Course Offerings
Courses numbered HIS 100-229 are primarily for freshmen and sophomores, those numbered HIS 300-399 are open to sophomores, juniors, seniors, and to those freshmen who have appropriate General Education background.
101, 102, 200, 202, 204, 205, 210, 230, 240, 250, 260, 275, 285, 300, 301, 305, 306, 308, 310, 311, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 374, 375, 377, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388, 390, 391, 392, 394, 395, 400, 408, 450, 490, 497
Global Origins of the Modern World
This course explores the origins and development of the modern world, focusing on the dual dynamics of globalization and vital indigenous civilizations. The course will critically examine a minimum of three world civilizations, their ancient antecedents, and will include multiple themes, such as technology and science, religion, gender, war and peace, and the environment.
Global Transition and Change
This course examines world history from the perspective of one specific theme, such as technology and science, religion, gender, cross-culture connections, war and peace, arts and literature, government, or the environment. The course is global in scope, covering a minimum of three world civilizations. Individual sections will trace the development of one theme over the course of major changes in world history, ancient origins to the present. Students will have their choice of sections, thus of themes.
Historiography and Historical Methods
This course is an introduction to both historiography (the history of the study of history) and historical research. In addition to introducing students to historiography, the course also introduces students to historical research methods, use of primary sources, problems of interpretation, and composition. Required for all history majors and minors.
Contemporary Global Issues
This course will offer a contemporary multi-disciplinary perspective regarding the major issues and trends confronting the global society as it enters the 21st century. Emphasis will be given to a critical review and assessment of the origin and present condition of the plethora of situations and problems affecting modern global society. The student will also learn to critically evaluate current and future events. The course will incorporate the views and approaches of the following disciplines: sociology/anthropology, economics, geography, political science and history. (Cross-listed with SOC/ANT/ECO/GEO/POL; may only earn credit in one department.)
Ancient Literate Civilizations
An historical and archaeological study of ancient Eurasia and North Africa, including a survey of the major archaeological sites. Topics such as the development of urbanization in the Near East and Mediterranean, and comparative studies of the Indus civilization, China, Classical Greece, Rome, and the New World will be discussed. (Cross-listed with ARC, may only earn credit in HIS or ARC.)
History of Ethical Values in World Religions
This course is a comparative historical survey of selected religions which focuses upon the distinctive ways that each religion developed norms of good and bad behavior that it imposed upon its adherents. What behaviors did each religious tradition label as good or bad, pure or impure? Why did each tradition place behaviors in those categories? How did those value judgments concerning good and bad behaviors change over the centuries? Some of the topics covered in this comparative historical fashion will include the treatment of women, attitudes toward abortion, contraception, sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, war, attitudes towards other religions, and environmental ethics.
Survey of United States History
This course examines United States history from the period of the revolution to the present. It focuses on the development and reform of American politics, the evolution of American society and culture, and the place of the United States in the world. Offered once a year.
Ancient & Medieval Worlds
An historical survey of the civilizations of West Asia, North Africa, and Europe from the advent of urbanization in 4000 B.C. to the beginning of the Renaissance (c. 1300 a.d.). Topics discussed will be the nature and status of women, ethnic and religious minorities, the importance of geography and technology. Special emphasis will be placed on studying historical themes that have survived to the present day. Offered once a year.
Survey of Modern Europe
This course will consider the forces of nationalism, liberalism, imperialism, and totalitarianism, as well as Europe’s interaction with non-western cultures, the two world wars and the Cold War. Upon completion of the course, the students will be able to place this period of European history within the context of global history. Offered once a year.
The Asian World
This course will introduce students to various aspects of Asian history with special focus on the Modern period (post-1800). In particular, it will compare the political, social and economic structures as well as the religious/philosophical underpinnings of Asian countries, including China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, India and Indonesia. Offered every other year.
Survey of the Middle East
This course is an introductory course designed for students who would like to understand better the history and cultures of the Middle East but who have had little exposure to the region or even to the study of history. It covers the political, social, cultural, and economic Middle East from the rise of Islam to the present. We will select several major themes: the message of Islam, the development of Islamic civilization, Ottoman and Iranian cultures, responses to European imperialism, and nationalist and religious movements. Credits generated in this course apply as electives in the major or minor.
Ancient Britain and Ireland
Exploration of the fascinating archaeological heritage of the British Isles and Ireland from the earliest Stone Age inhabitants to the end of the Roman Occupation. Prerequisite: ARC 200 or ARC/HIS 204 recommended. (Cross-listed with ARC, may only earn credit in HIS or ARC.) Offered occasionally.
Survey of Modern African History
This course is an introduction to the fundamental material and social worlds of sub-Saharan Africa from approximately 1800 to the 1970s. It specifically explores how Africans interacted with their surrounding environments, and how they created and then reshaped their work, social, and political lives in a period of great social, economic, and political change. Offered Sem I
Topics in History
Topics selected by the individual instructor or by the students and instructor together. Special interests of both the bases of current world crises or areas of historical concern not covered in formal course work, may be the vehicles for this offering. Credits generated in this course apply as electives in the major or minor. Prerequisite: HIS 101 or 102. Repeatable for credit.
Women in the Modern United States: 1890-Present
This course introduces students to key issues in modern women’s history in the United States. It explores women’s experiences as workers, activists, consumers, citizens, and family members. It also examines the various ways in which generations of Americans have defined “woman’s place” and “women’s issues”, and raises questions about the possibility for defining common “women’s issues” today. (Cross-listed with WGS, may only earn credit in HIS or WGS.)
History of Motherhood in the United States
This course considers motherhood in nineteenth and twentieth century United States history from a variety of perspectives. It explores women’s experiences’ as mothers, across lines of class, race, and relationship status. It also examines the politics of motherhood in U.S. history, and considers both the restrictive and the empowering dimensions of ideologies of motherhood. (Cross-listed with WGS, may only earn credit in HIS or WGS.)
History of Ethnic America
The role and impact of immigrants and ethnic minorities on the political, economic and cultural development of the United States from colonial times to the present. Emphasis on the immigrant experience — the problems of immigrant adjustment, patterns of immigrant mobility and assimilation, and the persistence of ethnicity and ethnic tensions. Offered once a year.
Reforming U.S. Society
An exploration of moral and political reform and the reform impulse in the United States. Reform topics will include women's rights, antislavery, civil rights, temperance, populism, social and economic justice, and progressivism. Offered every three years.
Native American History
This course is a survey of Native American history in North America from the prehistoric era through the twentieth century, with an emphasis on the United States. This course will focus on Native American cultural, political, and economic structures, as well as patterns and strategies of coexistence with and resistance to European and European American communities. Offered every three years.
Dilemmas of Peace and War
An examination of the causes, consequences and nature of both war and peace in a global context. This course will consider war and peace throughout history and within various cultures. Offered once every three years.
Colonial and Revolutionary America
A history of the founding and development of North American colonies and the era of the American Revolution, with special attention devoted to the establishment and evolution of Euro-American culture and the creation and maturation of American politics. Offered every other year.
The Holocaust
This course is designed to introduce students to the Holocaust from the perspective of historians, writers and poets. Offered once every three years.
History of Feminist Thought
An examination of the history of feminist ideas in the United States and the historical context, both western and international, from which they emerged. (Cross-listed with WGS, may only earn credit in HIS or WGS.) Offered every other year.
Vietnam War
The history of the Vietnamese civil war with focus on U.S. involvement. It will examine Vietnam’s anti -colonial revolution; trace developing American foreign policy from Truman forward; analyze military developments; and study consequences of the war in both the United States and Vietnam. Offered once every three years.
American Environmental History
This course studies human societies and their changing relationships with their physical and natural surroundings. The focus is on the environmental history of North America from pre-Columbian times to the present. Topics explored may include the Columbian exchange, evolving concepts of humanity's relationships to nature, the development of a market economy, science and technology, government roles in conservation and preservation, and the recent emergence of an environmental movement. Offered every two years.
Readings in Twentieth Century U.S. History
Advanced seminar in the social, economic, political and diplomatic history of contemporary America from the 1890s to the present. Major topics may include the development of the modern bureaucratic corporate state, the rise of U.S. power and its international effects, and the roles of women and social and ethnic minorities in the 20th century. Includes intensive and extensive readings of historiography and historical monographs. Offered once every three years.
Public History
An introduction to public history (history outside academe and public interest) and field experience. Class time will be devoted to the background, methods and application of history in the public arena. The class will also feature a team research project in historic preservation, cultural resource management, public policy, or museum administration. Offered once every three semesters.
Wisconsin History
An exploration of the history of Wisconsin, focusing on place, people, and the development of regional culture. Special emphasis will be given to environment, native peoples, ethnicity, the Progressive transformation of state politics, and community from the territorial period to the recent past. Offered once every three semesters.
History of Public Education in the United States
An investigation into historical changes marking K-12 public education in the United States beginning with the legacy of Puritan culture and colonial antecedents and concluding with historical perspectives on the nature of public schooling and the role of the federal government in education policy, in the twentieth century as well as the current age. Among the other major topics addressed are the purposes of schooling, the ideas of major education reformers, ongoing struggles over school curriculum, religion and public education, the origins of standardized testing, and the emergence of teacher unions.
World War II
This course focuses on World War II, its causes, its conduct and its consequences. It will examine the war from a global perspective, exploring all of its aspects – political, diplomatic, military and civilian — in the broad context of national differences, rivalries and conflicts extending from World War I and The Treaty of Versailles (1919) into the third quarter of the twentieth century. Offered once every three years.
Civil War and Reconstruction
A study of U.S. history from 1820 to 1877 with an emphasis on the Civil War and Reconstruction and the political, economic, and social implications for the United States. Offered every three years.
America in the Cold War
The United States spent almost half of the twentieth century engaged in a hostile confrontation with the Soviet Union. This course will explore the origins of the Cold War from its development in 1945 to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. It will study the economic and ideological conflicts between the two countries, as well as explaining the effects of the Cold War on U.S. domestic politics and culture. Offered every other year.
Modern Christianity
This course surveys the history of Christianity from the beginning of the Protestant Reformation until the present. Offered once every three years.
History of Buddhism
A survey of the historical development of the Buddhist religion — its doctrines, practices, and institutions — from its origins through the 20th century. This course will analyze how Buddhism first evolved in India and focus upon the distinctive ways that it developed in Southeast Asia, Tibet, China, and Japan. Offered once every three years.
History of Hinduism
A survey of the historical development of the Hindu religion from its origins in the early Vedic period through the 20th century. Some of the topics covered include the evolution of the belief of reincarnation, the development and significance of the caste system, the development of Hindu attitudes toward women, and the evolution of the principal Hindu gods and goddesses. Offered once every three years.
History of Islam
A survey of the historical development of Islam from its origins through the present day. It will also analyze the central beliefs, practices, and institutions of Muslims. Special attention will be given to the situations of women in the Islamic world. Offered once every three years.
History of Religions
This course will be a historical and broadly comparative study of religion, religions, and religious phenomena. First, it will incorporate a cross-cultural study of such phenomena as myth, ritual, sacred places, gods and goddesses, mysticism, and the various forms of religious community and authority. Second, it will also trace the historical development of the scholarly study of comparative religion. Finally, it will focus on the historical evolution of a particular religious phenomenon through many centuries, i.e., the historical evolution of the devil and the concept of hell in the Old Testament and Christianity. Offered once every three years.
The Ancient Greek World
A historical and archaeological survey of the ancient Greek world (Greece proper, the Aegean Islands, southern Italy, western Turkey). Periods discussed will include Cretan (Minoan), Mycenaean, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, and Early Greek Christian. (Cross-listed with ARC, may only earn credit in HIS or ARC.) Offered once every three years.
Ancient Rome and Mediterranean
A historical and archaeological survey of the ancient Mediterranean area (with emphasis on the Italian peninsula) from the founding of the city of Rome to the collapse of the western Roman Empire in the fifth century A.C.E. Periods discussed will include: Italy in the Neolithic period, the founding of Rome, Etruscan Domination, the Roman Republic, the Roman Principate/Empire, and the advent of Roman Christianity. (Cross-listed with ARC, may only earn credit in HIS or ARC.) Offered once every three years.
Christianity to 1517
This course surveys the history of Christianity from its origin up to the beginning of the Protestant Reformation in 1517. Topics to be covered will include the following: question of the reliability of the Gospels as historical sources, early heresies, Christological and Trinitarian controversies, the conversion of Western and Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages, the evolution of the papacy and monasticism, the Crusades, and the status and treatment of women in ancient and medieval Christianity. Offered once every three years.
Aspects of Chinese History
Each semester this course will examine a specific aspect of the history of China from earliest times to the present. Included will be the Chinese family; the role of ideology in Chinese history (Confucianism, communism, etc.); the revolutionary period (1800-1949); and China since 1949. Offered once every three years.
History of China
A survey of the history of China from earliest times to the present. Included are the study of traditional China, the impact of western civilization on that traditional society, and the rise of communism. Offered once every three years.
Hispanics in the United States
This course will introduce students to the diverse experiences of Hispanic peoples in the United States through an interdisciplinary survey of their social, historical, political, economic, and cultural experiences. Offered once every three years.
History of Russia and the Soviet Union
The origins and development of the Russian state from Kievan Rus through the collapse of the Soviet Union. This course will also examine the global impact of Russian interaction with Asian, Islamic and Western cultures. Offered once every three years.
The Rise and Fall of Ancient Civilizations
A historical and archaeological study of the nature of origin of ancient civilizations and causes for decline and fall. Numerous case studies will be surveyed, including the rise and fall of Sumerian, Egyptian, Iranian, Hittite, Harappan, Israelite, Chinese, Minoan, Classical Greek and Roman and New World civilizations, among others. (Cross-listed with ARC, may only earn credit in HIS or ARC.)
Nineteenth Century Latin America
Study of the problems of political instability, economic underdevelopment and social disunity from the Wars of Independence (1810-1825) to World War I. Attention also to the non-Hispanic Caribbean region. Offered once every two years.
Twentieth Century Latin America
The struggle for economic development, political democracy, and social justice in the period of developing nationalism since World War I. The Non-Hispanic Caribbean is included. Offered once every two years.
U.S. Borderlands
This course will focus on the Hispanic frontier in North America from California to Florida and the interactions between the United States and Mexico (and Spain) from 1521-1990. Offered once every three years.
Colonial Latin America
This course will analyze Iberian society as a way to understand the establishment and evolution of Hispanic institutions and culture in Latin America from 1492 until 1821. Offered once every three years.
U.S.-Latin American Relations
This course will explore U.S. relations with the Latin American republics from 1776 to the present day. It will devote careful attention to the economic and political goals of U.S. foreign policy in Latin America and explore how these goals have fueled anti-U.S. nationalism, thereby compromising Washington’s efforts to forge closer ties with the Latin American nations. Offered once every three years.
History of the Middle Ages
The emergence and flowering of medieval European civilization — in its political, religious, socio-economic and cultural aspects — from the Germanic invasions to the Renaissance era. This course will also examine the Byzantine and Islamic civilizations; their interaction with the West; and the contributions made by the Muslim and Byzantine peoples to medieval Europe. Offered once every three years.
A History of Greater Mexico
This course examines the Mexican experience in the United States as an integral part of Mexican history. Offered once every three years.
Renaissance and Reformation
The broadening of European political, social, cultural, geographical and religious horizons from A.D. 1300 to 1648. This course will also examine European interaction with Asian, Islamic and American cultures, and the impact such interaction had upon Europe. Offered once every three years.
History of Modern Europe (20th Century)
The emergence of Europe as a political, cultural, social, industrial and military power during the 19th and 20th centuries. This course will also explore European interaction with non-Western cultures, the two world wars, the Cold War, decolonization, the decline of Europe as a premier world power, and the break-up of Eastern Europe and Soviet regimes. Offered once every three years.
Episodes in French History
An examination of various episodes in French history that illustrate major social, intellectual, political, and economic trends. Each semester will examine a specific aspect of French history since 1750. These will include: the French Revolutions of 1789, 1830, 1848, 1870, and 1968; war and occupation in France; and French intellectual development since 1750. Offered once every three years.
History of France: 1750-Present
A history of France since 1750 incorporating major social, intellectual, political, and economic trends. Offered once every three years.
History of Modern Germany
Development of Germany through wars of unification and emergence as a world power, World War I and Weimar Republic, Nazi rule and World War II, and changes in the post-war Germanys. Offered once every three years.
Maya Civilization
The course presents an overview of the Maya culture located in southern Mexico and Central America. The class is organized chronologically into several sections that focus on the origins, adaptations to various environments, social, political, and religious organizations, and the belief systems of the Maya beginning at around 3000 BC. Emphasis will be on Prehispanic Maya; will also explore life ways of contemporary Maya people. (Cross-listed with ARC/ANT, may only earn credit in HIS, ARC or ANT.)
Spain to 1700
This course will examine political, religious, socio-economic and cultural developments from the beginnings of Visigothic rule to the decline of Spain in the seventeenth century. Particular attention will be paid to Muslim and Jewish contributions to Spanish culture, as well as Iberian voyages of exploration and imperial ventures in the “New World”. Offered once every three years.
England to 1603
This course will examine political, socio-economic and cultural developments in England from the Anglo-Saxon invasions of the fifth century through the reign of Elizabeth I. Particular attention will be paid to the development of the English monarchy and of Parliament, as well as interaction with other European nations. Offered once every three years.
History of Mexico
Survey of Indian and Hispanic roots of Mexican history on both sides of the border. Emphasis on events in Mexico which have affected the United States. Offered once every two years.
French Revolution
This course covers the French Revolution from a European and Global Perspective. It will cover the chronology of the Revolution, its political, cultural, social and economic effects on Europe and the larger world, the experiences of various individuals and groups within it, and its long-term effects both in France and around the world. Offered once every two years.
Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Modern Europe
This course examines changes in ideas about and experiences of gender and sexuality in Europe between 1700 and 2000. Topics emphasized include changing family structures, women's emancipation and feminism, the intersection of race with gender and sexuality, the politics of reproduction, and gender transformation through war and revolution. Offered every two years.
Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Latin America
This course analyzes historical transformations in Iberia and Latin
America and their effects on women's and men's lives and gender
relations. The relationship of gender and power will be
explored to understand inequalities; themes will include precolonial
societies, colonialism, religious change, urban labor, nationalism,
sexuality, and homosexual cultures. Offered every three
years.
HIS 361 Cr. 3
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
This course examines the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, focusing on its origins, the actors involved, and key social and political factors that have shaped it.
HIS 362 Cr. 3
Human Rights and the Middle East
This course surveys the historical roots and practice of human rights in the Middle East, focusing primarily on the modern era. Topics include: definitions of vulnerability, minority and religious rights, human rights violations, and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) activism.
HIS 363 Cr. 3
Modern Indian History and Culture
An exploration of India's history from the 19th to 20th century through key moments, characters, and themes. Various media such as primary documents, films, novels, short stories, and secondary documents written by historians serve as tools of analysis to explore the connections and gaps between history and popular culture.
HIS 364 Cr. 3
Gandhi's India
A dominant figure in India's struggle for independence from British rule, M. K. Gandhi (1869-1948) is also twentieth century's most influential political activist and thinker as well as a famous pacifist, who inspired peace and civil rights movements globally. This course charts Gandhi's life and career against events in London, South Africa, and India. It examines the evolution and application of his ideas and techniques of non-violent resistance, and his attitudes toward the economy, society and state. Gandhi's influence on Indian politics and society is critically assessed and his claim to be the `apostle of non-violent revolution' examined against developments since his death in 1948. Prior knowledge of Indian history is not required for this course.
Ancient Iraq
A historical and archaeological survey of ancient Iraq (Syro-Mesopotamia) from its prehistoric origins in the neolithic period to the Seleucid period. Ethnic groups discussed will include the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Kassites, Amorites, Chaldeans, and Elamites. Topics will include the rise of urbanism, cuneiform writing, religion, literature, displaced persons, gender relations, and social structure. (Cross-listed with ARC, may only earn credit in HIS or ARC.) Offered every three years.
Ancient Israel
A historical and archaeological survey of coastal Syria and Palestine from the neolithic period to the Roman conquest. Various ethnic groups discussed will include the Eblaites, Phoenicians, Philistines, Canaanites, Arameans, Israelites, Samaritans, and Judeans. Special emphasis will be placed on putting biblical history in its Palestinian context. Topics will include social structure, gender relations, religion, and literature. (Cross-listed with ARC, may only earn credit in HIS or ARC.) Offered every three years.
Ancient Egypt
This course is a survey of the history, archaeology, culture, and civilization of ancient Egypt from the prehistoric periods, the Pharaonic periods, as well as the Greco-Roman periods (to the advent of Christianity). Special attention will be given to reading historical texts in translation. We will also explore various aspects of Egyptian religion, and the treatment of woman and non-Egyptian ethnic groups. (Cross-listed with ARC, may only earn credit in HIS or ARC.)
History of Babylonian Language and Culture I
This course is a survey of Babylonian history, culture, and language. Babylonian, was the most extensive of the cuneiform languages of the ancient Near East, was the language of the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians and was used for over two millennia. Students will study aspects of the history and culture of ancient Babylonia, as well as learn the fundamentals of Babylonian grammar and syntax, and the cuneiform writing system. (Cross-listed with ARC, may only earn credit in HIS or ARC.) Offered every three years.
History of Babylonian Language and Culture II
This course is a second semester survey of Babylonian history, culture, and language. Babylonian, was the most extensive of the cuneiform languages of the ancient Near East, was the language of the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians and was used for over two millennia. Whereas the student studies grammatical forms and is introduced to the cuneiform writing system in the first semester, the student in the second semester will work with documents. Students will study aspects of the history and culture of ancient Babylonia in later periods, as well as read legal, economic, and literary texts in the original language. Prerequisites: HIS/ARC 368. (Cross-listed with ARC, may only earn credits in HIS or ARC.) Offered every three years.
The History of Black Women’s Activism
An historical overview of the thoughts, actions, and creative products of Black women activists in the United States, from slavery to the present. Students will examine historical analyses, speeches, essays, economic activities, organizational styles, political issues, and various forms of artistic expression that women of African descent have produced in order to query, resist, and defy the interlocking oppressions of racism, sexism, and classism in the United States. Prerequisite: WGS 100 or 210 or 230 or EFN 205 or ERS 100. (Cross-listed with WGS, may only earn credit in HIS or WGS.)
Women, Agriculture, and the Environment
Beginning with the ancient notion that the earth was both alive and female, a concept indigenous to western as well as other cultures, this course will examine subsequent ideas that have historically shaped attitudes and actions toward women and the earth, especially as those values and actions have affected agriculture in the U.S. The course will examine such topics as the roles of women as builders of community in the rural world; the impact of the industrializing of the production of food and fiber on concepts of femininity; the development of the modern corporate state and its impact on women and agriculture; and how women and men are working to re-shape the way we see, think about, and act on, and interact with the earth. Prerequisite: WGS 100 or 210 or 230. (Cross-listed with WGS, may only earn credit in HIS or WGS.)
History of Women in the Ancient World
A history of the nature and status of women in the ancient world as derived from textual sources, including works of literature, private letters, economic documents, and tomb inscriptions. Areas studies will be Syro-Mesopotamia, Israel, Iran, Anatolia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean world. Also discussed will be the study of women as derived from archaeological sources. (Cross-listed with ARC, may only earn credit in HIS or ARC.)
World War I
This course will examine World War I from a European and global perspective. It will cover the causes, nature and results of the war as they relate to the society, economy, politics and culture of Europe. Attention will also be given to some of the global effects of the war as well as the ways this war transformed the nature of warfare in the 20th century. Offered every two years.
Ancient Turkey
An historical and archaeological survey of ancient Anatolia (the
geographic name of Turkey) and surrounding regions (e.g., Syria and
the Caucaucus) from its prehistoric origins in the Neolithic period,
the rise of urbanism, Assyrian mercantilism, Pre-Hattic cultures,
the Hittite kingdoms, the Neo-Hittite states, Urartu, Phrygia,
Lydia, Cimmerians, Medes, Persians, and various states in the Graeco-Roman
period to the advent of Anatolian Christianity. Topics will
include cuneiform writing, religion, literature, law, gender
relations, and social structures. Offered every three years.
Iran before Islam
An historical and archeological survey of ancient Iran and surrounding regions from prehistoric origins to the advent of Islam in the 7th century A.D. Among the topics discussed will be the rise of urbanism and writing at Proto-Elamite Susa, Elamite civilization in southwestern Iran, Medes, Scythians, and Persians in the Iron Age, the Persian Empireas well as the Seleucid, Parthian, and Sassanian kingdoms of later antiquity. Emphasis will be on the study of primary sources in translation (Sumerian, Akkadian, Elamite, Old Persian, Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, amongst others). Topics will include cuneiform writing in Iran, religion,literature, gender relations, classical traditions about Iran, and social structure.
U.S. Labor History
This course focuses on the history of the American working class from the late eighteenth century to the late twentieth century. The course will examine the domestic, cultural, religious, economic, political, and social issues working people faced in the United States. Offered every three years.
History of the U.S. West
This course focuses on the history of the Trans-Mississippi West
from European contact to the late-20th Century, with a focus on the
19th and 20th centuries. Topics covered include the federal
West, settlement, immigration, extractive industries, agriculture,
aridity, the environment, and Native Americans. Offered every
three years.
HIS 379 Cr. 3
African Environmental History
This course examines how African environmental realities and Africans' conceptions of the environment shaped broader political, social and economic histories. It specifically addresses how 19th century economies, colonial policies, and post-independence priorities transformed Africans' relationships with their environments. Offered occasionally.
HIS 380 Cr. 3
Beyond Rwanda: War and Genocide in Africa's Great Lakes
This course examines recent civil wars and genocide in Africa's Great Lakes as regional and historically-rooted phenomena. Beginning with examination of how ethnic identity related to political structures in the region in the late 18th century, the course traces their dynamic transformations in response to local, regional, colonial, and postcolonial influences. Offered occasionally.
HIS 381 Cr. 3
Health and Healing in African History
This class interrogates how African understandings of health and practices of healing transformed from the precolonial through the post-independence periods. In particular, it examines the interrelationship between health and politics in African thought, the integration of western biomedicine into African systems of healing, and the changing disease environment of capitalism, colonialism, and globalization. Offered occasionally.
HIS 382 Cr. 3
Imperialism in
This course focuses on the modern imperialism of the West
and
HIS 383 Cr. 3
Women in South Asia
This course maps the history of women in South Asia. While the primary emphasis will be colonial and post-colonial South Asia, the course will begin with ancient India and trace women's history through the medieval period. We will survey the historical institutions, practices, and traditions that define the position of women in India. We will examine the laws and religious traditions pertinent to women in South Asia including marriage, inheritance, sati, and purdah. We will also read a variety of women's writings including the poetry of medieval women saints, as well as stories and memoirs from the colonial and post-colonial period. In addition to textual sources, we will analyze Indian popular film and the representation of women in this modern visual genre.
HIS 384 Cr. 3
Idea of Asia
This course addresses relationships between Asia as a concept originating in the West and modern history. Focuses include Orientalism (Western representations of "the East" as ideological bases for Western imperialism), pan-Asianism (ways Japanese, colonized Indians, and others imagined Asian civilizations as a solution to the problems of modernity), and popular culture (imaginary conceptualizations of Asia in film, posters, and art).
Modern African History
This course explores the history of Africa from 1800 to present. It focuses on the economic, political, social, and cultural forces that have shaped African societies. It examines continuities and changes by looking at ways in which Africans defined their needs under increasing external pressures. Topics include: colonization, nationalism, independence, post-colonial nation states, women’s movements and neocolonialism. Offered Sem. I.
Women and Gender in Africa
An examination of gender and power in Africa, and the historical roots of inequality as experienced by women in the social, economic, religious and political spheres during the 19th and 20th centuries. Course combines case studies on: Queens, goddesses, warriors, gender systems, with thematic issues such as gender impact of colonialism, resistance, African feminism, women politicians and empowerment to provide a vivid image of the state of gender relations in Africa. Offered Sem I.
African Novels And History
An introduction to the intellectual and cultural history of Sub-Saharan Africa and the experiences of African people in the 20th century specifically through novels. Emphasis on historical theory and research methods. African novels are used as sources of information to deepen understanding of African history. Offered Sem. II.
Comparative Slave Systems
A study of the commonalities and differences between slave systems in Africa and the Americas which explores conditions in communities created by slaves and escaped slaves from Brazil, the Caribbean and the southern United States. Focus on the impact of the slave trade, the abolition and the nature of historical consciousness within Africa and the African Diaspora. Offered Sem. I once every three years.
Public History Research
An intensive research field school in historic preservation, cultural resource management, oral history, or museum studies. Students will complete one active research project in one of the above specialties. Both the specialty and the project will vary from semester to semester. Offered as arranged with instructor.
HIS 391 Cr. 3
History of Environmental Policy in the U.S.
This course explores the history of environmental issues in the United States by examining several case studies in contemporary policy from a historical perspective. Special emphasis is placed upon the skills of using historical evidence as a component of policy analysis. This course approaches environmental concerns by examining both their history and the political considerations unerlying their creation and disposition. We seek to uncover and understand historical foundations and explanations for particularly contentious or intractable debates in environmental politics.
HIS
392 Cr. 3
History Through Film
This course uses film, television or similar media as a primary or secondary source in the study of the history of a region, nation, or historical theme. The premise is that we may study the history of peoples, nations and cultures through film, rather than studying the history of film itself. This course will examine the perils and promise of using film as a source, briefly discuss film criticism and terminology, and include historical context for the films in the course. Students should expect to read and write about film criticism, history and historiography. Depending upon the instructor, students may be required to attend regularly scheduled film showings, watch the films on their own time, or make other arrangements requiring additional student time. Offered once every three years.
HIS 394 Cr. 3
Modern Japanese History
This course focuses on modern Japanese history up to and
including the aftermath of the Second World War.
Emphases will be upon social, cultural, political, and
economic transformations that occurred following the country’s
forced opening to trade and diplomacy in the middle of the
nineteenth century, subsequent industrialization and the formation
of a unified nation-state with a constitutional monarchy, and
HIS 395 Cr. 3
Postwar Japanese History
This course focuses on transformations and continuities
following Japanese defeat at the end of the Second World War.
It covers how US occupation policies transformed
Historical Themes
Investigation of areas and topics of current historical interest not covered in the regular curriculum, ranging from local and regional to global issues. Credits generated in this course apply as electives in the major or minor. Repeatable for credit — no maximum.
HIS/POL/SOC/GEO/PSY/ECO 408 Cr. 4
Teaching and Learning History and Social Studies in the Secondary School
The course will be integrated with a field experience. In the context of a real classroom, teacher candidates will learn how to plan for and assess student learning in history and social sciences. With a focus on content knowledge, teacher candidates will plan a variety of meaningful learning experiences, assess student learning, and monitor and modify instruction to best support the individual learners in the classroom. The teacher candidate will design, enact, and assess activities that advance student understanding to more complex levels. Teacher candidates will gain experience in monitoring the obstacles and barriers that some students or groups of students face in school and learn how to design learning experiences to support all learners. Prerequisite: EDS 351.
History Internship
The internship is intended to provide a student with an on-the-job experience which is related to academic studies in history. A student who applies for an internship and is accepted, will be placed in a carefully selected position and will be supervised by a committee of three members. At least two members of the committee shall be members of the history department. A maximum of 6 credits may be counted toward the history major and 3 credits toward the history minor from HIS 450. Prerequisite: overall grade point average of 2.75 with a minimum GPA of 3.00 in history. An open evaluation session between the committee and intern will be held before a grade is assigned by the faculty members of the committee.
History Research Seminar
A capstone course in historical research and writing: Themes and techniques of historical inquiry, research methods, use of primary sources, interpretation, and composition. Requires completion of a significant research and writing project. Prerequisite: HIS 200, 12 credits in history, excluding current registration, instructor's permission.
Individual Study in History
Directed readings and research under the supervision of an assigned instructor. No more than six credits in HIS 497 may count in the major and no more than three credits in HIS 497 may count in the minor. Prerequisite: 20 credits in history (including current registration) and written permission of the instructor. Repeatable for credit — maximum 6.