Fall 2024 Courses
Course Descriptions
103.01, 10624 TR 8-9:15, Crosby
World History until 1500 CE. History 103 covers world history until 1500 CE, focusing on economic, social, political, and cultural aspects of people before the onset of western dominance and identifying major patterns and trends which characterized the world in each era.
115.01, 11993 MWF 8-8:50 & ONLINE, Martin
Pre-Modern Travelers and their Worlds. In this course, we will interpret case studies in movements in Eurasia and Africa from roughly 3500 BCE to 1500 CE. We simply cannot cover every instance of travel in these roughly five- thousand years, but we will learn of how Eurasian nomads helped to establish Indo-European languages, what Romans valued in their leisure time, and perhaps most importantly, how members of different ethnic and religious groups sought to understand each other when traveling in foreign lands. The course as a whole will demonstrate that the pre-modern world was abuzz with life, perhaps challenging what you may have heart of history before 1500. You can furthermore expect a visually stunning course, as we will not only read primary source excerpts, but also interpret works of art and architecture. You will do a combination of response papers on primary sources, essay exams, and possibly quizzes.
115.02, 12055 MWF 9-9:50 & ONLINE, Martin
Pre-Modern Travelers and their Worlds. In this course, we will interpret case studies in movements in Eurasia and Africa from roughly 3500 BCE to 1500 CE. We simply cannot cover every instance of travel in these roughly five- thousand years, but we will learn of how Eurasian nomads helped to establish Indo-European languages, what Romans valued in their leisure time, and perhaps most importantly, how members of different ethnic and religious groups sought to understand each other when traveling in foreign lands. The course as a whole will demonstrate that the pre-modern world was abuzz with life, perhaps challenging what you may have heart of history before 1500. You can furthermore expect a visually stunning course, as we will not only read primary source excerpts, but also interpret works of art and architecture. You will do a combination of response papers on primary sources, essay exams, and possibly quizzes.
115.03, 10587 TR 10:50-12:05, Piccione
History, Legend and Mythology. This course surveys the major civilizations of the ancient world through the lens of legend and mythology. Beginning with Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, it continues through the Minoans, Greeks and Romans (up to. AD 476). It focuseson the major myths and legends of these societies, including early creation mythologies, Egyptian and Mesopotamian legends of the gods and heroes, and legendary tales from Greece and Rome. Topics include the historical foundations of many of these legends, and the extent to which later legends of the Greeks and Romans were influenced by–or adapted from–earlier myths and legends of Egypt and the East. In this manner, the course explores not only what legends and mythology reveal about these historical civilizations, but also how those societies viewed themselves.
115.04, 11239 MWF 12:00-12:50, Gaspar
Pre-Modern History. This pre-modern course surveys the relationship between the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire and its neighboring rivals throughout the Medieval period, with special attention paid to the Latin West. Covering a series of case studies in the empire's often fraught relationship with its neighboring states, students will gain a comprehensive grasp of Byzantine political, religious, social, and military history and analyze themes, such as conflict, cooperation, exchange, and co-existence. Additionally, students will be able to contextualize Byzantium and its neighbors within a Mediterranean backdrop, by tracing the evolution of the Byzantine Empire as a regional hegemon to a declining empire that finally fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453.
115.05, 10588 MWF 8:00-8:50, Dingley
Maritime Cultures of the Indian Ocean World. From the Swahili city-states of the East African coast to the nomadic seafaring societies of the Southeast Asian archipelago, this course explores the cosmopolitan world of the Indian Ocean from antiquity through the rise of Islam to the arrival of the Portuguese in 1498. Our focus will be on the diasporic movement of people and plants, language and culture, religion and technology over two thousand years of maritime history, and the underlying environmental forces and institutional forms that helped make the Indian Ocean the most dynamic cultural crossroads of the pre-modern era.
115.06, 10589 MWF 9-9:50, Dingley
Maritime Cultures of the Indian Ocean World. From the Swahili city-states of the East African coast to the nomadic seafaring societies of the Southeast Asian archipelago, this course explores the cosmopolitan world of the Indian Ocean from antiquity through the rise of Islam to the arrival of the Portuguese in 1498. Our focus will be on the diasporic movement of people and plants, language and culture, religion and technology over two thousand years of maritime history, and the underlying environmental forces and institutional forms that helped make the Indian Ocean the most dynamic cultural crossroads of the pre-modern era.
115.07, 10590 MWF 11-11:50, Lary
History of Philosophical and Religious Ideas in the Ancient World. In this course, we will trace the evolution of key philosophical and religious ideas in the ancient world. The ideas will be treated historically and comparatively, and within the contexts out of which they arise. While we will address many ancient philosophies and religions in this course, the primary focus will be on three case studies: the empires of ancient Greece, ancient India, and ancient Persia. In ancient Greece, the history of philosophy from the pre-Socratics through the Hellenistic thinkers will be highlighted and placed within the cultural and political context. In ancient India, we will pay particular attention to the development of the competing yet symbiotic teachings of ancient Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Finally, our study of ancient Persia will begin with the history of ancient Zoroastrianism.
115.08, 10591 MWF 12-12:50, Lary
History of Philosophical and Religious Ideas in the Ancient World. In this course, we will trace the evolution of key philosophical and religious ideas in the ancient world. The ideas will be treated historically and comparatively, and within the contexts out of which they arise. While we will address many ancient philosophies and religions in this course, the primary focus will be on three case studies: the empires of ancient Greece, ancient India, and ancient Persia. In ancient Greece, the history of philosophy from the pre-Socratics through the Hellenistic thinkers will be highlighted and placed within the cultural and political context. In ancient India, we will pay particular attention to the development of the competing yet symbiotic teachings of ancient Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Finally, our study of ancient Persia will begin with the history of ancient Zoroastrianism.
115.09, 10592 MWF 11-11:50, Van Meer
A World of Inventions. This course explores the history of our world, from the first hunter-gatherer societies until the dawn of modernity in the 15th century, using the comparative method. The theme of this global history course is invention and technology. By contextualizing key inventions of the past, e.g. prehistoric cave paintings, early Egyptian and Chinese tombs, classical Greek and Roman (amphi)theaters, and medieval Byzantine and Islamic Domes, we will analyze how technological developments reflect the cultural/religious values, political power, and gender/social beliefs of their respective societies.
115.10, 10593 MWF 12-12:50, Van Meer
A World of Inventions. This course explores the history of our world, from the first hunter-gatherer societies until the dawn of modernity in the 15th century, using the comparative method. The theme of this global history course is invention and technology. By contextualizing key inventions of the past, e.g. prehistoric cave paintings, early Egyptian and Chinese tombs, classical Greek and Roman (amphi)theaters, and medieval Byzantine and Islamic Domes, we will analyze how technological developments reflect the cultural/religious values, political power, and gender/social beliefs of their respective societies.
115.11, 10594 MWF 11-11:50, Luquer
State and Religion. History 115 is a thematically-driven premodern history class, intended to hone analytical thinking and writing skills while exploring an important aspect of world history. The theme of this class is religion and state building---how the two have woven together in antiquity and through the middle ages to create distinctive cultures based on religion. We will focus on the development of origin stories that help the indigenous peoples of the world develop and answer the questions they had about their surroundings. We will also examine how these stories developed into polytheistic and then the monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, after the fall of imperial Rome by the Carolingian empire and medieval humanists, as well as the changing landscape of religion and government through the end of the middle ages.
115.12, 10595 MWF 12-12:50, Luquer
State and Religion. History 115 is a thematically-driven premodern history class, intended to hone analytical thinking and writing skills while exploring an important aspect of world history. The theme of this class is religion and state building---how the two have woven together in antiquity and through the middle ages to create distinctive cultures based on religion. We will focus on the development of origin stories that help the indigenous peoples of the world develop and answer the questions they had about their surroundings. We will also examine how these stories developed into polytheistic and then the monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, after the fall of imperial Rome by the Carolingian empire and medieval humanists, as well as the changing landscape of religion and government through the end of the middle ages.
115.13, 11703 ONLINE, Mikati
Intertwined Histories: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This course presents an historical survey of pre-modern civilizations and cultures through a study of the role played by religion in the rise and shaping of cultures and societies. The primary focus will be on the historical environment and central traditions of three of the main world religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam and their near eastern environment from their inception to circa 1500 C.E.
115.14, 11704 TR 8:00-9:15, Halvorson
Egypt and its Neighbors. 3000+ Years of the Ancient Egyptian World. This class will cover over three millennia of history in Egypt and the surrounding civilizations with which they interacted. Egypt in its heyday was a world power which influenced three continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe. Travel back in time with an Egyptologist to study, in detail, one of the greatest civilizations of the pre-modern world.
115.15, 10596 MW 2:00-3:15, Phillips
Dangerous Appetites. This course analyzes the relationship between culinary history from the earliest Mesopotamian societies to 1500. Food has played a crucial role in the creation of what we often call “globalism.” In fact, trade in rice and rum forged the first global trade networks and, along with them, helped shape the nature of western and slavery create empires of trade and sea power.We will examine how food, in different culture and at different times, has been used as a symbol of hospitality and of domination. We will look at how food shaped a variety of global culture’s understanding of itself and others. We will see how food initiated the first European drive for domination Africa, Asia and the Americans and changed, not only political arrangements, but ecosystems and disease environments as well.
115.16, 10597 MW 3:25-4:40, Phillips
Dangerous Appetites. This course analyzes the relationship between culinary history from the earliest Mesopotamian societies to 1500. Food has played a crucial role in the creation of what we often call “globalism.” In fact, trade in rice and rum forged the first global trade networks and, along with them, helped shape the nature of western and slavery create empires of trade and sea power.We will examine how food, in different culture and at different times, has been used as a symbol of hospitality and of domination. We will look at how food shaped a variety of global culture’s understanding of itself and others. We will see how food initiated the first European drive for domination Africa, Asia and the Americans and changed, not only political arrangements, but ecosystems and disease environments as well.
115.17, 10599 TR 1:40-2:55, Boucher
The Edge of the World. This course will survey the history of various societies from Antiquity to the late Middle Ages. While the material will help you develop a basic understanding of the pre-modern world and its history, the course will focus on the following question: How did various societies at the time imagine and describe regions located on their geographic periphery? As this class will show, pre-modern descriptions of distant lands often reveal more about the societies that produced them than about the places they intended to describe. Whether they were Ancient Greek poets or Medieval Irish monks, for instance, authors injected in these descriptions the values, anxieties, and fantasies that were common in their cultures of origin. As such, these texts provide revealing insights about past societies and the only means to appreciate them is to understand them in the historical and cultural context in which they were written.
115.24, 10600 TR 9:25-10:40, Halvorson
Egypt and its Neighbors. 3000+ Years of the Ancient Egyptian World. This class will cover over three millennia of history in Egypt and the surrounding civilizations with which they interacted. Egypt in its heyday was a world power which influenced three continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe. Travel back in time with an Egyptologist to study, in detail, one of the greatest civilizations of the pre-modern world.
115.25, 10601 TR 10:50-12:05, Halvorson
Egypt and its Neighbors. 3000+ Years of the Ancient Egyptian World. This class will cover over three millennia of history in Egypt and the surrounding civilizations with which they interacted. Egypt in its heyday was a world power which influenced three continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe. Travel back in time with an Egyptologist to study, in detail, one of the greatest civilizations of the pre-modern world.
115.27, 10602 TR 1:40-2:55, Halvorson
Egypt and its Neighbors. 3000+ Years of the Ancient Egyptian World. This class will cover over three millennia of history in Egypt and the surrounding civilizations with which they interacted. Egypt in its heyday was a world power which influenced three continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe. Travel back in time with an Egyptologist to study, in detail, one of the greatest civilizations of the pre-modern world.
115.28, 10603 TR 3:05-4:20, Halvorson
Egypt and its Neighbors. 3000+ Years of the Ancient Egyptian World. This class will cover over three millennia of history in Egypt and the surrounding civilizations with which they interacted. Egypt in its heyday was a world power which influenced three continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe. Travel back in time with an Egyptologist to study, in detail, one of the greatest civilizations of the pre-modern world.
115.31, 12925 MWF 10-10:50 & ONLINE, Martin
Pre-Modern Travelers and their Worlds. In this course, we will interpret case studies in movements in Eurasia and Africa from roughly 3500 BCE to 1500 CE. We simply cannot cover every instance of travel in these roughly five- thousand years, but we will learn of how Eurasian nomads helped to establish Indo-European languages, what Romans valued in their leisure time, and perhaps most importantly, how members of different ethnic and religious groups sought to understand each other when traveling in foreign lands. The course as a whole will demonstrate that the pre-modern world was abuzz with life, perhaps challenging what you may have heart of history before 1500. You can furthermore expect a visually stunning course, as we will not only read primary source excerpts, but also interpret works of art and architecture. You will do a combination of response papers on primary sources, essay exams, and possibly quizzes.
115.32, 12926 MWF 12-12:50 & ONLINE, Martin
Pre-Modern Travelers and their Worlds. In this course, we will interpret case studies in movements in Eurasia and Africa from roughly 3500 BCE to 1500 CE. We simply cannot cover every instance of travel in these roughly five- thousand years, but we will learn of how Eurasian nomads helped to establish Indo-European languages, what Romans valued in their leisure time, and perhaps most importantly, how members of different ethnic and religious groups sought to understand each other when traveling in foreign lands. The course as a whole will demonstrate that the pre-modern world was abuzz with life, perhaps challenging what you may have heart of history before 1500. You can furthermore expect a visually stunning course, as we will not only read primary source excerpts, but also interpret works of art and architecture. You will do a combination of response papers on primary sources, essay exams, and possibly quizzes.
115.33, 10892 TR 1:40-2:55, Crosby
Development of Society and Ruling Classes in Antiquity. History 115 is designed to help students gain a better understanding of world civilization from antiquity to early middle ages. We will examine many topics which directly shaped western and world history, including art, the development of written language, impact of military conflicts, philosophical thoughts, impact of religion upon western society, territorial discoveries, and numerous attempts of societies at extending their cultural and political hegemony. Particular emphasis will be focused on the study of the evolution of society and the monarchy through the earliest forms of ruling systems, the culture, customs, and governing practices- from the development of the first city-states ruled by chieftains and religious deities, Pharaohs, Caesars, and kings and queens. Some examples of studies will be the Kingdom of Israel, the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, and the Franks, with meticulous attention focused on important rulers, the good, the bad and the insane, along with the evolution of the ruling caste/monarchy as a historical phenomena. Attention will also be paid to the emergence of an elite group of rulers, the treatment of women of all social castes, and patriarchal lines.
115.35, 10851 TR 12:15-1:30, Crosby
Development of Society and Ruling Classes in Antiquity. History 115 is designed to help students gain a better understanding of world civilization from antiquity to early middle ages. We will examine many topics which directly shaped western and world history, including art, the development of written language, impact of military conflicts, philosophical thoughts, impact of religion upon western society, territorial discoveries, and numerous attempts of societies at extending their cultural and political hegemony. Particular emphasis will be focused on the study of the evolution of society and the monarchy through the earliest forms of ruling systems, the culture, customs, and governing practices- from the development of the first city-states ruled by chieftains and religious deities, Pharaohs, Caesars, and kings and queens. Some examples of studies will be the Kingdom of Israel, the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, and the Franks, with meticulous attention focused on important rulers, the good, the bad and the insane, along with the evolution of the ruling caste/monarchy as a historical phenomena. Attention will also be paid to the emergence of an elite group of rulers, the treatment of women of all social castes, and patriarchal lines.
116.02, 11115 TR 9:25-10:40, Poole
Histories of Satan, Histories of Evil. “Those Who Consider the Devil to be a partisan of evil and angels to be the warriors of the good have accepted the demagoguery of angels. The case is clearly more complicated.” - Milan Kundera. Do you ever use the word evil? If so, for what kind of acts, experiences, people? Can you imagine that the idea of evil has a history like war or democracy? Have Americans and Europeans been obsessed with the Devil in the distant past as the embodiment of evil? Has this changed? What do you think of the idea that the notion of Satan is actually more important to many Americans than it has been in the past? Do you agree or disagree with this? What is the history of this idea and what is its meaning for the present? How will you define the idea of evil after you learn its history?
116.03, 11359 TR 10:50-12:05, Poole
Histories of Satan, Histories of Evil. “Those Who Consider the Devil to be a partisan of evil and angels to be the warriors of the good have accepted the demagoguery of angels. The case is clearly more complicated.” - Milan Kundera. Do you ever use the word evil? If so, for what kind of acts, experiences, people? Can you imagine that the idea of evil has a history like war or democracy? Have Americans and Europeans been obsessed with the Devil in the distant past as the embodiment of evil? Has this changed? What do you think of the idea that the notion of Satan is actually more important to many Americans than it has been in the past? Do you agree or disagree with this? What is the history of this idea and what is its meaning for the present? How will you define the idea of evil after you learn its history?
116.06, 11611 TR 5:30-6:45 p.m., Jenkins
Empires in the Modern West. This class covers the history of the Modern West, focusing on the rise and fall of empires. Along the way we’ll discuss colonialism, nationalism, industrialization, capitalism and war—all the things that helped hasten both the rise and the fall of empires. The empire has been a dominant form of government in the western world for over 4000 years. In this class we’ll discuss why, and question whether that’s changed.
116.07, 10604 TR 9:25-10:40, Steere-Williams
Epidemics and Revolutions. The recent global epidemic crisis of Ebola provides a backdrop for the fascinating historical questions we will ask in this course, of how the social experience and cultural understanding of disease have shaped modern global history. We will explore how both chronic and infectious diseases have played a fundamental role in the development of modern modes of governance, public health, modern technologies, and a global economy. We will also examine how disease illuminates social attitudes about class, race, and colonialism in the period from the Enlightenment to the present. Using diverse examples such as cholera outbreaks in Europe, bubonic plague in India, syphilis in Africa, yellow fever in North America and the Caribbean, and HIV/AIDS across the globe, this course demonstrates that the historical analysis of disease is integral to understanding both “modernity” and “globalization”.
116.08, 11705 TR 5:30-6:45 PM, Stone
History of Violence in the Atlantic World. This course focuses on the Barbadian connection with colonial South Carolina. Specifically, the readings, lectures, and other assignments aim to uncover how enslaved Africans, Bardadians, and colonizers from England curated an era of mass violence, all for the primary motivation of profit and establishing a new colony in Carolina. This course approaches historical empathy, sensitive topics, and inclusive historiography. We will have guest speakers that will share their scholarship related to the course and their experiences as former history majors in the career field.
116.11, 10987 TR 9:25-10:40, Crosby
Monarchs and Revolutions in Modern Europe. History 116 will adopt a traditional approach to the study of Modern European history by examining different revolutions and the monarchs that were attributed to them- The English Revolution, Glorious Revolution, French Revolution to just name a few. The course will examine the institution of the monarchy as a historical phenomenon, with particular focus paid to individual rulers who were involved. The course will explore events that shaped the history of the continent and the world, as well as feature the many colorful and controversial figure heads of this time period. This course will also delve into the many facets of this institution-the culture, politics, evolving role of the monarchial system, crises, scandalous behavior, family feuds, powerful queens, warfare, upheavals, coups, and the absurd incompetence of those who have worn the crown.
116.12, 10605 MWF 8-8:50, Lary
Ideologies in the Modern World. A close examination of the influence of ideologies frames this history of the modern world. Our starting point will be the French Revolution, beginning in 1789, as it unleashed dreams of fraternity, liberty and equality. Next, we will examine 19th century ideologies such as liberalism, nationalism, and socialism and their relationship to the unique economic, cultural and political contexts of that time. Lastly, we will study key 20th century ideologies such as communism and fascism, as well as more recent ideologies such as pan-Africanism and political Islam. Because this is a modern global history course, our focus is not on American history. The countries we will study in most detail are: former Belgian Congo, former Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, India and Pakistan, Iran, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Italy, Kenya, Russia, and former Yugoslavia.
116.14, 10606 MWF 9-9:50, Lary
Ideologies in the Modern World. A close examination of the influence of ideologies frames this history of the modern world. Our starting point will be the French Revolution, beginning in 1789, as it unleashed dreams of fraternity, liberty and equality. Next, we will examine 19th century ideologies such as liberalism, nationalism, and socialism and their relationship to the unique economic, cultural and political contexts of that time. Lastly, we will study key 20th century ideologies such as communism and fascism, as well as more recent ideologies such as pan-Africanism and political Islam. Because this is a modern global history course, our focus is not on American history. The countries we will study in most detail are: former Belgian Congo, former Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, India and Pakistan, Iran, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Italy, Kenya, Russia, and former Yugoslavia.
116.15, 11706 TR 3:05-4:20, Crosby
Monarchs and Revolutions in Modern Europe. History 116 will adopt a traditional approach to the study of Modern European history by examining different revolutions and the monarchs that were attributed to them- The English Revolution, Glorious Revolution, French Revolution to just name a few. The course will examine the institution of the monarchy as a historical phenomenon, with particular focus paid to individual rulers who were involved. The course will explore events that shaped the history of the continent and the world, as well as feature the many colorful and controversial figure heads of this time period. This course will also delve into the many facets of this institution-the culture, politics, evolving role of the monarchial system, crises, scandalous behavior, family feuds, powerful queens, warfare, upheavals, coups, and the absurd incompetence of those who have worn the crown.
116.17, 10607 MWF 8-8:50, Van Meer
Modern History. This course investigates the history of “Modern Europe” and its relationship to “the wider world.” We start in the Renaissance (ca. 1450) when Europeans set out to dominate the world; we follow Europe’s contested history across two world wars, through the Cold War, ending our examinations in the midst of today’s critical debates about the future of NATO. To gain a better understanding of how that history is relevant to our lives today, the historical thread uniting all our topics is “the Arctic”; it is the one place in the world that has been the subject of competition and conquest, by Europeans, Americans, and Russians alike, from the 1490s until today.
116.19, 10608 MWF 9-9:50, Van Meer
Modern History. This course investigates the history of “Modern Europe” and its relationship to “the wider world.” We start in the Renaissance (ca. 1450) when Europeans set out to dominate the world; we follow Europe’s contested history across two world wars, through the Cold War, ending our examinations in the midst of today’s critical debates about the future of NATO. To gain a better understanding of how that history is relevant to our lives today, the historical thread uniting all our topics is “the Arctic”; it is the one place in the world that has been the subject of competition and conquest, by Europeans, Americans, and Russians alike, from the 1490s until today.
116.20, 10609 MW 2:00-3:15, Luquer
Revolutions in the Modern World. Over the course of the semester we as a class will be discussing the continuities and discontinuities of change and connection. We will start in the latter part of the Renaissance (ca. 1450) as Europe begins a new relationship with the greater world, while the European continent suffers from the divisions in religion and war as it enters the modern era. This course will follow the religious, social and political upheavals of the modern era. The material in this course includes the Protestant Reformation, the Age of Exploration and the Discovery of New Worlds, the French Wars of Religion and the Thirty Years War, the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution, both the American and French Revolutions, Imperialism and the Western World, the World Wars (I & II), the Cold War and the late 20th and early 21st Centuries.
116.21, 10610 MW 3:25-4:40, Luquer
Revolutions in the Modern World. Over the course of the semester we as a class will be discussing the continuities and discontinuities of change and connection. We will start in the latter part of the Renaissance (ca. 1450) as Europe begins a new relationship with the greater world, while the European continent suffers from the divisions in religion and war as it enters the modern era. This course will follow the religious, social and political upheavals of the modern era. The material in this course includes the Protestant Reformation, the Age of Exploration and the Discovery of New Worlds, the French Wars of Religion and the Thirty Years War, the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution, both the American and French Revolutions, Imperialism and the Western World, the World Wars (I & II), the Cold War and the late 20th and early 21st Centuries.
116.24, 10611 MWF 8-8:50, Tsahiridis
The American Wild West: Myths and Legacy. This course will examine the changing image of the American West from the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the sixteenth century to present-day U.S. and Mexico. Special attention will be given to the interactions between indigenous peoples, settler colonists, and nation-states in the North American borderlands, as well as the West's portrayal in folklore, art, and films to show how popular impressions have reflected both national and international attitudes and values.
116.31, 10804 MWF 10-10:50, Tsahiridis
The American Wild West: Myths and Legacy. This course will examine the changing image of the American West from the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the sixteenth century to present-day U.S. and Mexico. Special attention will be given to the interactions between indigenous peoples, settler colonists, and nation-states in the North American borderlands, as well as the West's portrayal in folklore, art, and films to show how popular impressions have reflected both national and international attitudes and values.
116.37, 10627 MWF 9-9:50, Tsahiridis
The American Wild West: Myths and Legacy. This course will examine the changing image of the American West from the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the sixteenth century to present-day U.S. and Mexico. Special attention will be given to the interactions between indigenous peoples, settler colonists, and nation-states in the North American borderlands, as well as the West's portrayal in folklore, art, and films to show how popular impressions have reflected both national and international attitudes and values.
116.38, 10835 MWF 11-11:50, Tsahiridis
The American Wild West: Myths and Legacy. This course will examine the changing image of the American West from the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the sixteenth century to present-day U.S. and Mexico. Special attention will be given to the interactions between indigenous peoples, settler colonists, and nation-states in the North American borderlands, as well as the West's portrayal in folklore, art, and films to show how popular impressions have reflected both national and international attitudes and values.
116.39, 10838 MWF 11-11:50, Phillips
Industrial Revolutions: From Steam to the Atomic Age. This course will trace how technology changed the world between the Industrial Revolution and the end of the 20th century in Europe and the United States. How did inventions ranging from the steam engine to the cash register to the internet change people’s lives? What effect did these changes have on different groups, such as women and immigrants? How did they change gender roles? How did they change foreign policy and warfare? How did technology become a source of anxiety in the 20th century?
116.40, 10986 MWF 12-12:50, Phillips
Industrial Revolutions: From Steam to the Atomic Age. This course will trace how technology changed the world between the Industrial Revolution and the end of the 20th century in Europe and the United States. How did inventions ranging from the steam engine to the cash register to the internet change people’s lives? What effect did these changes have on different groups, such as women and immigrants? How did they change gender roles? How did they change foreign policy and warfare? How did technology become a source of anxiety in the 20th century?
117.01, 12345 TR 12:15-1:30, Jones
Race and Religion in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Religious violence and toleration were pressing concerns in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, just as they are today. This course will explore how medieval conceptions of religion and access to rights were tied to the development of medieval society. Ideas about nation and race will be studied through examples of violence, toleration, and conversion, laying the foundations for long-term discussions about rights and tolerance. The ways that this history is used and misused in the modern world will also be examined as we separate fact from fiction. The course will begin with examples of conflict, coexistence, and resistance between and among Jews, Muslims, and Christians in the Middle Ages in Europe and the Mediterranean worlds, and continue through the consolidation of political rule, the European expulsions of Muslims and Jews, and the fracturing of Latin Christendom in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, culminating in the debates over the natural rights and self-determination of indigenous peoples and the enslaved in the New World. This course meets both the Pre-Modern History and the Global Race, Equity, and Inclusion General Education Requirements.
118.01, 12348 MWF 11-11:50, Gordanier
Performing History and Identity in East Asia: From Confucianism to K-Pop (and beyond). In East Asia in the premodern and modern era, the performing arts were (and are) more than just entertainment. Music, dance, story, and acting were tools for building and shaping human identities through education, social networking, diplomacy, and religious ritual. But the arts could also, according to authorities, be dangerous vehicles for corruption, sedition, and debauchery. What makes performance so powerful? This course explores East Asian cultural and social history with a particular focus on China, Korea, and Japan in the modern era. Using the performing arts as a window into both everyday life and grand politics, we will investigate the ways people and states in this region have defined themselves and others in terms of class, gender, ethnicity, and eventually new racial categories. We will discover, too, how those definitions have changed over time: from the heights of premodern empires, through nineteenth-century foreign imperialism and the revolutions of the twentieth century, to our complex 21st-century global present.
118.02, 12349 MWF 9-9:50, Gordanier
Performing History and Identity in East Asia: From Confucianism to K-Pop (and beyond). In East Asia in the premodern and modern era, the performing arts were (and are) more than just entertainment. Music, dance, story, and acting were tools for building and shaping human identities through education, social networking, diplomacy, and religious ritual. But the arts could also, according to authorities, be dangerous vehicles for corruption, sedition, and debauchery. What makes performance so powerful? This course explores East Asian cultural and social history with a particular focus on China, Korea, and Japan in the modern era. Using the performing arts as a window into both everyday life and grand politics, we will investigate the ways people and states in this region have defined themselves and others in terms of class, gender, ethnicity, and eventually new racial categories. We will discover, too, how those definitions have changed over time: from the heights of premodern empires, through nineteenth-century foreign imperialism and the revolutions of the twentieth century, to our complex 21st-century global present.
118.03, 12350 ONLINE, Pennebaker
Oppression & Resistance in the Black Atlantic World. The history of the Black Atlantic World allows us to follow a people in motion. HIST 118 presents the African American experience as an experience of movement — a history of those who moved by force and by choice, and of those who moved others. Throughout this semester we will reflect on and analyze a range of sources and materials to explore the historical groundings and contemporary iterations of white supremacy, as well as the countless methods of Black resistance from the moment of globalization to the present. Rather than a tangent to the American story, we will treat Black history as the central strand in the creation, growth, dis- and reunification, industrialization, and urbanization of North American and Caribbean countries.
118.04, 12699 TR 10:50-12:05, Covert
Modern History: History & Memory. This course explores modern history through the lens of history and memory. We will analyze how individuals, institutions, and governments have sought to remember or tried to forget historical events, people, and artifacts in modern world history ranging from Columbus’s arrival in the Caribbean to the present. In addition to learning about such historical topics as imperialism, slavery, and war, then, students will also grapple with the political and economic implications of history and how it is commemorated, represented, or erased. Because this course fulfills the REI Global requirement, we will also consider how changing ideas about race and ethnicity influenced these processes. This course will introduce students to broad historical currents in modern history and enable them to think more critically about history as a process, rather than as a static list of names and dates.
118.06, 13251 MWF 1:00-1:50, Gigova
Modern History/Global, Race, Equity, and Inclusion. This course is broadly about citizenship. We will use the history of Europe as a jumping board for discussion, as it was there that the concept of citizenship emerged. However, we will approach “Europe” critically, not as a beacon of light, liberty, and progress, but a source of economic, political and cultural power responsible for great achievements as well as much suffering. In tracing developments primarily in Western Europe and its interactions with the rest of the world from the 1600s onward, we will think about people’s duties and rights as they changed from monarchs’ subjects to citizens of countries. We will consider the experiences of elites, slaves and workers, religious and ethnic minorities, women asking for rights, peoples fighting for independence, and individuals trying to survive. As we explore the evolution of European society over time, we will also trace how the relationship of individuals to their state changed in response. While the focus will be on Europe, we want to keep in mind the impact and consequences of its history on other parts of the world, including the United States.
118.07, 13252 TR 12:15-1:30, Covert
Modern History: History & Memory. This course explores modern history through the lens of history and memory. We will analyze how individuals, institutions, and governments have sought to remember or tried to forget historical events, people, and artifacts in modern world history ranging from Columbus’s arrival in the Caribbean to the present. In addition to learning about such historical topics as imperialism, slavery, and war, then, students will also grapple with the political and economic implications of history and how it is commemorated, represented, or erased. Because this course fulfills the REI Global requirement, we will also consider how changing ideas about race and ethnicity influenced these processes. This course will introduce students to broad historical currents in modern history and enable them to think more critically about history as a process, rather than as a static list of names and dates.
118.08, 13263 ONLINE, Pennebaker
Oppression & Resistance in the Black Atlantic World. The history of the Black Atlantic World allows us to follow a people in motion. HIST 118 presents the African American experience as an experience of movement — a history of those who moved by force and by choice, and of those who moved others. Throughout this semester we will reflect on and analyze a range of sources and materials to explore the historical groundings and contemporary iterations of white supremacy, as well as the countless methods of Black resistance from the moment of globalization to the present. Rather than a tangent to the American story, we will treat Black history as the central strand in the creation, growth, dis- and reunification, industrialization, and urbanization of North American and Caribbean countries.
201.01, 10347 MWF 10-10:50, Smith
United States to 1865. The purpose of this course is to incorporate peoples’ actions into the context of early American history, beginning with Native American contact and concluding with the final shots of the Civil War. By weaving together the social, political, economic, and environmental aspects of the American experience, this course will seek to explain how and why particular people of various backgrounds crucially shaped a nation. In doing so, we will see how Native Americans, colonists, the enslaved, and United States citizens transformed the land and each other while developing an overall American identity. Ultimately, we will focus on the theme of freedom and answer the following question: what has freedom meant to Americans from initial settlement until the end of the Civil War, and how have those meanings changed over time? With a driving narrative of noteworthy and ordinary people, events, and institutions, this course will (hopefully) provide you with a concise, yet diverse, understanding of this nation’s evolution.
202.01, 12034 MWF 12-12:50, Smith
United States since 1865. We will incorporate peoples’ actions into the context of modern American history, beginning with the final shots of the Civil War and concluding in the present time. By weaving together the social, political, economic, and environmental aspects of the American experience, this course will seek to explain how and why particular people of various backgrounds crucially shaped a nation. In doing so, we will see how United States citizens and immigrants transformed the land and each other while developing an overall American identity. Ultimately, we will focus on the theme of freedom and answer the following question: what has freedom meant to Americans since the end of the Civil War, and how have those meanings changed over time? With a driving narrative of noteworthy and ordinary people, events, and institutions, this course will (hopefully) provide you with a concise, yet diverse, understanding of this nation’s evolution.
202.02, 12448 TR 12:15-1:30, Dennis
United States since 1865. A general and thematic study of the culture, society and politics of the United States from the Civil War to the present.
215.01, 13253 TR 9:25-10:40, Boucher
Native American History. A chronological survey in Native American History north of Mexico to the 21st century. This course examines the Native American contribution to the history of the continent and exposes students to the ethnohistoric method, an approach designed to study the history of people who have left no written record.
226.01, 13254 TR 12:15-1:30, Poole
American Monsters: The History of American Horror Narratives.The class explores American history from the colonial period to the present. We will approach this survey by examining how narratives of monstrosity and horror have intersected with important historical events, cultural ideologies and moral panics in the American historical experience. After some theoretical grounding in the idea of monstrosity as a marker of cultural history, we will look at specific historical periods to examine how horror narratives intertwined with significant events and ideas in folk belief, legend, political discourse, gender constructions, religion and pop culture.
231.01, 10501 MWF 1-1:50, Alwine
Ancient Greece. Crosslisted course.
234.01, 13211 MWF 12-12:50, Jestice
Early Middle Ages. This is a course on the making of Europe, as new states grew in the wake of Rome’s political fall and Europe grappled creatively with the long shadow of the Roman Empire. The course will start in 313 CE, when Christianity first became legal in the Roman Empire, and will end in about the year 1050. Along the way, we will explore the rise of the institutional Church, the Carolingian Empire, and the last waves of barbarian invasions (Viking, Magyar, and Saracen).
241.01, 11757 TR 1:40-2:55, Coy
ST: Witchcraft & Witchhunting in Britain, 1500-Present. This course will examine the history of witchcraft belief and witch-hunting in Britain since 1500, exploring aspects of folk belief, judicial prosecution, decriminalization, and the emergence of neopagan witchcraft as a form of modern-day spirituality.
241.02, 11616 MWF 9:00-9:50, Gibbs
ST: Jewish Studies. Crosslisted course.
241.03, 12456 MWF 11:00-11:50, Gibbs
ST: Jewish Studies. Crosslisted course.
250.01, 11480 TR 12:15-1:30, Ayalon
ST: Think Outside the Box: On Jewish Creativity and Innovation. Crosslisted course.
261.01, 11195 TR 1:40-2:55, Covert
Revolutionary Lives. This course examines revolutionary movements during Latin America’s long Cold War through a biographical approach. We will explore how individuals navigated periods of upheaval and violence, how their revolutionary ideologies challenged or transformed how they thought about and formulated their own gender identities, and how they imagined different futures for themselves and their communities.
261.02, 11602 MW 2:00-3:15, Mikati
Modern Egypt. This course explores the political, social, and cultural history of Egypt from the late eighteenth century to the present. We will explore the culture and politics of Egypt under the Ottomans, the French attempt to colonize Egypt, and the British occupation of the country. We will study the history of the Egyptian movement of pan-Arabism. We will do all of this with a variety of texts and media, with a special emphasis on novels and films.
270.01, 11481 TR 12:15-1:30, Piccione
Ancient Egyptian Religion, Witchcraft, and Magic. This course studies the nature of ancient Egyptian religion and its essential magical character. Taking a texts approach supplemented by archaeology and material culture, it traces the history and character of Egyptian religion and magical practices from the Archaic Period (ca. 3050 BC) through early Christianity (c. 7th cent AD)--yes, Coptic Christian magic!. It defines the role and nature of Egyptian so-called "magic" in its native concept (heka, 'creative power') and sets it against Greek and Roman (i.e., Europe) conceptions of sorcery and witchcraft. It explores the esoteric nature of Egyptian religious thought and the wide variety of beliefs, often contradictory to modern thinking, yet which the Egyptians were able to combine into a unified religious system.
Subjects include: the nature and character of magical practice, deities, mythologies and mythopoeic thinking, cosmology and cosmogony, state religion, personal piety and funerary beliefs and customs, temples and shrines, secret passages and crypts, religious rituals, spells and incantations, mystery rites, incubation of dreams and religious initiations, psychedelics and hallucinogenic drugs, and the religious function of sports and athletics. Texts include selections from: the Pyramid Texts, Coffin Texts, Book of the Dead, the magical papyri, the Books of the Netherworld, and ritual inscriptions from temple walls. Time permitting, a final project might include a recreation of an authentic mystery/religious ritual.
291.01, 13218 TR 10:50-12:05, Steere-Williams
Disease, Medicine, and History. This course investigates the changing meanings and entanglements of medical science, public health, and medical practice from the 18th century. We will examine ideas about the body and disease, the changing role and image of medicine in American and European life. Key themes we will examine include alternative medicine, the growth of medicine’s cultural authority, medical professionalization, the rise of public health, hospital care, and imperial and colonial medicine. We will probe these issues through the lenses of class, race, gender, age, lifestyle, and place in terms of health. Though the focus of the class is on the western medicine, throughout the course we will be making transnational and global comparisons. Your overall assessment in this class depends on your class participation and writing. You will work to sharpen your verbal and argumentative skills in frequent class discussions, and your writing skills through the formal study of some practical problems of expository writing and by revising essays that you write on topics raised in our historical discussion.
299.01, 10495 MW 2:00-3:15, Jestice
The Historian's Craft. This is a topics-based course in which students deal with different types of historical materials and techniques to develop skills in research, writing, critical thinking, and oral presentation, focused on the discipline of history. Topics will vary and will selected by the professor.
Historian's Craft. The Historian's Craft. This is a topics-based course in which students deal with different types of historical materials and techniques to develop skills in research, writing, critical thinking, and oral presentation, focused on the discipline of history. Topics will vary and will selected by the professor.
348.01, 13449 MWF 10:00-10:50, Gigova
Everyday Communism. In this class we will read about, watch and discuss the experience of millions who lived in the Soviet zone of influence after WWII. We will trace the metamorphosis of communism from a 19th-century ideology to practical policies and their impact on East Europeans. In the process we will explore topics as diverse as the party-state, terror, class lifestyles, women’s “double burden,” socialist fashion and consumption, youth culture and music, the appeal of the West, dissidence, revolution and systemic transition.
350.01, 11494 MW 2:00-3:15, Walters
ST: Jews and the Atlantic World. Crosslisted course.
410.01, 11756 MWF 1:00-1:50, Slater
Marginalized Communities in American History. In this senior capstone seminar, we will discuss and research marginalized communities in American history. Students will be asked to think intersectionally with issues of race, class, gender, and sexualities. We will read foundation and theoretical texts together, but students will pursue individual research projects on topics of their choosing within this theme. Each student is expected to conduct extensive primary and secondary research, produce a quality research paper with thoughtful analysis, develop and demonstrate understandings of editing and formal writing, and also share their research to the class in a brief oral presentation at the end of the semester.
461.01, 13212 MW 2:00-3:15, Gordanier
Voyagers, Sojourners, and Border-Crossers in Asia. In this capstone seminar, students will create a research question, identify and analyze relevant primary and secondary sources, and write a 20-30 page seminar paper on a topic of their choice connected to the history of travel and travelers in East Asia. From Marco Polo to the missionaries and merchants of the modern period; from ports like Guangzhou, Manila, and Nagasaki in the Age of Sail to the air and seaports of the present, voyagers and sojourners open a window on social history, the economy, war, culture, gender and the family, and many other major themes of modern Asian and world history, creating ample scope for students to define their own research interests. Readings for this course will center on the history of China and the Chinese diaspora, with excursions into Japan and other parts of Asia.