (Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 2009). 344 pp.

b. Articles: Eric G.E. Zuelow, “ ‘Kilts versus Breeches’: The Royal Visit, Tourism, and Scottish National Memory,” Journeys: The International Journal of Travel and Travel Writing 7.2 (2006): pp. 33-53.

c. Book Chapters: Eric G.E. Zuelow, “The Tourism Nexus: The Meanings of

Tourism and Identity since the Irish Civil War,” in Mark McCarthy (ed.), Ireland’s Heritages: Critical Perspectives on Memory and Identity (Hampshire: Ashgate, 2005), pp. 189-213.

2) Reviews should be 600-800 words in length. Use 1-inch margins and double-space your

essays.

3) Your reviews should engage with books or articles that are not part of the assigned readings for this course.

4) Each of the works that you review should be scholarly in nature.

5) ALL WORK TO BE REVIEWED MUST BE APPROVED BY THE PROFESSOR

BEFORE YOU REVIEW IT.

6) All three reviews should address a similar theme. You will integrate them into your final paper.

7) REVIEWS ARE DUE ON: October 6, October 27, and November 10.

Each review is worth 10% of your overall grade.

(Combined they represent 30% of your final score.)

ULTIMATE GOAL: Writing book reviews will push you to fully engage with written arguments and to master the art of succinctly restating them while also developing your own critique.

READING NOTES

This class is obviously discussion-based and our conversations will grow directly from the readings. In short, it is vital that you do the reading.

Scholarly reading demands a level of discipline quite unlike anything that you need to read popular fiction. Interesting facts matter, of course, but you also need to be mindful of argument, use of sources, and more. The very best way to accomplish these goals is through taking consistent, careful notes. Taking notes will help you better understand what you read, more quickly review for exams, locate information needed for use in scholarly writing, and more.

To help develop this skill, you will be required to keep careful notes for all readings completed in this class. You will want to record page numbers and important passages, significant quotes, questions that occur to you, issues that you believe are worthy of discussion, and so on. Please observe the following format:

Eric Zuelow 1/12/14

Joachim Whaley, “Introduction” p. 1 “It is the sense of time and hence the sense of mortality which distinguishes man from all other species.”

p. 1 Man is unique in obsession with death

p. 1. Developed elaborate rituals from early on

p. 1 obsession with death constant across time [even if particulars of practice change significantly]

Question: Is Whaley right about this? Archaeological evidence may suggest something else. The Taung Child (died 2.8 million years ago) was not buried. By ≈30,000 years ago, however, evidence of increasingly elaborate burials emerges at places such as Dolní Vĕstonice. Surely this calls the notion of a death obsession across time into question.

p. 2 rituals do more for living than the dead

p. 2 long history of advice about how to die well, dating to at least Ancient Egypt’s Book of the Dead p. 2 death as a form of pornography; not clear precisely why roles reversed. Sex now something to talk openly about while death relegated to unspoken status.

p. 2 increasing separation from death

p. 2 NOTE: Footnote #2 includes reading on the “Pornography of Death” which might work well as an assigned reading

p. 3 World War I changed language of death

p. 3 “Most are characterized by the belief that it is essential for modern man to restore somehow an equanimity in the face of death, and thus re-establish a relationship both between individuals and society and between individuals and nature which has only recently been lost.”

p. 3 campaigns developed in 1960s to re-establish relationship with death; early scholarship about death in 1960s grew from belief that separation from death/dying unhealthy and problematic. Nostalgic sense that the Victorians represented a high watermark of how to do death. [Really?! The Victorians were basically put into a place where they had to spend every penny on their funerals, focusing more on dying than living. Is THAT healthy?!]

Notice that many of the notations above simply summarize important points, others draw attention to quotes that seem evocative or important, still others raise doubts or questions about an author’s argument or sources.

If you prefer to type your notes, please print copies and hand them in at the end of each class session. If you would like to use a notebook, please make a photocopy to hand in. Be sure to put your name on your notes.

Grades will be determined by the extent to which your notes show engagement with the reading. Most readings in this class are quite rich; it seems likely that virtually every page should elicit notations. (In my own case, I try to briefly summarize every paragraph so that I can quickly go back through a reading. Doing this has the added advantage of assuring that you never “zone out,” your eyes flowing over the words without really comprehending what you are seeing.) I will assign a grade for each set of notes, then will determine your final grade for this portion of your overall grade by averaging these scores.

This assignment is worth 10% of your overall grade.

ULTIMATE GOAL: As a result of this assignment, you will improve your reading comprehension while also developing a vital skill that is especially useful when conducting research in other classes, preparing for exams, or confronting especially difficult ideas, writing styles, or arguments.

HISTORIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY

For our purposes, historiography is the collected scholarship on a given topic. It follows that historiographical essays provide a survey of the literature on a topic, providing a series of reviews that relate to one another and that collectively assess the state of a given field. You will produce a short historiographical paper as your major term project, making use of the book reviews that you’ve already written as part of the assignment. Your paper will require that you complete a series of steps. 1) Choose a topic in consultation with the professor. A short 1 or 2 sentence summary of

your topic will be due on September 15.

2) Create a working bibliography of titles related to your topic. This bibliography will form the basis of your historiographical essay as well as for your book reviews. The list may include monographs, essays contained in edited collections, or scholarly articles published in peer-reviewed journals. You must hand in your bibliography on September 22.

3) Although you will not read every source on your list, you should nevertheless familiarize

yourself with all of them. This task is accomplished by “skimming.” Learning to “skim” effectively is an exceptionally valuable skill. In essence, you should read the introduction and conclusion of the book/article in its entirety. What is the thesis? How does the author propose to structure his/her essay? What evidence does she/he promise to utilize? Then look at subject headings while also reading the first and last sentence of each paragraph. If the paragraph in question seems terribly important, read the entire paragraph. Take notes!

4) As you glance through the works in your bibliography, choose those that seem to be most

important and read them carefully. You will write full reviews of three of these (see above).

5) Your final paper should provide an overview of the literature on your topic. What are the

major debates? Accepted arguments? Types of evidence used? Approaches adopted? Are there any questions left unanswered?

6) You will be required to distribute a complete rough draft of your final paper on

November 12. Have hard copies for all writing group members and for the professor.

7) Your final essay should be 7 to 10-pages. You must use 12-point Times New Roman font. Margins must be 1-inch on all sides. Use footnotes for all citations (Chicago Manual of Style). Use a coversheet to list your name and paper title; your coversheet will not be included in the 7 to 10-page length of the paper. Carefully copyedit and spell-check your paper; the SASC can help you with this. You may use either British or American grammar/spelling conventions but BE CONSISTANT throughout your paper. [I’ll be happy to explain what I mean: ask!!] A lack of consistency will result in a 5-point grade reduction.

8) There will be a 5-point reduction for any failure to follow the above style guidelines

concerning paper formatting. Papers that are below 7-pages will receive a 10-point reduction for every page below the minimum. Papers that do not correctly use footnotes will receive a 20-point penalty. Essays containing an excessive number of typographical or grammatical errors will receive a 10-point penalty.

9) Elements of this assignment that are handed in late will result in a 5-point reduction on

your final essay grade. If any element is not handed in, 10-points will be removed from your final essay grade.

10) The final paper is DUE on the last day of class (December 3).

This paper will (probably) be markedly different than other essays you have written at UNE. Fortunately, this entire course will function to prepare you to write it: from our in-class discussions to the completion of your reviews to the various steps listed above. If you take this course seriously, follow instructions, do the work in a timely manner, seek help when you need it, and carefully adhere to the criteria stipulated in this syllabus, you will do very well. I’m here to help, so take advantage of office hours or make an appointment to see me whenever you need assistance.

This assignment is worth 30% of your overall grade.

ULTIMATE GOAL: As with the other assignments in this class, this paper will improve your writing skills, continue to hone your critical thinking, and help you learn to see arguments in a larger academic context.

EXTRA CREDIT

There will be several opportunities to earn extra credit during the course of the semester. You will receive 1-2 extra credit point(s) (added to your final overall grade) for attending the presentation/performance/film.

Sept. 21: The Class (Alfond 205, 5:30pm) Oct. 1: October: Ten Days that Shook the World (Alfond 205, 5:30pm) Oct 13: Medea (Alfond 205, 5:30pm) Oct. 29: Nosferatu (Alfond 205, 5:30pm) Nov. 19: Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (Alfond 205, 5:30pm)

Please stay tuned for additions to this list. I will let you know what other events qualify as I become aware of them.

PARTICIPATION/ATTENDANCE

As noted several times above, this is a READING seminar and it is based on critical discussion of the assigned texts. Your attendance, participation, and on-time completion of reading assignments are essential to the success of this course. You cannot learn, nor can you contribute to the group’s success, if you are absent or if you have not done the required reading. Taking part is a basic requirement of this course and I expect you to actively participate.

This assignment is worth 20% of your overall grade.

ULTIMATE GOAL: This assignment will help you develop your oral communication skills, as well as pushing you to both learn to make and critique verbal arguments.

OTHER POLICIES

LATE ASSIGNMENTS

• All papers must be handed in on the day that they are due. This must be done IN CLASS. No late papers will be accepted.

• Papers will not be accepted electronically unless otherwise specified.

Having said this, if an unforeseen and serious problem arises, please contact me and we will work something out. Please be prepared to provide a doctor’s note, obituary, or other paperwork as needed.

CELL PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONICS

Cellular phones, MP3 players, and other electronic devices are distracting to others and are therefore not acceptable in the classroom. Although I allow laptops in lecture-based courses, they are not appropriate given the format of this particular class and will not be permitted.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY (TEXT COURTESY CAS DEAN’S OFFICE)

Academic dishonesty is taken very seriously and dealt with according to UNE policy. Academic dishonesty will result in a zero on the associated assignment and can include up to expulsion from school. As specified per UNE policies, academic dishonesty is: A. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or

information including but not limited to 1) use of any unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations; 2) dependence upon the aid of sources beyond those authorized by the faculty in

writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments, including but not limited to calculators, handheld computers, smart phones, or any other electronic devices; or

3) the acquisition, without permission, of tests or other academic materials belonging to a member of the University faculty or staff.

B. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers, reports, or examinations, either oral or written.

C. Actions that destroy or alter the work of another student. D. Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one

course without permission of each instructor. E. Plagiarism: the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language

of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own including but not limited to:

1) the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment; or

2) the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person, company, online purveyor, or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or any other academic materials.

The College of Arts and Sciences policy on reviewing alleged acts of academic dishonesty can be found at: http://www.une.edu/cas-1

MID-TERM ACADEMIC PROGRESS REPORTS

The University of New England is committed to the academic success of its students. At the midterm of each semester, instructors will report the performance of each student as SATISFACTORY (S) or UNSATISFACTORY (U). Instructors will announce when these midterm academic progress reports will be available for viewing via Uonline. This early alert system gives all students important information about progress in their courses. Students who receive an UNSATISFACTORY midterm report should take immediate action by speaking with their instructor to discuss suggestions for improvement such as utilizing the services of academic advising, the Student Academic Success Center, Counseling Services, and Residential Education. [Text provided by CAS Dean’s Office]

SASC SYLLABI STATEMENT

The Student Academic Success Center offers a range of free services to support your academic achievement, including tutoring, writing support, test-prep and studying strategies, learning style consultations, and many online resources. To make an http://une.tutortrac.com. To access our online resources, including links, guides, and video tutorials, visit https://sites.google.com/a/une.edu/student-academic-success-center. [Text provided by CAS Dean’s Office]

ACCESS STATEMENT

The University of New England will make reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Any student eligible for and needing academic adjustments or accommodations because of a disability is requested to speak with the professor at the beginning of the semester. Registration with Disability Services, located in Stella Maris 128 (ext. 2815) on the Biddeford Campus and the Lower Level of Ginn Hall (ext. 4418) on the Portland Campus, is required before accommodation requests can be granted [Text provided by CAS Dean’s Office]

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

http://www.une.edu/studentlife/disability-services If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a documented disability, speak with the professor prior to or during the first week of class. All disability-related inquires on the Biddeford Campus may be addressed to Cynthia Curry, M.S. Ed., Coordinator of Disability Services, Stella Maris 128, Phone: (207) 602-2815, E-mail: ccurry2@une.edu All disability-related inquiries on the Portland Campus may be addressed to Susan M. McDevitt, M.A., Director of Disability Services, Ginn Hall, Lower Level, Phone: (207) 221-4418, E-mail: smcdevitt@une.edu [Text provided by CAS Dean’s Office]

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OVERALL COURSE GRADE

It is very important to understand how your grade will be assessed in this class, as well as what the various grades actually mean. In essence, letter grades are used as shorthand for the level of proficiency achieved in the classroom. The following criteria are in effect:

A: Student demonstrated a level of knowledge (writing, content, etc.) relevant to the course that goes considerably beyond what is expected.

B: Student demonstrated a level of knowledge of material relevant to the course

that is beyond basic expectations. C: Student demonstrated an acceptable level of knowledge that is in line with

course expectations. D: Student knowledge barely meets expectations and the student will likely face

significant difficulty in more advanced history courses. F: Student has not learned or demonstrated enough mastery of material to receive

a passing grade. These criteria are not intended to be off-putting, but merely to make clear that simply showing up for class, doing assignments, and talking occasionally generally earns a “C” or a “D”—not an “A” or “B,” both of which denote a student who exceeded the basic expectations outlined in this syllabus.

The basic grade breakdown is as follows:

Participation: 20% Reading Notes: 10% Presentations/Course Moderation: 10% (5% ea.) Book Reviews: 30% (10% ea.) Historiographical Essay: 30%

The following grading scale is in effect:

A+ = 97-100 A = 93-96 A- = 90-92 B+ = 87-89 B = 83-86 B- = 80-82 C+ = 77-79 C = 73-76

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C- = 70-72 D = 60-69 F = 59 and below

Please note that the following schedule is provisional. Changes may be made as demanded by the weather, class progress, etc. Please watch your email for alterations/revisions.

THURSDAY,  AUG.  27,  2015

Today we will get to know one another, make sure that everybody understands course expectations and requirements, and take a few minutes to discuss the nature of historical study.

Reading:

William Cronon, “Only Connect…: The Goals of a Liberal Education,” The American Scholar, (Autumn 1998): 73-80. Available online at: http://www.williamcronon.net/writing/cronon_only_connect.pdf. Accessed August 20, 2015.

TUESDAY,  SEPT.  1,  2015

We will use Spode’s article, as well as our own thoughts and ideas, to construct an initial list of reasons for and against the historical study of “drink.” Our list should be useful going forward, acting as a baseline means of judging the various scholarship that we read as well as providing us a way to look back over the term during our final classes.

Reading:

Hasso Spode, “What Does Alcohol History Mean and To What End Do We Study It?:

A Plea for SpeciRalism,” The Social History of Alcohol and Drugs, Vol. 18 (2003): Pp. 16-34.

THURSDAY,  SEPT.  3,  2015

Tom Standage makes a bold claim in his world history textbook: that the entire course of world history from earliest times is intimately connected with various forms of liquid refreshment. Over the next two class periods we will consider the various drinks that he discusses, the merits of his argument, and the viability of exploring human history through the bottom of a glass. Today we will discuss beer, wine, and spirits.

C O U R S E S C H E D U L E

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Reading: Tom Standage, A History of the World in 6 Glasses (New York: Walker and

Company, 2005), Pp. 1-129.

TUESDAY,  SEPT.  8,  2015

We will continue our discussion of Standage’s History of the World in 6 Glasses by looking specifically at his treatment of coffee, tea, Coca-Cola, and his concluding remarks regarding water.

Reading:

Standage, History of the World, Pp. 133-274.

THURSDAY,  SEPT.  10,  2015

Today we will engage with a long-standing debate in the study of ancient alcohol: which came first, the loaf or the pint? We will read two of the most significant texts related to this debate.

Reading:

Katz, S. H., and M. Voight. "Bread and Beer: The Early Use of Cereals in the Human

Diet." Expedition 28:2 (1987): Pp. 23–34. Robert J. Braidwood, Jonathan D. Sauer, et al, “Symposium: Did Man Once Live By

Beer Alone,” American Anthropologist, New Series, Vol. 55, No. 4 (October 1953): Pp. 515-526.

TUESDAY,  SEPT.  15,  2015

Patrick McGovern is by far the most famous biomolecular archaeologist in the world today thanks to his groundbreaking exploration of the very earliest alcoholic beverages. Like Standage, McGovern strongly believes that alcohol played a profound role in human history, perhaps even before the first settled communities formed. Is this a credible claim? If it is, why does alcohol play such an important role in the human experience? Is it a case of nature or nurture? Our discussion will likely explore the chemistry, archaeology, and anthropology involved in his argument.

Reading:

Patrick E. McGovern, Uncorking the Past: The Quest for Wine, Beer, and Other Alcoholic Beverages (Berkeley, Los Angeles, London: University of California Press, 2009), Pp. xi-128.

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“Proposal” sentences due

THURSDAY,  SEPT.  17,  2015

We will continue our discussion of McGovern’s book.

Reading:

McGovern, Uncorking the Past, Pp. 129-281.

TUESDAY,  SEPT.  22,  2015 From its discovery by a goat herder to its adoption by Sufis to its association with intellectuals, the story of coffee is a long and interesting one. Stewart Lee Allen tells the tale with entertaining zeal—but does a travelogue approach suffice?

Reading:

Stewart Lee Allen, The Devil’s Cup: A History of the World According to Coffee (New York: Ballantine Books, 1999), Pp. 1-108.

Bibliography due

THURSDAY,  SEPT.  24,  2015

We will continue to follow Allen as he pursues both coffee and a second career in international art smuggling.

Reading:

Allen, Devil’s Cup, Pp. 109-224.

TUESDAY,  SEPT.  29,  2015 Today we will take a short break from our reading and from the chronological/thematic trajectory of the course to watch and discuss a short film about the history of beer in America. Given the virtually nonexistent workload this week, use your time to make sure that you are well prepared for the reading going forward and that you are up-to-date with your own research.

Film:

Roger Sherman, Director, The American Brew, 2007.

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THURSDAY,  OCT.  1,  2015

Today we will transition, as did much of the world, between tea and coffee. Toward this end, we’ll explore how/why consumption shifted from coffee to tea in Iran. Next we’ll visit the swashbuckling (or not so much) world of tea smuggling.

Reading:

Rudi Matthee, “From Coffee to Tea: Shifting Patterns of Consumption in Qajar Iran,” Journal of World History, Vol. 7, No. 2 (Fall 1996): Pp. 199-230.

Hoh-Cheung and Lorna H. Mui, “Smuggling and the British Tea Trade before 1784,”

American Historical Review, Vol. 74, No. 1 (October 1968): Pp. 44-73.

TUESDAY,  OCT.  6,  2015

The story of tea is quite extraordinary and involves religion, deeply rooted tradition, empire, and warfare, while at the same time speaking to questions of gender and class. Today we will trace the story of tea from China to the New World.

Reading:

Victor H. Mair and Erling Hoh, The True History of Tea (London: Thames & Hudson, 2009), Pp. 7-136.

First book review due

THURSDAY,  OCT.  8,  2015

Our study of the history of tea continues. . . .

Reading:

Mair and Hoh, History of Tea, Pp. 137-257.

TUESDAY,  OCT.  13,  2015

Alcohol evidently played a significant role in virtually every civilization and time period, but specific concerns and beliefs were highly contingent. Today we examine ideas about wine during one particular period—the early modern period—and in two different countries.

Reading:

Louise Hill Curth, “The Medicinal Value of Wine in Early Modern England,” Social History of Alcohol and Drugs, Vol. 18 (2003): Pp. 35-50.

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Mack P. Holt, “Wine, Community and Reformation in Sixteenth-Century Burgundy,”

Past and Present, No. 138 (February 1993): Pp. 58-93.

THURSDAY,  OCT.  15,  2015

The so-called “gin mania” of the early eighteenth century pitted the poor against the wealthy, reformers against conservatives, and informers against drinkers. It was a divisive period that is instructive, not only in terms of eighteenth century social and political life, but also in terms of drug scares (Warner ultimately compares “gin mania” to concern about crack cocaine during the 1980s.). Today we will start a two day discussion of gin mania and its many implications.

Reading:

Jessica Warner, Craze: Gin and Debauchery in an Age of Reason (Random House, 2002), Pp. ix-103.

TUESDAY,  OCT.  20,  2015

Our discussion of gin mania continues.

Reading:

Warner, Craze, Pp. 105-219.

THURSDAY,  OCT.  22,  2015

The gin mania episode lays bare the realty that governments are often very concerned with drink and that there is a legal history of alcohol just as surely as there is an economic, social, cultural, or religious history. Today we will launch a two-day effort to explore the legal history of wine in America.

Reading:

Richard Mendelson, From Demon to Darling: A Legal History of Wine in America (University of California Press, 2009), Pp. xi-93.

TUESDAY,  OCT.  27,  2015

Our discussion of the legal history of wine continues.

Reading:

Mendelson, Demon to Darling, Pp. 94-190.

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Second book review due

THURSDAY,  OCT.  29,  2015

Beer is a central part of African life, often made by women and consumed by men. Today we explore African drinking traditions.

Reading:

Robert G. Carlson, “Banana Beer, Reciprocity, and Ancestor Propitiation among the Haya of Bukoba, Tanzania,” Ethnology, Vol. 29, No. 4 (October 1990): Pp. 297-311.

Patrick McAllister, “Domestic Space, Habitus, and Xhosa Ritual Beer-Drinking,”

Ethnology, Vol. 43, No. 2 (Spring 2004): Pp. 117-135.

TUESDAY,  NOV.  3,  2015 If alcohol is a major issue in terms of domestic politics, it is hardly surprising that it might also be a significant factor in colonial and post-colonial contexts. Today we will look at two African case studies.

Reading:

Chima J. Korieh, “Alcohol and Empire: ‘Illicit’ Gin Prohibition and Control in Colonial Eastern Nigeria,” African Economic History, No. 31 (2003): Pp. 111- 134.

Anne Mager, “The First Decade of ‘European Beer’ in Apartheid South Africa: The

State, the Brewers and the Drinking Public, 1962-72,” Journal of African History, Vol. 40, No. 3 (1999): Pp. 367-388.

THURSDAY,  NOV.  5,  2015

Few places are so closely associated with beer drinking and public houses as is Great Britain (and especially England). Today we’ll look at two articles concerned with English pubs and their brews.

Reading:

Alistair Mutch, “Improving the Public House in Britain, 1920-40: Sir Sydney Nevile and ‘Social Work,’” Business History, Vo. 52, no. 4 (July 2010): Pp. 517-535.

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Jonathan Reinarz, “Promoting the Pint: Ale and Advertising in Late Victorian and Edwardian England,” Social History of Alcohol and Drugs, Vol. 22, No 1 (Fall 2007): Pp. 26-44.

TUESDAY,  NOV.  10,  2015 Perhaps no other country is as associated with alcoholism as is Russia. Today we will examine Russian drinking.

Reading:

Patricia Herlihy, “Joy of the Rus’: Rites and Rituals of Russian Drinking,” Russian Review, Vol. 50, No. 2 (April 1991): Pp. 131-147.

Daniel Tarschys, “The Success of a Failure: Gorbachev’s Alcohol Policy, 1985-88,”

Europe-Asia Studies, Vol. 45, No. 1 (1993): Pp. 7-25.

Third book review due

THURSDAY,  NOV.  12,  2015 Although we’ve seen again and again that humans love their drink, it is still necessary to convince them to drink this rather than that. Today we will examine the world of marketing wine and beer.

Reading:

Kolleen M. Guy, “ ‘Oiling the Wheels of Social Life’: Myths and Marketing in Champagne during the Belle Epoque,” French Historical Studies, Vol. 22, No. 2 (Spring 1999): Pp. 211-239.

James Simpson, “Selling to Reluctant Drinkers: the British Wine Market, 1860-

1914,” Economic History Review, Vol. LCII, No. 1 (2004): Pp. 80-108.

Rough drafts due (Have copies ready for your writing group members and for the professor)

TUESDAY,  NOV.  17,  2015

Writing Workshop

Reading:

You must have read and carefully marked/thought about your group-mate’s rough

drafts. Be ready to discuss these, offering substantive feedback.

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THURSDAY,  NOV.  19,  2015

During the last three classes we will explore readings/topics of your choice.

Reading:

To be determined.

TUESDAY,  NOV.  24,  2015

Student choice

Reading:

To be determined.  

There  will  be  no  class  on  November  26  (Thanksgiving).      Don’t  overeat!  

TUESDAY,  DEC.  1,  2015

Student choice.

Reading:

To be determined.

THURSDAY,  DEC.  3,  2015:  HIGH  TEA

Today we will enjoy a British-style “high tea.” We’ll work out the details later, but the general idea will be that each of us contributes a desert. At the same time, we’ll use this as an opportunity to look back over the semester.

Reading:

No assigned reading.

Final paper due