HIST 100H/C Africana Studies
(4 credits)
Rosenberg
This course is designed to introduce students to the discipline of Africana Studies, which is the study, interpretation, and the dissemination of knowledge concerning African-American, African, and Caribbean affairs and culture. By focusing on the history (political, economic, cultural, psychological, artistic, and social) of people of African descent through a comparative lens we will reach a greater understanding of their similarities and differences. This class will focus on major questions such as the influence of cultural integrity and the political struggle for equality in two hemispheres on cultural traditions, values, and social institutions. Writing intensive.
HIST 105H/C
Pre-Modern World
(4 credits)
Brooks-Hedstrom
This World History course will closely examine how pre-modern people regarded those who differed from themselves during the period from 3000 BCE-1400 CE. We will consider how travel, motivated by the need for conquest, conversion, and/or commerce, reveals the history of those who ventured to areas outside of their own empires. In reading accounts referring to the "Other," as perceived by these ancient individuals, we will learn about how civilizations become more interconnected until at 1250 CE there was what some historians have called a "world-system" that allowed the Afro-Eurasian landmass to be connected in a way not seen before in history. Students will be assessed on the basis of weekly written assignments, participation in the form of in-class discussions and on-line work, maps, analytical essays and a final paper. Writing intensive.
HIST 106 H/C The Modern World
(4 credits)
Proctor
Are you interested in what the Aztecs thought of the Spanish? Have you ever thought about how Japanese farmers experienced life in the 19th century? In "The Modern World," we will examine such questions in an attempt to re-examine our assumptions about non-western cultures since 1400, while seeing the connections between these cultures and western civilizations. Using a global framework, students will explore the development of modern civilizations in the Near and Far East, Eastern/Western Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Assessment will focus on the students' ability to express their ideas in essay exams, short papers, and oral presentations. Prerequisites: None. Writing Intensive.
HIST 112H Modern Western Civilization
(4 credits) (Two sections)
O'Connor, C. Oldstone-Moore
An introductory course designed to give students a basic understanding of the traditions of western Europe since the 11th century. Significant emphasis is placed upon acquainting the student with the distinctive features and problems of the historical approach and on furthering his or her skills of critical reading, analysis and reflection. The final grade will be based on class participation, several short papers, a few quizzes and a mid-term and final exam of essays. Writing intensive.
HIST 162C Modern East Asia
(4 credits)
Huffman
Westerners fighting for the right to sell opium in China. Japanese challenging the world on battlefields and in markets. Communists experimenting with capitalism in China. Koreans emerging from foreign shadows and threatening to get together. Japanese polluting commuter trains with cell phones. We will attempt to pull all of those strands, and more, into some sort of coherent pattern, as we look at East Asia's experience with self-sufficiency, imperialism, and modernity during the last three centuries. Lectures will be supplemented with audiovisual materials and in-class discussions. Students will be expected to read five or six books. Grading will concentrate on tests, a series of short summary papers, and one 3- to 5-page paper. No prerequisites.
HIST 171C African Societies to 1500
(4 credits)
Rosenberg
This class will cover the major themes and issues of African history before the arrival of Europeans and the Atlantic Slave Trade. Topics will range from the African roots of human society, to placing ancient Egypt within African history. We will also examine the role of Islam in Africa. In particular, this class will explore the role of oral traditions and "myth" in African societies and will attempt to ascertain their usefulness as historical documents. Additionally, in our examination of these societies we will focus on the roles of trade, environment, and religion in African political and social systems. Writing intensive.
HIST 201H Archaeology of the Near East
(4 credits)
Brooks-Hedstrom
Ever wondered what it would be like to be an archaeologist? In this course you will rediscover the golden age of archaeology in the 19th and 20th centuries in the Middle East as archaeologists uncovered the remains of such famous cities as Jericho, Knossos, Dura Europos, Samarra, Amarna, and Persepolis. We will discuss how the discoveries made by archaeologists influence historians of the ancient world. Attention will also be given to the role of contemporary T.V. shows by Fox and PBS to share current discoveries with the public. The course will include the examination of sites through lecture, discussion (both in-class and on-line), student presentations and several written assignments. The class will also include a visit to a museum to view the Ancient collection. Writing intensive.
HIST 201H Early Islamic History
(4 credits)
Brooks-Hedstrom
Why did the Romans call Arabia "Happy Arabia?" How did Muhammad inspire others to follow Allah? How did the caliphs guide the Islamic community once the Islamic Empire spread to three continents? Why were Baghdad and Cairo considered the gems of the Islamic World? Our discussions will also consider how Medieval Islam is understood in contemporary society and to what degree the history of this period accords with contemporary perceptions of Islam. This course will consider the political and religious history of the Islamic community through lectures, student led discussions, written assignments (short and long analytical papers), and group Internet web pages. The course will include a field trip to a local mosque. Writing intensive
HIST 202H: Writing and Interpreting History: Silences of the Past
(4 credits)
Livingstone
What are the "silences of the past?" How have recent historians attempted to restore voice to some of those silences? Over the centuries the study of history has tended to focus on the achievements of "great" and "powerful" men. More recently, historians have begun looking beyond the experiences of elites to try to uncover how common people lived and their experiences in the past. In this class we will explore such topics as the lives of medieval peasants, family life in Reformation Germany, the experiences of women, the culture of a sixteenth-century miller and the construction of identity. This course will also examine how historians "do" history. What methods, theories, and philosophies inform reconstruction of the past? What are the issues that confront historians in regard to the use of primary sources and historiographic traditions? Should historians be objective? Can they be objective? Each of those questions is fundamental to the task, vocation, and obligation of the historian. To address such issues, students will read, analyze and critique primary sources. The history of historical interpretation, or historiography, will also be explored through a series of monographs. Students will write several analytical essays and participate in discussion and debate. Writing intensive.
HIST 203C Meiji Japan: Grappling with the Modern
Huffman
Japan's rush from feudalism to modernity in the late 1800s will be the focus of this course. Using a variety of historical sources (novels, documents, film, monographs), we will examine both the causes and the results of Japan's rapid transformation: its forced entry into the imperialist world, the creation of a constitutional system, the explosion of mass culture, its own imperialist turn in wars against China and Russia. There will be one or two essay exams, and students will learn research and writing skills by writing and presenting a lengthy research paper, and completing several shorter assignments. No prerequisite. Writing intensive.
HIST 203H The Great War
(4 credits)
Proctor
In August 1914 a war commenced that would transform the political, economic, cultural and social landscape of several continents and that would institute a new era of militarization. This World War touched the lives of men and women of different nationalities, classes, and occupations. The course will train students in research methods through an examination of this world crisis. Students will be asked to understand political structures, intellectual and cultural change, and social transformations that characterized this era. Assessment will focus on the students' ability to express their ideas in essay exams, papers, and oral presentations. In particular, students will complete an independent research project focusing on some aspect of the Great War. Students will need to explore their questions using a variety of sources (text, documents, novels, film) in order to gain an understanding of how experiences on the home front and in the trenches shaped lives, nations and cultural mores. Prerequisite: None. Writing intensive.
HIST 222H United States History II
(4 credits) (Two sections)
Wood
How did new technology change the lives of average Americans in the late nineteenth century? What role did American women play in World War I? How did the Civil Rights Movement change American society? Was the U.S. decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima right or wrong? These are just a few of the questions we will discuss in HIST 222, a survey of the major themes, topics and issues in American history from 1877-1988. We will focus on selected social, political, diplomatic, economic and cultural developments which have shaped the nation, all its regions and all its people. This course will consist of lecture, class discussion and numerous reading and writing assignments. Attendance is essential. Students will grapple with problems of historical perspective and interpretation, and are expected to participate in discussion, raise questions and form opinions based on material presented in class and in reading assignments. Students will be evaluated on their participation in class and on their timely completion of all written assignments. Writing intensive. (Satisfies certification requirements.)
HIST 230H African-American History
(4 credits)
Lewis
The African American Historical Experience is a study of the contributions and experiences of African derived people in America from Reconstruction to the present. Course will include use of standard text, collateral readings and is African and African American centered. The course will include frequent writing exercises as well as a term paper. Writing intensive
HIST 241H England from Arthur to Elizabeth I
(4 credits)
Livingstone
King Arthur, the Battle of Hastings, Robin Hood, the Wars of the Roses, Shakespeare, Elizabeth I, the Spanish Armada...are some of the famous events and personages of the history of England. History 241 will focus on the "history" behind these people, events, and myths. A theme of the course will be to examine the "ideal" evident in myth and fiction in the context of the "realities" of the period. Discussion of primary texts, such as BEOWULF, medieval chronicles and letters, will help bring to life this fascinating time. The turbulent world of twelfth-century England will be examined through analysis of the historical novel PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett. Students will be asked to evaluate Follett's treatment and reconstruction of medieval society by reading primary and secondary sources. Through examination of myths, fiction and secondary sources, an appreciation of the complexities of this period of history will be gained. The final grade will be based on quizzes, class discussion, four essays and a research paper. Writing intensive
HIST 252C Russia since 1917
(4 credits)
O'Connor
This course will deal with some of the factors which have shaped Russia and the Soviet Union, including the revolutions of 1917, the regimes of Lenin and Stalin and the collapse under Gorbachev and Yeltsin. There will be a mid-term and a final, and the course will require a fair amount of reading and writing. Writing intensive
HIST 312 From Constantine to the Vikings: The History of the Early Middle Ages
(4 credits)
Livingstone
Emperors, barbarians, saints and Vikings...these are the figures who shaped the period from roughly 300 to 950 A.D. This course will examine the birth of the medieval world. Central to this discussion will be examination of how the world of Late Antiquity contributed to the formation of the Middle Ages. Topics of discussion will include the relationships between pagans and Christians, the cult of the saints, the impact of the Germans, the culture of the "dark ages," economic shifts described in the Pirenne thesis, Charlemagne, the Carolingian Renaissance and the Vikings. Students will read primary sources and historical monographs in order to develop an in-depth understanding or appreciation of the medieval past. Assignments will include writing and revising a research paper, shorter analytical essays, quizzes, and discussion. Prerequisite: HIST 111 or 115.Writing intensive
HIST 341 The Victorians
(4 credits)
Proctor
From architecture to literature to political philosophers to historical films, Americans seem to have a fascination for all things Victorian. Is it the desire to see what is underneath all the starch and propriety of Victorian sexual and social virtues, or is it a need to examine that which has had a profound impact on modern social and political institutions? This course will explore the triumphs and tragedies, the scandals and secrets of life in Britain during the Age of Victoria. In particular, the class will chart the rise of industrial wealth, the problems of urbanization, the expansion of the British Empire, and the development of an interventionist state. Students will be expected to read historical monographs, novels, and primary documents, and they will be asked to view film and artwork from the period. Assessment will focus on written work, class presentations, group projects, and class participation. Prerequisite: HIST 106 or a course in European history or permission . Writing intensive
HIST 370 Nationalism, Ethnicity, and Gender in 20th Century Africa
(4 credits)
Rosenberg
During the 20th century, Africans fought against a range of inequalities, both during and after colonial rule. In their creative resuscitations of the past they have struggled over the production and reproduction of social categories such as nationalism, ethnicity, and gender. This class will explore a number of issues such as: ethnicity and "tribalism" which are often blamed for much of Africa's strife, the construction of Africa's current national borders, and how the European presence drastically altered the modes of production for many Africans which has in turn altered gender roles in modern Africa. Prerequisite: HIST 106, 170, 270, 370 or permission. Writing intensive
HIST 390 Reading Colloquium: Stalin
(4 credits)
O'Connor
The course will deal with the changing images of Stalin, from his radical youth in Georgia through the "Cult of Personality" in the 30's and 40's to the post-Soviet era. There will be a research paper, a good deal of reading, writing, and student discussion. Prerequisite: One course in European history or junior standing or permission of instructor. Writing intensive
HIST 411 Senior Seminar
(4 credits)
Wood
A seminar designed primarily for SENIOR HISTORY MAJORS. This capstone course examines historical and historiographical problems, philosophical issues pertaining to substance and methods of history as a discipline, and the process of research and writing history. A long analytical paper, written critiques, oral presentations, and active class participation are required. (And it all promises to be fun!) Prerequisite: Senior standing. Writing intensive
