World civilization since 1815
Description Paper 2: Historical Fiction and Scholarly Texts on Empire Over the course of the semester, we have considered how a diverse array of empires have constructed political, social, and cultural systems to govern diverse populations and large spaces. We have also examined how individuals and groups – from slaves, to cotton producers in India, to African politicians – have sought to navigate through and at times challenge these structures. This paper asks you to you to choose a novel from the list below (or propose one of your own choosing) and use at least one scholarly text on an associated topic in order to analyze how individuals and communities have navigated (post)imperial structures or global migration at one point and place during the last three centuries. How did the fictional characters encounter imperial structures, cross-regional migration, or global trade? What larger insights about empire and the experience of individuals within empires can you gain from the novel? How do these fictional accounts relate to actual historical empires? A successful paper will: – Present a clear and specific thesis – Support that thesis using both specific examples from the novel and at least one scholarly source. Using summaries or “spark notes” as a substitute for actually reading the novel will virtually ensure that your paper will not be specific enough to receive a satisfactory grade. You must incorporate specific quotations into your paper. – Present well-edited, grammatically correct prose and a structure that logically supports the central thesis. Format, Citations, and Guidance The paper should be around 6 pages in length, double-spaced with 1-inch margins, written in times New Roman 12-point font, clearly written, and include a title and footnotes. Footnotes should follow Chicago Style. A bibliography is not necessary. You must also cite both ideas and direct quotations taken from texts, including if you just paraphrase. Instances of plagiarism – including taking ideas and arguments from all online reading guides without attribution – will be dealt with following the University’s policy regarding academic integrity: http://studentservices.fgcu.edu/judicialaffairs/new.html If in doubt, it is always advisable to cite.