LA 505: Methods in Architectural and Landscape

History
Tuesdays 9:30 12:20
Room 101 Temple uell
!all 2010
"nstructor: Re#ecca $ins#ur%
M21& Temple uell Hall 'o(ce
hours #y appointment)
r%ins#ur*illinois+edu,2-5.-/3/
Prerequisites:
This seminar is re0uired 1or all doctoral students in the History,Theory
option o1 the 2h+3+ pro%ram in Landscape Architecture and
Architecture and is open to Masters4 students 5ith the appro6al o1 the
instructor+ 7nrolled students should ha6e sur6ey le6el 8no5led%e o1
art history and architectural and landscape history+
Seminar Goals:
$raduate methods seminars are meant to introduce ne5 scholars to
the culture and con6entions o1 a %i6en 9eld+ The e:pectation is not
that you 5ill unthin8in%ly a#sor# the recei6ed 5isdoms o1 those 5ho
ha6e come #e1ore you+ Rather; #ecomin% more 8no5led%ea#le a#out
the historio%raphy o1 architectural and landscape history is a
prere0uisite to your thin8in% critically and ima%inati6ely a#out your
o5n possi#le contri#utions to the 9eld; perhaps e6en a#out the 5ays
you mi%ht challen%e the 9eld+ <ne o1 our %oals 1or the semester;
then; is to pro6ide you 5ith enou%h o1 an orientation to the history
and current state o1 architectural and landscape history that you can
na6i%ate 5ithin the 9eld 5ith con9dence and sel1.a5areness+
A second %oal is more practical+ y the end o1 the semester you
should ha6e an e:panded repertoire o1 s8ills 1or actually doin%
architectural and landscape history+ =3oin% history> includes
identi1yin% a historical pro#lem; conductin% research; and 5ritin% it up+
"t also includes teachin% architectural and landscape history at the
under%raduate le6el+
As is su%%ested #y the a#o6e; the o#?ect o1 our in0uiry 5ill #e neither
architecture nor landscape+ Rather; our 1ocus 5ill #e the study of
historical architecture and landscapes@ho5 others ha6e studied it and
ho5 5e oursel6es mi%ht #est approach it and help others to study it+
3urin% the course o1 the semester; 5e4re li8ely to encounter the
1ollo5in% 0uestions:
1+ Ahat sorts o1 scholars ha6e studied the history o1 the #uilt
en6ironmentB !rom 5hat disciplines ha6e they comeB Aho are the
ma?or 9%ures in the 9eld; past and presentB
LA 505
!all 2010; Cni6ersity o1 "llinois at Cr#ana.Dhampai%n
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2+ Ahy ha6e they studied the #uilt landscapeB Ahat 5ere their
intellectual a%endasB Ahat is yoursB
3+ Ahat is the 9rst step in conductin% ori%inal research a#out the
pastB Ahat constitutes a historical 0uestion or a historical pro#lemB
E+ Ahat concepts ha6e #een most inFuential in the history o1
architecture and landscape historyB Ahich are still persuasi6e todayB
5+ Ahat methods ha6e #een dominant in architectural and landscape
history in the pastB Are there promisin% ne5 methods or ne5
technolo%iesB
-+ Ahat physical and documentary sources are a6aila#le to scholars
o1 the #uilt en6ironmentB
/+ Ahere does architectural history and landscape history 9t 5ithin
the #roader 5orld o1 humanistic in0uiryB
&+ Ahat are some 5ritin% styles and 1ormats that lend themsel6es
5ell to particular types o1 architectural and landscape historiesB
9+ 3oes architectural history G landscape history H history o1 the #uilt
en6ironmentB
Course Requirements:
As you 5ill see 1rom the schedule o1 readin%s; this methods seminar
re0uires less readin% than is typical o1 most methods courses+ Most
5ee8s you 5ill read less than one hundred pa%es+ My pre1erence is to
read a little and discuss it 6ery 5ell; rather than read a lot and not
ha6e time to discuss it thorou%hly+ That said; the readin%s are
challen%in%; as 5ill #e the 0uestions 5e as8 o1 them; and it is essential
that you read conscientiously and care1ully+ 2lease come to each class
1ully prepared to en%a%e in critical; thou%ht1ul discussion+
7ach 5ee8; you are responsi#le 1or su#mittin% a 1. to 3.pa%e paper+
Iome 5ee8s this 5ill #e a response paper+ 2lease see the
instructions on 5ritin% response papers at the end o1 this sylla#us+
<ther 5ee8s; this 5ill #e a paper that responds to a speci9c prompt
that is pro6ided in the sylla#us+ These 5ee8ly papers 5ill not
recei6e letter %rades+ A chec8 indicates an A; a chec8 G is an AG;
and a chec8 indicates a or lo5er+ '50J)
Donstruct a personal intellectual %enealo%y o1 #oo8s and authors
that ha6e shaped your approach to architectural and landscape
history in si%ni9cant 5ays and 5hose 5or8in% methods and
approaches you #elie6e to #e most rele6ant 1or your proposed
dissertation or 1uture research 5or8+ Kour paper; 5hich should #e
&.10 pa%es lon%; should include a detailed discussion o1 the 5or8s
you chose and care1ul e:planations o1 their rele6ance 1or you+ This
paper 5ill #e due at the #e%innin% o1 class on Tuesday; Lo6em#er
2nd+ '25J)
LA 505
!all 2010; Cni6ersity o1 "llinois at Cr#ana.Dhampai%n
Ginsburg
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Arite 2. to E. pa%e paper that addresses the 1ollo5in% 0uestions
5ith respect to an architectural or landscape history mono%raph o1
your o5n choosin%: 5hat is the pro#lem that the author %rapples
5ithB Ahy does this pro#lem matterB Ahat method does the
author use to address the pro#lemB Ahat alternati6e methods
mi%ht she ha6e consideredB Ahat sources does she employB Are
there other sources that mi%ht ha6e #een use1ulB 3oes the #oo84s
structure and the author4s 5ritin% style support the intellectual
pro?ectB Ahy or 5hy notB 3ue at the #e%innin% o1 class on Tuesday
Lo6em#er 30 '25J)
Required Texts:
elo5 are all the #oo8s 5e 5ill #e readin% this semester+ Iome times
5e 5ill read the entire #oo8 and other times 5e 5ill read only
selections o1 it+ Ho5e6er; " ad6ise you to ha6e the entire #oo8 on
hand; so you can #etter situate our selection 5ithin its lar%er conte:t+
" ha6e not ordered these #oo8s throu%h the Cni6ersity #oo8store+ The
responsi#ility 1or ac0uirin% them is yours+ Kou may choose to purchase
#oo8s; to order them 1rom the li#rary; to #orro5 them 1rom 1riends; or
to read them on.line+ 2lease %i6e yoursel1 plenty o1 time to ac0uire
them+
Mohn A%ne5; 3a6id L+ Li6in%stone; and Alisdair Ro%ers; Human
Geography: An Essential Anthology 'lac85ell 2u#lishin%; 199-)+
Alan R+ H+ a8er; Geography and History: Bridging the Divide
'Dam#rid%e Cni6ersity 2ress; 2003)+
Aayne D+ ooth; The Craft of Research 'Dhica%o $uides to
Aritin%)+ Any edition 9ne+
Ailliam Dronon; Natures !etropolis: Chicago and the Great
"est 'Lorton; 1991)+
7ric !ernie; Art History and #ts !ethods: A Critical Anthology
'2haidon; 1995)+
$eor% $+ "%%ers; Historiography in the T$entieth Century: %rom
&cienti'c ()*ectivity to the +ostmodern Challenge 'Aesleyan
Cni6ersity 2ress; 199/)+
3ianne Harris; The Nature of Authority: ,illa Culture-
.andscape- and Representation in Eighteenth Century #taly
'2ennsyl6ania Itate Cni6ersity 2ress; 2003)+
2hil Hu##ard; Ro# Nitchin; and $ill Oalentine; eds+ /ey Thin0ers
on &pace and +lace 'Ia%e; 200E)+
Ite6en Lelson; %rom Cameroon to +aris: !ousgoum
Architecture #n and (ut of Africa 'Cni6ersity o1 Dhica%o 2ress;
200/)+
LA 505
!all 2010; Cni6ersity o1 "llinois at Cr#ana.Dhampai%n
Ginsburg
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3+ !airchild Ru%%les; #slamic Gardens and .andscapes 'The
Cni6ersity o1 2ennsyl6ania 2ress; 200&)+
3ell Cpton; Architecture in the 1nited &tates '<:1ord Cni6ersity
2ress; 199&)+
A#i%ail Oan Iylc8; A !anufactured "ilderness: &ummer Camps
and the &haping of American 2outh- 345673586 'Cni6ersity o1
Minnesota 2ress; 200-)+
Ae 5ill also read articles durin% the semester+ They 5ill #e a6aila#le
on.line at the 1ollo5in% url:
http:,,5e#+me+com,re#ecca%ins#ur%,LAP505,Aelcome+html
Schedule of Class Meetings and Readings
August 24. ntroduction
2lease read #e1ore our 9rst meetin% and #e prepared to discuss+
3ell Cpton; =Architectural History or Landscape HistoryB> 9ournal
of Architectural Education EE; no+E; Au%ust 1991+
!istoriogra"h#
7ach %roup o1 readin%s in this unit includes a #rie1 historio%raphical
essay a#out a %i6en period o1 architecture and landscape history
scholarship; 1ollo5ed #y representati6e 5ritin%s+
$cto%er &'+ '(
th
and )arl# 2*
th
A""roaches +Art !istor#,
7ric !ernie; ="ntroduction: A History o1 Methods> in Art History
and #ts !ethods '2haidon; 1995);
Maco# ur8hardt; =ReFections on History> '1&/5) in Art History
and its !ethods
Alois Rie%l; =Late Roman Art History> '1901) in Art History and
its !ethods+
Heinrich AQRin; =2rinciples o1 Art History> '1915) in Art History
and its !ethods
2aul !ran8l; =2rinciples o1 Architectural History) '191E) in Art
History and its !ethods
Alina 2ayne; =Architectural History and the History o1 Art: A
Iuspended 3ialo%ue;> 9ournal of the &ociety of Architectural
Historians; 6ol+ 5&; no+ 3 'Ieptem#er 1999); pp+ 292.299+I
Se"tem%er -. )arl#. to Mid.2*
th
Centur# A""roaches
+Geogra"h#,
Alan R+ H+ a8er; Geography and History: Bridging the Divide
'Dam#rid%e Cni6ersity 2ress; 2003)+ I8im entire #oo8 and read
closely Dhapter E: =Landscape $eo%raphies and History+>
LA 505
!all 2010; Cni6ersity o1 "llinois at Cr#ana.Dhampai%n
Ginsburg
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Mohn A%ne5 et al+; eds+ Human Geography: An Essential
Anthology 'lac85ell 199-)+ I8im entire #oo8 and read closely
selections 5ritten #y %eo%raphers re1erred to in a#o6e readin%;
e+%++ Itephen 3aniels; Darl Iauer; and Mohn + Mac8son+ 2lease
read in addition the selections #y 3onna Hara5ay and $ilian
Rose+
H+$+ Hos8ins; =The Re#uildin% o1 Rural 7n%land; 15/0.1-E0;>
+ast : +resent; no+ E 'Lo6em#er 1953); pp+ EE 59+
Se"tem%er '4 / Seminar cancelled+
Se"tem%er 2' / Seminar cancelled.
Se"tem%er 20. Mid. to 1ate.2*
th
Centur# A""roaches
+1andsca"e and Garden !istories,
3ianne Harris; =The 2ostmoderniSation o1 Landscape: A Dritical
Historio%raphy;> 9ournal of the &ociety of Architectural
Historians; 6ol+ 5&; no+ 3 'Ieptem#er 1999); pp+ E3E.EE3+
3enis Dos%ro6e; =2erspecti6e and the 76olution o1 the
Landscape "dea;> Transactions of the #nstitute of British
Geographers; Ool+ 10; no+ 1 '19&5); pp+ E5.-2+
Moachim Aolsch8e.uhlman; =The Landscape 3esi%n o1 the
er%en.elsen Doncentration Damp Memorial;> +laces of
Commemoration: &earch for #dentity and .andscape Design;
Moachim Aolsch8e.ulmahn; ed '2001)+
Dhandra Mu8er?i; =Readin% and Aritin% Aith Lature: Iocial
Dlaims and the !rench !ormal $arden;> Theory and &ociety; Ool+
19; no+ - '3ecem#er 1990); pp+ -51.-/9+
Iee rele6ant entries in /ey Thin0ers; e+%+ Dos%ro6e; Ailliams
$cto%er '. Mid. to 1ate. 2*
th
Centur# A""roaches
+Architectural !istor# and 2r%an !istor#, +this is a ma3e.u"
class,
2aul $roth; =Ma8in% Le5 Donnections in Oernacular Architecture;
=9ournal of the &ociety of Architectural Historians; 6ol+ 5&; no+ 3
'Ieptem#er 1999); pp+ EEE.E51+
Alice T+ !riedman; =The Aay Kou 3o the Thin%s Kou 3o: Aritin%
the History o1 Houses and Housin%;> 9ournal of the &ociety of
Architectural Historians; 6ol+ 5&; no+ 3 'Ieptem#er 1999); pp+
E0-.E13+
7liSa#eth Dromley; =Ileepin% Around: A History o1 American
eds and edrooms: The Iecond anham Memorial Lecture;>
9ournal of Design History; Ool+ 1; no+ 1 '1990); pp+ 1 1/+
LA 505
!all 2010; Cni6ersity o1 "llinois at Cr#ana.Dhampai%n
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Mames orchert; =Cr#an Lei%h#orhood and Dommunity: "n1ormal
$roup Li1e; 1&50.19/0;> 9ournal of #nterdisciplinary History; 6ol+
11; no+ E 'Iprin% 19&1); pp+ -0/.-31+
Mar8 $irouard; .ife in the English Country House: A &ocial and
Architectural History '19//); chapters 1; /; &+
Donsult "%%ers; Historiography in the T$entieth Century+
$cto%er 4. Teaching '
Itan1ord Anderson; =Architectural History in Ichools o1
Architecture;> 9ournal of the &ociety of Architectural Historians;
6ol+ 5&; no+ 3 'Ieptem#er 1999); pp 2&2.290+
$cto%er '2. Teaching 2
D+ Anderson+ rin% in te:t #oo8s related to your 9eld 'e+%+
landscape history; architectural history; art history) and analySe+
2repare a sylla#us 1or an under%rad class+
Methods
2lease approach the readin%s in this section as models; 1or your
consideration; o1 doin% landscape and architectural history+ 7ach is an
a5ard.5innin% #oo8 deser6in% o1 our attention+ Ho5e6er; you4re li8ely
to 1eel dra5n to some more than to others; and not only 1or reasons o1
su#?ect matter+ Donsider your reactions to each and try to understand
ho5 such reactions mi%ht reFect your intellectual 6alues and interests;
as 5ell as possi#le areas in 5hich you4re challen%ed+ '"t4s di(cult to
appreciate a #oo8 5hen you ha6e trou#le understandin% it+)
Ae4ll use these #oo8s to help us e:plore ho5 to conduct and 5rite
research in architectural and landscape history+ The 1ollo5in% are the
sorts o1 0uestions 5e4ll address+ 'These are the same 0uestions you
5ant to train yoursel1 to apply to your o5n research+) Ahat 0uestion
does the author identi1yB Ahat4s the si%ni9cance o1 that 0uestionB
Ahich methods does the author use to address that 0uestionB Are
those the most appropriate methodsB Ahat sources does she apply to
that methodB Ho5 has she 5ritten up her researchB "s the
presentation o1 te:tual and 6isual material as eTecti6e as it mi%ht #eB
"n preparation 1or this section; please read The Craft of Research #y
Aayne D+ ooth+
$cto%er '(.
A#i%ail Oan Iylc8; A !anufactured "ilderness: &ummer Camps
and the &haping of American 2outh- 345673586 'Cni6ersity o1
Minnesota 2ress; 200-); Alice 3a6is Hitchcoc8 oo8 A5ard;
Iociety o1 Architectural Historians+
LA 505
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$cto%er 25+
Ite6en Lelson; %rom Cameroon to +aris: !ousgoum
Architecture #n and (ut of Africa 'Cni6ersity o1 Dhica%o 2ress;
200/); Honora#le Mention; 2009 Alice 3a6is Hitchcoc8 oo8
A5ard; Iociety o1 Architectural Historians+
6o7em%er 2.
3ell Cpton; Architecture in the 1nited &tates '<:1ord Cni6ersity
2ress; 199&)+ Ainner; A##ott Lo5ell Dummin%s A5ard 1999;
Oernacular Architecture !orum+
6o7em%er ( Seminar ends at '':'4.
Ailliam Dronon; Natures !etropolis: Chicago and the Great
"est 'Lorton; 1991)+ ancro1t 2riSe Ainner; 1992+ <ne o1 three
nominees 1or 2ulitSer 2riSe in History; 1992+
6o7em%er '5.
3ianne Harris; The Nature of Authority: ,illa Culture-
.andscape- and Representation in Eighteenth Century #taly
'2ennsyl6ania Itate Cni6ersity 2ress; 2003)+ Ainner o1 the 200-
7lisa#eth lair Mac3ou%all oo8 a5ard 1or Landscape History;
Iociety o1 Architectural Historians+
6o7em%er 2&. Than3sgi7ing !olida#. 6o Class
6o7em%er &*.
3+ !airchild Ru%%les; #slamic Gardens and .andscapes 'The
Cni6ersity o1 2ennsyl6ania 2ress; 200&)+ Ainner o1 2009 M+ +
Mac8son oo8 2riSe; !oundation 1or Landscape Itudies+
8ecem%er -. Present Genealogies
LA 505
!all 2010; Cni6ersity o1 "llinois at Cr#ana.Dhampai%n
Ginsburg
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nstructions on 9riting a Res"onse Pa"er
:
Aritin% %ood response papers is di(cult+ Ho5e6er; li8e most thin%s;
the more you do it; the easier it #ecomes+ ecause the s8ills that this
8ind o1 5ritin% calls upon are s8ills that you 5ill need to culti6ate in
your academic career; the sooner you #e%in to #ecome e:pert in this
8ind o1 5ritin%; the #etter+
"n #rie1: A response paper is not intended to #e a comprehension test;
a #oo8 re6ie5 'e+%++ U" really en?oyed the+++>) or a rehashin% o1 the
content or story 'e+%+ =this happened; and then that happenedU)+ The
term =response paper> mi%ht seem to imply that you 5ill #e 5ritin%
a#out your emotional responses and reactions to a particular te:t; that
you 5ill #e ans5erin% the 0uestion: =Ho5 did you 1eel a#out the te:tB>
This is L<T 5hat you are to do+ 2erhaps =Ho5 did you 1eel> is a
le%itimate startin% point; #ut 5hat is more interestin% is 5hy you 1elt
that 5ayV+
A response paper is your critical response to an issue; pro#lem; or
0uestion raised in the readin% or in a %roup o1 readin%s+ The response
paper consists o1 your close e:amination o1 the te:t and the 0uestions
in the te:t that most intri%ue you+ "t does not need to #e a 1ully
structured and ar%ued essay+ "t should; ho5e6er; start to pull to%ether
your thou%hts a#out a particular issue in the te:t+
Arite it 5ith the understandin% that the reader; your pro1essor; is
1amiliar 5ith the #oo8+ Ihe does not need you to summariSe it 1or her+
Rather; she4s interested in discernin% ho5 deeply you ha6e thou%ht
a#out the concepts; methods; or approaches that e:ist at its heart+ A
response paper should en%a%e the te:t e:plicitly and ri%orously+ "t
should e:amine and #e%in to 1ormulate the 0uestions that a more
1ormal analytical essay mi%ht ta8e up in %reater depth+
Ahat is the 6alue in 5ritin% a response paperB A 2h3 indicates a
person capa#le o1 conductin% independent scholarship+ "n the 1uture;
you 5ill ha6e to de6ise your o5n paper topics; rather than respondin%
to the 0uestions a pro1essor mi%ht pose a#out a te:t or a site+ Kou 5ill
#e as8ed to ma8e an academic ar%ument 5ithout the %uidance o1
leadin% 0uestions+ "ndeed; as a colle%e pro1essor; you 5ill #e
responsi#le 1or de6elopin% those leadin% 0uestions 1or your o5n
*
I relied on the following websites in putting this handout together. You might want
to consult them yourself for more on response papers:
http://www.sonoma.edu/users/v/vazquez/ResponsePaper.html;
http://depts.washington.edu/clue/downloads/writingaresponsepaper.pdf
LA 505
!all 2010; Cni6ersity o1 "llinois at Cr#ana.Dhampai%n
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students+ The purpose o1 5ritin% response papers; then; is to help you
%et practice identi1yin% issues and; especially; to learn to reco%niSe
the ones that most interest K<C+ !rom there; you can #e%in to ta8e
control o1 your academic 6oice+
LA 505
!all 2010; Cni6ersity o1 "llinois at Cr#ana.Dhampai%n
Ginsburg
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