"大国沉浮"课程介绍(3)

Important terms and important concepts are stressed and repeated ad infinitum and ad nauseum.

I have been teaching college now for 25 years at this taping and I have been called some pretty mean things, some of which are true but I have never been one of those professors who expects students to guess what is important enough from the course to really put time into learning.

I have had professors like that; you have had professors like that; catch me acting like that, drag me out and shoot me.

I will always offer you on the test a choice between 2 essay questions. In the study guide and review materials I give 3 possible essay questions for every unit. If you prepare 2 of the 2 essay questions you're guaranteed that one of those essay questions will show up on your test. Have at it.

I want to stress too that this course is not an exercise in parroting the instructor, that's me, in my opinions. Like any responsible

American citizen I have developed a set of political beliefs and I reexamine them constantly.

I don't try to hide my personal political beliefs and I don't think you should either. I pride myself on not forcing my personal view points down my student's throats; I had that kind of professor too and I didn't enjoy it very much. If you emerge from rise and fall of super powers determined to cancel out my vote in every election for the rest of my life, my personal take on it is at least you're going to vote. The most important thing in this class is to form rational opinions about the class materials examine your beliefs critically, and express your beliefs politically, firmly but politely.

If you have differences from anything you hear me saying in this class, read in this class or that I imply, please address these differences in your essay questions, please address these in your written project, if that is not enough please come on up to my office. My office hours are on the website somewhere down there. Come on up and we'll talk about it. If you can't come up in my office hours

I'll make an appointment. Regardless of wether or not I agree with your opinions your work will receive a fair reading and I'll be happy to hear you out. You may even convince me. If your work is also based on critically assessed facts, strongly argued and politely expressed you may even receive a very good grade.

Segment 1C, the importance of history. 2 or 3 summers ago my dad came down from