Press release:
In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, Genesee Community College is proud to announce two new history and political science courses for the spring semester. The American Civil War (HIS290) will be offered from 9:30 to 10:50 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at the Batavia and Lima campuses via V-link. The American Presidency (POS210) will be offered from 11 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Batavia campus.
Taught by History faculty member Derek Maxfield, The American Civil War examines the coming of the Civil War, tracing the causes from the rise of slavery in America and the creation of the Constitution to westward expansion and diverging economic bases, as well as the military, political and cultural aspects of the war itself.
"It is a great time to be offering this, as we are now commemorating the 150th anniversary of that war," Maxfield said. "In addition to the normal political and military narrative, I will also ask students to consider how Victorian culture influenced both the coming of the war and the way it was fought.
"This course is very personal for me, as I have five great-grandfathers that served. One of those, William Reese, fought with the 149th PA Infantry 'Bucktails' at Gettysburg on the first day. He was wounded but survived the battle and the war."
The American Presidency examines the historical foundations, theoretical aspects and the powers of the presidency. Students will explore the various models of presidential power, the major issues scholars are investigating, and will complete a project based on observation, hypothesis development, collection of data, evaluation of evidence, and interpretive analysis.
"Although the course is a Political Science offering, I will be taking an interdisciplinary approach that explores the evolution of the presidency since its beginnings," Maxfield said. "It is exciting to be offering the course at the same time that the caucuses and primaries are in full swing. We will be able utilize current events as we go along.
"I can also share with students my own experiences working on a presidential campaign. I worked for Senator Paul Simon of Illinois when he ran for the Democratic nomination in 1988. It was an exciting time and I learned how much I did not know about the realities of national politics."
Both courses are three-credit courses and are offered to full- and part-time students. Senior citizens can also audit these courses for free, if space is available. For further information contact Derek Maxfield at 343-0055, ext. 6288, or DDMaxfield@genesee.edu.
