Between a burst of traffic on my Sparta series and finishing up the EU4 analysis, I'm seeing in the comments the same complaint: that I insist on stressing certain true things again and again at each reference (e.g. 'slavery is unpleasant and bad' or 'the agoge was abusive') 1/14
-
-
Doing that in a lecture setting is *exactly* how you get papers written about Sparta where the student has forgotten the helots exist and spends all five pages talking about the utopian equality of the system which only applies to c. 10% of the population at most. 8/14
Näytä tämä ketju -
Admittedly, this repetition also helps with the known tendency of the internet and especially twitter to snip some single passage out of context. But the main point here isn't defensive writing (if it was, I'd have footnotes). The point is proactive teaching 9/14
Näytä tämä ketju -
So yes, if there is some crucial bit of context that is often forgotten (think of how many people tour lovely Southern plantations without ever really thinking about what a plantation is or how it works), I am going to hammer that context *every*time.* 10/14
Näytä tämä ketju -
Because as any teacher will tell you: if something is important and you need students to remember it, repeat it as frequently as you can, with as much emphasis as you can. Make it a catchphrase, a mantra or if appropriate, a running joke - then they'll remember. 11/14
Näytä tämä ketju -
So yes, slavery was bad, the lives of pre-modern women were badly constrained, their labor was important, warriors suck, Clausewitz is important (drink!), farming was hard, people believed their religion, being poor != being stupid and people share their society's values. 12/14
Näytä tämä ketju -
All of that said, I cannot help but note that the topic that seems to particularly aggrieve these folks is that first one: slavery was bad. And they do seem aggrieved - as if reading that is a minor irritant which, when it occurs too many times, rubs them raw. 13/14
Näytä tämä ketju -
To which I would urge a touch of introspection: why does the statement of such a clear truth (brutal systems of oppression are bad) come with the gadfly's sting? When the truth is uncomfortable, the wise reshape themselves, because the truth will not change. Do that. end/14
Näytä tämä ketju -
Self promotion addendum: you can read my series on Sparta beginning here: https://acoup.blog/2019/08/16/collections-this-isnt-sparta-part-i-spartan-school/ … and my analysis of the popular historical grand strategy game Europa Universalis IV starting here:https://acoup.blog/2021/04/30/collections-teaching-paradox-europa-univeralis-iv-part-i-state-of-play/ …
Näytä tämä ketju
Keskustelun loppu
Uusi keskustelu -
-
-
I was taught very quickly that subtly is wasted on these sorts of arguments in an academic paper. Better to expect your audience to know nothing and lay out the argument fully. In lecture, even more important to not be subtle and use insinuations rather than plain speak.
Kiitos. Käytämme tätä aikajanasi parantamiseen. KumoaKumoa
-
Lataaminen näyttää kestävän hetken.
Twitter saattaa olla ruuhkautunut tai ongelma on muuten hetkellinen. Yritä uudelleen tai käy Twitterin tilasivulla saadaksesi lisätietoja.