History

H1 HISTORY (SYLLABUS 8838)

Aims

8838 History is a H1 subject that offers students the opportunity to explore and appreciate the global dynamics after the Second World War. This includes the study of the Cold War: from its origins, its manifestations in the form of the Korean War and the Cuban Missile Crisis, to its eventual end. Students will then examine the manifestation of the Cold War in East Asia where China announced itself as a potential major power having established itself officially as a Communist state. Along with China’s rise, Japan emerged from the rubles of the Second World War as a crucial bulwark against Communism in Asia. Students will therefore explore how these two countries functioned within the greater dynamics of the ongoing Cold War. The appreciation of the extensive impact of the Cold War will stretch further into the realms of Southeast Asia where students will see how developments in the West and East Asia had a profound impact on the region, including Singapore. This impact is seen through the manifestations of various conflicts such as the Indochina Wars and the formation of ASEAN.

The appreciation of the rich content of the H1 History syllabus will thus require the application of analytical tools premised by the two components of the paper: the source-based case study and essays. Through this, students will learn to dissect the given hypothesis through in-depth analysis by looking at given sources, extracting relevant information from their existing knowledge, formulating strong arguments and eventually deriving a more comprehensive conclusion.

There are no specific requirements to offer the subject.

Approach

General
Lectures are the medium used to provide the necessary content knowledge as well as the necessary skill set to tackle the main components of the paper which is the source-based case study and essays. Interactive tutorials will provide students with the opportunities to engage deeper with the content covered and at the same time seek clarifications in a safe and conducive learning environment. Comprehensive lecture notes and slides are provided for the students along with additional online materials to ensure a fulfilling learning experience.

Skills
For the source-based case study, students will learn to critically analyse sources and evaluate their reliability and utility in depth before presenting a comprehensive argument to address a given hypothesis.

For essays, students will learn to analyse and extract relevant information from numerous case studies and organise their arguments coherently.

Programme

Assessment consists of one 3-hour paper where students are required to attempt:

1 source-based case study premised on ‘The Development of the Cold War (1945-1991)’
2 essays on ‘The Cold War and East Asia (1945-1991)’, and ‘The Cold War and Southeast Asia (1945-1991)’

The H1 History syllabus is accessible here.

H2 HISTORY (SYLLABUS 9174)

Aims

History at ACJC aims to create strong foundations in historical thinking skills and hopes to foster enthusiasm about the past. H2 History at ACJC consists of two papers:

Paper 1: The Changing International Order (1945–2000)
Paper 2: Developments in Southeast Asia (Independence–2000)

Paper 1 aims to provide students with opportunities to explore the relationships between the superpowers and various nation-states through the period of the Cold War. In addition, students will also learn about the development of the global economy, and evaluate how the decisions of the United States, the Western European countries and Japan impacted the rest of the world. Furthermore, students will take a closer look at the 2 Asian economies, Japan and China, and appreciate how a country’s economic development is influenced by domestic and international forces. Finally, students will examine key inter- and intra-state conflicts that shaped the international order in the post-WWII period. To mitigate the effects of these conflicts on international peace and security, various actors, ranging from the major powers to the United Nations, intervened to manage the conflicts. This study will complete a dynamic journey in enabling students to discern how the international order was shaped through inter-state relations, and the policies of regional and international organisations.

Paper 2 aims to enable students to examine the key developments that took place within Southeast Asian countries and in the region after independence. Using a thematic-comparative approach, students will learn about the varied experiences of Southeast Asian countries in forming nation-states, pursuing economic goals and forging relations with other Southeast Asian countries. Students will look at Southeast Asian governments’ attempts to find the best way to govern their respective societies and gain legitimacy, from liberal democratic governments to various manifestations of authoritarianism. Students will also appreciate the challenges faced by governments in unifying diverse populations as they attempted to balance between introducing integrationist approaches, while acknowledging the desire of ethnic minorities to champion their own distinctive cultures. Students will also examine the economic change in Southeast Asia, how it was shaped by the different historical, domestic and external conditions of the individual countries, and its diverse outcomes for the economy and people. The study of inter-state tensions and cooperation, and ASEAN’s effectiveness as a regional organisation, will complete an understanding of the dynamics that shaped the Southeast Asian region between independence and 2000.

Approach

General
For both Paper 1 and Paper 2, lectures and tutorials will be conducted to provide the necessary content knowledge and skills for students to master the curriculum.

Interactive tutorials will provide students with opportunities to interrogate sources, and consider different ways of approaching a variety of questions.

The History Department believes strongly in fostering a safe and collaborative environment for students to seek clarifications, and to learn from one another.

Skills
For the source-based case study, students will learn to critically analyse sources and evaluate their reliability and utility in depth, before presenting a comprehensive argument to address a given hypothesis.

For Essays, students will learn to analyse and extract relevant information from a range of case studies, and construct thoughtful and coherent arguments.

Programme
Students will sit for 2 papers:

Assessment for Paper 1 will consist of a 3-hour paper where students are required to attempt:

1 source-based case study premised on the Development of the Cold War (1945-1991).
2 essays on the Development of the Global Economy (1945-2000), and Conflict and Cooperation (1945-2000).

Assessment for Paper 2 will consist of a 3-hour paper where students are required to attempt:

1 source-based case study premised on Regional Conflicts and Cooperation.
2 essays on Forming Nation-States and Economic Change After Independence.

The H2 History syllabus is accessible here.

H3 HISTORY (SYLLABUS 9823)

Aims

History at ACJC aims to create strong foundations in historical thinking skills and hopes to foster enthusiasm about the past. The H3 History syllabus will provide students with the opportunity to further develop their interest in history through the exploration of the historical issues in greater depth.

History at the H3 level aims to create students who are capable of engaging in independent research, engage critically with sources from the past as well as the interpretations of historians.

Approach

History at the H3 level will depend primarily on the students’ interest in exploring a historical issue.

Students will be guided through the process of crafting a research proposal encapsulating their initial analysis of a historical issue, and will then embark on a research essay. In the course of crafting the research essay, students will have up to three conferences with their Research Supervisor to provide feedback on their progress.

Programme

The assessment of History at the H3 level consists of a research essay of 3000-3500 words.

The H3 History syllabus is accessible here.