Lesson Report:
### Lesson Report
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#### **Title: Understanding Nationalism: Presentations, Primordialism, and Constructivism**
**Synopsis:**
This session was divided into two main components. The first half addressed logistics for student presentations, emphasizing preparation, structure, and content expectations. The second half focused on exploring different perspectives on the origins of nationalism. The class examined primordialism, as proposed by Johann Gottfried Herder, and began to cover constructivism. Students engaged in reflective and interactive activities to deepen their understanding of how nations form and evolve over time.
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### **Attendance**
– **Absent Students Mentioned:** 0
– All students were accounted for, including two joining online (Anush and Imat).
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### **Topics Covered**
#### **I. Administrative Task: Introduction to Student Presentations**
1. **Purpose and Objectives**
– Student presentations will constitute **25% of the course grade**.
– Students will investigate and present on contemporary academic literature tied to the week’s themes.
– The goal is to engage students in ongoing scholarly discussions about nationalism while practicing critical analysis and public presentation skills.
2. **Instructions and Expectations**
– Presentations are **5 minutes long**, held at the beginning of a class session, starting **February 5th (Session 10)**.
– Each student must select and analyze **one contemporary, peer-reviewed article** (post-2010) related to the assigned weekly reading.
– Presentations should include at least **3 slides (one per presentation component)**, covering:
1. A summary of the article’s key arguments and findings.
2. An analysis connecting the article to the week’s assigned reading.
3. A reflection on the broader understanding of nationalism.
– Presenters must integrate **four direct quotations** (two from the assigned reading and two from the chosen article), properly cited in **APSA style**.
– Students must upload both the presentation slides (preferably in a viewable/downloadable format) and a PDF of the article to e-course by **15:35** on the day of their presentation.
– Late submissions will result in an automatic 10-point deduction.
– Presenters arriving more than 10 minutes late will receive a **zero** unless the absence is excused (documentation required).
3. **Preparation Guidance**
– Practice presentations ahead of time to ensure they meet the 5-minute time frame.
– A “goodâ€� presentation is engaging, clear, and concise, avoiding text-heavy slides and rote reading. Notes and visuals are encouraged for fluency.
– Students should check their assignments (dates and paired readings) on the **presentation list** available on e-course. Coordination is necessary to ensure unique articles per week to avoid penalties.
4. **Examples and Tools for Research and Citation**
– Suggested databases: **Google Scholar**, **JSTOR**, and university library subscriptions.
– Citation must adhere to **APSA format**; tools like online citation generators were demonstrated for student use.
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#### **II. Exploration of Nationalism: Primordialism and Constructivism**
1. **Reflective Activity: Elements of a Nation**
– Students were asked to identify a nation and list 2-3 defining elements such as language, myths, cultural practices, or symbols.
– These elements were categorized into **myths** (e.g., historical narratives), **norms/practices** (e.g., traditional behaviors), or **language features**. Students estimated the origins of these elements and examined their ancientness.
– Example Discussions:
– **Kyrgyzstan:** Horses and yurt culture out of necessity for nomadic living.
– **India:** Caste system and linguistic diversity reflecting layered historical and cultural divides.
– **Japan:** Ancient practices (samurai) and long-standing norms dating back to as early as the 8th century.
2. **Lecture: Johann Gottfried Herder and Primordialism**
– **Theory:**
– Herder proposed the **primordialist perspective**, arguing that nations emerge as **organic, natural entities** rooted in shared ancient elements, such as language, culture, and “Volksgeist” (people’s spirit).
– A nation must have a sense of age and unique identity that distinguishes it from others.
– **Key Arguments:**
– Nations are not arbitrarily created but are **grassroots social entities** formed over extensive time spans.
– Shared elements, reflecting a **natural spirit**, unify people even if they’ve never met (e.g., diaspora connections).
– Critiques emerged from the inability of this theory to account for internal divisions or why certain groups form nations while others do not.
3. **Reflective Activity: Internal Divisions Within Nations**
– Students identified regional, linguistic, or cultural variations within their nations and reflected on why these differences coexist under a single national identity.
– Discussed examples:
– Regional dialects in **Kyrgyzstan** (e.g., Osh vs. northern dialects).
– Historical divisions in **Tajikistan** (e.g., civil war factions).
– Religious and caste divisions within **India**.
– **Key Question:** Why do certain cultural regions unify into one nation while others fracture into separate nations?
4. **Introduction to Constructivism**
– Brief overview of constructivist theories by **Renan** and **Brubacher**:
– Nations are **social constructions**, not naturally given.
– **Key Elements of a Nation:**
1. **Shared Will to Live Together**: Nations exist as a collective agreement among members.
2. **Shared Memory and Forgetting**: Nations selectively choose which historical narratives to emphasize or suppress.
3. **Daily Plebiscite/Performativity**: Nations are affirmed through daily practices (e.g., language use, rituals, adherence to norms).
– National identity is continuously reinforced through **active participation**, rather than being fixed or inherent.
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### **Actionable Items**
#### **Administrative**
– Update the syllabus with specific chapters for readings (to be completed by the instructor by the end of the day).
– Students must:
– Verify their assigned presentation dates on e-course.
– Begin preparing presentations early, ensuring no overlap in chosen articles with their peers.
– Contact peers sharing the same presentation week to confirm unique presentation topics.
– Reach out via email if their reading assignment requires clarification or direct access.
#### **Coursework**
– Read **Anderson’s “Imagined Communitiesâ€�** (next week’s topic on nations as social constructs).
#### **Follow-Up**
– Ensure that all students are enrolled on e-course and can access the necessary presentation materials and readings.
– Monitor presentation submissions to confirm timely uploads and functionality of submitted slide decks and articles.
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This lesson continued the transition from theoretical exploration to applied learning with the introduction of student presentations. The shift from primordialist to constructivist interpretations of nationalism will be resumed in the next session.
Homework Instructions:
NO HOMEWORK
The transcript indicates that while considerable time was spent discussing instructions for student presentations, these presentations are not due immediately and will be prepared based on assigned dates. No other explicit mention of homework or assignments to complete before the next class was made.