Critical Humanities for the Liberal Arts
Fall semester 2024-2025
COURSE SYLLABUS
I. GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION
Course Number CHLA 206
Course Title Modern and Contemporary Studies
Number of Credits 3
Course Level Undergraduate, graduate, medical, etc.
Course Format Lectures, class discussions about relevant topics
Pre-requisite Courses ENGL 102 or equivalent; ENGL 203 is a co-requisite; restricted to
Freshman students; any sequence I course
Meeting Schedule MW: 2-3:15pm; 3:30-4:45pm
Meeting Location Room Nicely 318, 410
II. COURSE COORDINATOR, INSTRUCTORS AND TEACHING ASSISTANTS
Name Role (Instructor, Office Office Extension E-mail
Coordinator, Location Hours
TA, )
Nicely 309, MW 4265
Charbel El Amm Instructor 301 (long 5-6pm
[email protected] meetings)
III. COURSE DESCRIPTION
An introduction to fundamental elements of the Enlightenment and Modernity. The course engages
texts expressing contrasting views of the same topic paired into thematic blocks: Introduction, The
Scientific Revolution, State and Social Contact, Enlightenment and its Critics, Modernity Beyond
Enlightenment. CHLA 206 cannot be taken if the student has taken CHLA 203 or 204. Prerequisite:
Any Sequence I course.
IV. COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
(1) to listen to and recall salient features of an academic lecture;
(2) to read a text in different ways and appreciate it in its own historical and cultural context –
an exercise in empathy;
(3) to identify basic elements of a text;
(4) to formulate questions about a lecture/a text;
(5) to discuss ideas in an atmosphere of mutual respect and freedom;
(6) to ground one’s arguments in a text;
(7) to analyze in depth excerpts of a text in English in both verbal presentation and written
form;
(8) to relate a text to the contemporary world/one’s own life;
(9) to compare texts and shuttle between different historical and cultural contexts;
(10) to evaluate texts with increasing complexity;
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V. PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES ADDRESSED IN THE COURSE
We study the history of ideas, introduce students to primary texts, develop critical thought in the
humanities, and foster humanistic knowledge.
VI. COURSE RESOURCES AND REFERENCES
The course reader is available on the Meta Moodle page of the course.
VII. COURSE OUTLINE
Wee Date Topic*
k
1 August 26-30 Copernicus
2 September 2-6 Alexander Pope
3 September 9-13 Alexander Pope then Francis Bacon
4 September 16-20 Francis Bacon
5 September 23-27 Francis Bacon then René Descartes
6 September 30- René Descartes
October 4
7 October 7-11 René Descartes then Thomas Hobbes
8 October 14-18 Thomas Hobbes
9 October 21-25 John Locke
10 October 28- Jean-Jacques Rousseau
November 1
11 November 4-8 Jean-Jacques Rousseau then Immanuel
Kant
12 November 11-15 Immanuel Kant
13 November 18-22 Immanuel Kant
14 November 25-27 Immanuel Kant then Debate
VIII. GRADING CRITERIA
Type of Evaluation Percentage
Attendance 10%
Class Participation 15%
Midterm 30%
Debate 5%
Final Exam 40%
Total 100%
IX. COURSE POLICIES
The midterm and the final are on-campus written exams. I will explain the type of questions
you will have to answer, how you should answer, and how you will be graded. If the situation
deteriorates and access to campus becomes impossible, the mode of examination will be
amended accordingly.
Attendance: You can have two nonpenalized absences. For each session you miss after that,
you lose a point unless you provide proper justification. A justification must be provided by a
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person with relevant authority, like a doctor. After eight absences, your final exam grade will be
gradually negatively affected.
Participation: Class discussions are based on the reading selections you are required to read.
You are encouraged to participate frequently in these discussions. When you do, you will be
graded. The grade will be based on the quality of your participation. Repeated participations will
increase your overall participation grade. We will also have teamwork sessions that will help you
increase it further.
The team debate session: We will split the class into 2 groups. We will have one topic covered
by 2 thinkers. Each group will choose one thinker and research his theses concerning that topic.
You will have to produce a bibliography. In class, the two teams will present their findings
separately and then, through debate, each group will try to disprove the ideas of the other. You
are encouraged to always check for resources online. The AUB library also provides valuable
information accessible online.
X. UNIVERSITY RULES AND REGULATIONS
o General Academic Information
- Undergraduate Academic Information
- Graduate Academic Information
o University - Course Withdrawal Policy
A student can withdraw from only one required course per semester. Students who wish to withdraw from
more than one required course in any given semester must petition the appropriate faculty committee for
permission to do so.
Check Withdrawal Information from undergraduate and graduate catalogue.
o Academic Integrity (cheating and plagiarism):
Please refer to AUB Student Code of Conduct, in particular section 1.1, which concerns academic misconduct
including cheating, plagiarism, in-class disruption, and dishonesty. Please be aware that misconduct is
vigorously prosecuted and that AUB has a zero tolerance policy. Course policy is that credible evidence of
cheating will result in course failure.
o Accessibility Statement to Acknowledge the Unique Learning Needs of Students with Disabilities:
AUB strives to make learning experiences as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience academic
barriers due to a diagnosed disability (including learning disability, mental health, chronic or temporary
medical conditions), please contact the Accessible Education Office as soon as possible in order to help
establish reasonable accommodations and facilitate a smooth learning process: [email protected];
+961-1-350000, x3151; West Hall, 338.
o Non-Discrimination and Title IX Statement
In line with its commitment to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment, AUB policies
protect you from discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics, including discriminatory harassment
and sexual harassment. Protected characteristics include: race, color, religion, age, national or ethnic identity,
sex, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, disability, genetic predisposition
or carrier status, alienage or citizenship status, and political affiliation.
The policies are applicable to all the AUB Community including: officers, faculty, staff, academic appointees,
students (including medical interns and residents), visiting students, alumni, trainees, visitors, contractors,
subcontractors, suppliers, located on campus and at AUB Medical Center, Advancing Research Enabling
Communities Center (AREC), or any other facility or program affiliated with the University. The “AUB
community” also includes the dependents and domestic employees of faculty and staff dwelling on campus
and at AREC.
If you think you have experienced discrimination, discriminatory harassment, or sexual harassment, we
encourage you to inform the Equity/Title IX Coordinator, Mitra Tauk at 01-350000 ext. 2514,
[email protected], report to a Title IX deputy at your faculty or at any other faculty (www.aub.edu.lb/titleix), or
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report online (www.aub.ethicspoint.com). Reports may be submitted anonymously or not. Please know that
the University will maintain the confidentiality of the complaint and privacy of the persons involved to the
greatest extent possible, consistent with its goal of conducting a thorough and complete investigation and to
the extent permitted by law.
You need to also know that the University has designated academic and administrative department/unit
heads, managerial level staff, academic advisors, protection officers, and residence hall staff/monitors, as
responsible employees or “mandatory reporters”, and may designate others at its discretion. These individuals
are obligated to report actual or suspected discrimination or discriminatory harassing conduct to the
Equity/Title IX Coordinator, unless they are a “confidential” resource. The following have been designated as
confidential resources: on campus counselors in the Counseling Center of the Office of Student Affairs and
AUB Medical Center counselors, and healthcare providers at the University Health Services (UHS) and at the
AUB Medical Center. Confidential resources are not required to report actual or suspected discrimination or
harassment to appropriate university officials, except in cases of suspected abuse of a minor, in the event of
an external investigation or prosecution, or in the event of imminent danger to the reporting party or others.
XI. AUB GRADING SYSTEM
https://www.aub.edu.lb/Registrar/Pages/academic-information.aspx
Numeric Course Grade to Letter Course Grade Grade Conversion Chart
Starting with Numeric Corresponding Course Course Letter Grade Quality Points
Course Grade /100 Letter Grade A+ 4.3
< 60 F A 4.0
60 D A– 3.7
61–62 D+ B+ 3.3
63–65 C– B 3.0
66–68 C B– 2.7
69–71 C+ C+ 2.3
72–74 B– C 2.0
75–78 B C– 1.7
79–82 B+ D+ 1.3
83–86 A– D 1.0
87–92 A F 0.0
93–100 A+ Note: The GPA at AUB is capped at 4.0
I P PR W NP
Incomplete Pass In Withdraw No
Progress Pass
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