Introduction to History
HSTY 100
W: 5:30-6:20PM
M.Haydar
Team-taught by the faculty of the Department of History, this course introduces students to the various theories and methods that underlie historical scholarship, and to the value of historical analysis to disciplines, careers, and professions. This course goes beyond high-school level teaching and analysis contained in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses to lead students to think about history as an analytical tool to understand every aspect of the lives that our students will lead in the 21st century. Students with a 5 on an AP History exam or a 6 or 7 on an IB Higher Level History exam who successfully complete HSTY 100 will receive recognition for this work with three additional history elective credits.
Introduction to the Ancient Near East and Egypt
HSTY 107
T/TH: 1:00-2:15PM
M.Rumor
This course introduces students to the history and culture of the Ancient Near East and Egypt, a region spanning from modern Iraq to Egypt that was home to the earliest known societies in written history. These include the Babylonian, Assyrian, and Egyptian empires, as well as other Levantine and Anatolian powers and smaller nations such as Israel. Students will learn about the relatively recent discoveries concerning these ancient civilizations, including their political, social, literary, scientific, artistic, and religious achievements, as well as their cultural legacy. Offered as ANEE 107 and HSTY 107.
Introduction to Early American History
HSTY 108
T/TH: 11:30-12:45PM
D.Cohen
This course offers an introduction to American history through a thematic survey of colonial British North America and the early United States, from the first permanent English settlements of the early seventeenth century to the onset of the American Civil War. It focuses on (1) the emergence and development of contrasting social systems in the various colonies; (2) the causes and consequences of the American Revolution; and (3) the political, religious, and economic transformations of the period 1790 through 1860. Readings include a mix of primary sources (historical documents) and secondary sources (books and articles written by modern scholars). Students will examine a variety of historical methods and approaches but will particularly explore past social experiences and values through the personal (or autobiographical) writings of individual Americans of varying backgrounds. Particular attention will be paid to the experiences of women and African Americans.
Modern American History Since 1877
HSTY 109
T/TH: 4:00-5:15PM
J.Flores
This course provides an introductory survey of American history from the end of Reconstruction through the early 21st century, focusing on politics, foreign relations, the economy, and culture and social life. It is designed not to replicate high school American history courses, but introduce undergraduates to major themes in how academic historians approach the past, as well as instructing students on how to read, discuss, and write about primary sources.
What is Science? Introduction to the History and Philosophy of Science
HSTY 111
T/TH: 1:00-2:15PM
H.Dang
We look at historical and philosophical aspects of modern science. The objective of the course is to develop a sense of (1) what forms scientific research has taken historically, and (2) what it is about scientific research that makes it distinctive as a form of human knowledge. Offered as HPSC 111, PHIL 111 and HSTY 111.
Introduction to Modern World History
HSTY 113
M/W/F: 11:40-12:30PM
J.Sadowsky
An introduction to modern world history, covering European imperialism, the industrial revolution, nationalism, political revolutions, major military conflicts, and the massive social changes that both caused and followed these. Substantial attention will be paid to class and race formation, transformations of gender roles, and the role of cultural differences in shaping modernity.
Introduction to Modern South Asia
HSTY 137
T/TH: 1:00-2:15PM
A.Dasgupta
This course will introduce students to the history of the region that today includes India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The course will deal with the following themes: global trade between the Indian subcontinent and the West in the 17th century; the rise of the East India Company's dominance over the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century; the transformation of India into a colonial economy; social and religious reform movements of the 19th century; changing modalities of colonial rule after the transfer of governing power from the East India Company to the British Crown-in-Parliament; the emergence and trajectories of elite and popular anti-colonial nationalisms; the struggles of women, low status groups, and other minorities in the region; decolonization; and the partition of the subcontinent.
Radical History in America
HSTY 138
T/TH: 11:30-12:45PM
T.Steinberg
This course examines the radical tradition in America from the time of the American Revolution until the present. Topics will include abolitionism, suffrage, anarchism, socialism, communism, black power, feminism, the New Left, radical environmentalism, and queer liberation. Recommended Preparation: High school American history.
Introduction to Modern Britain and its Empire
HSTY 163
W: 2:15-4:45PM
J.Broich
This seminar covers the history of Britain at the height of its political and industrial power and the history of the expanding and contracting British Empire. Britain was a nation of great technological, economic, and military power, but it also experienced extraordinary stresses. Industrialization meant material prosperity for some, but hardship and dehumanization for others. Many questioned how overwhelming poverty and ignorance could be allowed to stand beside such vast affluence. And subjects of the British in India, Ireland, and elsewhere struggled for independence from an empire that claimed to bring freedom, reason, and equality. The British learned to their cost, too, that decolonization often meant being caught in the crossfire of ethnic rivals. This course will explore the many paradoxes of the history of the British at their most dominant.
Revolutions in Science
HSTY 203
T/TH: 4:00-5:15PM
H.Dang
Historical and philosophical interpretation of some epochal events in development of science. Copernican revolution, Newtonian mechanics, Einstein's relativity physics, quantum mechanics, and evolutionary theory; patterns of scientific growth; structure of scientific "revolutions;" science and "pseudo-science." First half of a year-long sequence. Offered as HSTY 203 and PHIL 203.
The Era of the American Revolution, 1763-1789
HSTY 211
T/TH: 1:00-2:15PM
J.Bickers
This is a survey of the Revolutionary period of American history, from the end of the French and Indian War in 1763 to the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in 1789. It begins with some background coverage of the colonial period (1607-1763), but focuses primarily on the underlying causes of the American Revolution, the chain of events leading to the Declaration of Independence, the war with England, postwar conflicts of the 1780s, the Constitutional Convention, and the ratification struggle that followed, with a look forward to the so-called Whiskey Rebellion of 1794. Lectures, readings, and discussions explore the Revolutionary crisis as a complex, multi-racial, transatlantic struggle involving Native Americans, African Americans (enslaved and free), poor whites, wealthy Anglo-American planters and merchants, Scottish traders, and British administrators, as well as multi-racial and multi-national military forces organized on radically opposing principles. The course also examines competing scholarly interpretations of the Revolution as a progressive or retrograde watershed in American gender relations. Finally, it considers competing interpretations of the aftermath of the Revolution during the 1780s and thereafter as representing either an acceleration of "radical" social change or a conservative "counterrevolution"--with corresponding implications for the lower classes and for other historically disempowered social groups.
Berlin in the Tumultuous 20th Century
HSTY 219
M/W: 12:45-2:00PM
K.Ledford
The tumultuous but short twentieth century began and ended with a united Germany, with Berlin as its capital. But in between, Berlin, and Berliners, experienced the extremes of the economic, technological, and cultural progress that the century brought, and the devastation, violence, division, and uncertainty that it also brought. This course introduces students to the German tumult of the twentieth century. We will read about historical events and developments. We will address persistent questions, such as why and how did Hitler come to power; what was life like behind the Berlin Wall; how does one come to grips with a history like Germany's in the twentieth century; and what has life been like for ordinary Berliner/innen.
The Nazis Next Door: Everyday Germans and National Socialism 1919 to the Present
HSTY 224
M/W: 3:20-4:35PM
K.Ledford
From the beginning of the National Socialist Party in 1919 until German unification in 1990, and extending to the very present, everyday Germans have had to deal with the reality that, regardless of their own political beliefs, many neighbors and even relatives embraced the doctrines of National Socialism. This course explores this complex reality from the rise of National Socialism, through the crimes of the Third Reich, and the stumbling and mixed efforts of the postwar Germanies to cope with the presence of Nazis in German society, to current interactions with authoritarian and neo-Nazi movements inside Germany.
Southeast Asia And The World: History, Politics, Religions
HSTY 226
T: 4:00-6:30PM
J.Tan
This course explores the background and factors contributing to the development and shaping of contemporary Southeast Asia, as well as the intersection and synthesis of the social, cultural, geographical, religious, and political dimensions by placing ordinary lives within the context of emerging postcolonial nation states in Southeast Asia. It analyzes major trends and transformations across the whole Southeast Asia region during different historical periods -- the conquest of traditional kingdoms, colonial rule, the impact of World War II, nationalist revolutions, and the emergence of new postcolonial nations. More broadly, it also examines the intersection and synthesis of the social, cultural, geographical, religious, and political dimensions by placing the ordinary lives of Southeast Asian peoples within the context of emerging postcolonial nation states. At the end of the course, students will gain a firm foundation in acquiring a foundational knowledge in the history, religion, culture, geography, and society of Southeast Asia, as well as understanding the implications of the continuing socio-cultural, economic, and political transformation of contemporary Southeast Asia and the significance that this region has for the rest of the world. Offered as ASIA 226, ETHS 226, HSTY 226, and RLGN 226.
Athens to Alexandria: The World of Ancient Greece
HSTY 231
M/W: 12:45-2:00PM
To Be Announced
This course examines the enduring significance of the Greeks studied through their history, literature, art, architecture, archaeology, science, religion, philosophy, daily life, and political, economic and social structures. Lectures and discussion. Offered as CLSC 231 and HSTY 231.
Early Native American History
HSTY 246
T/TH: 10:00-11:15AM
J.Bickers
This survey will explore the rich and diverse history of Native America before contact with Europeans and continue through the nineteenth century. This course will examine interactions between sovereign Native American nations, European empires, and the United States from Indigenous perspectives. Substantial attention will be paid to the interactions of race, class, gender, and various religions/cosmological belief systems within Indigenous societies and how they shaped Native cultural/social/political interactions with Europeans and Americans.
Issues and Methods in History
HSTY 250
T: 7:00-9:30PM
J.Broich
A methodological introduction to historical research. Students use a variety of approaches to interpret and study historical problems. Specific topics and instructors normally vary from year to year.
Immigrants in America
HSTY 257
T/TH: 2:30-3:45PM
J.Flores
Immigration to America has constantly reshaped the way the nation views itself. This course examines the overall history of immigration to the United States, but places that movement within a global context. It also pays particular attention to the roles that policy and technology have played in controlling or defining immigration to America.
The History of Now: The United States Since 1980
HSTY 275
M/W/F: 3:20-4:10PM | 11:40-12:30PM
P.Shulman
This course provides a survey of U.S. history since 1980, examining both domestic and global contexts. Topics include the rise and fall of neoliberalism, U.S. wars and foreign policy, dramatic transformations in technology and media, political realignments, social and cultural changes, and the histories of our most divisive current debates. Aside from simply covering "what happened," we will attempt to go further and explore how historians think about contemporary events, place current events into longer historical contexts, develop skills in media literacy to better evaluate the quality of information we receive, and discuss the uses and misuses of historical analogies in public debate. We will also investigate the importance of structural narrative in making sense of historical events and processes: what questions do we ask of the past and why some questions and not others? Why do our questions about the past change over time? How do present circumstances affect our historical work? When do we draw our chronological boundaries; when do our stories start and when do they end?
Imperial China: The Great Qing
HSTY 288
M/W/F: 11:40-12:30PM
To Be Announced
This course is an introduction to the history of Imperial China, from the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644 to the creation of the Chinese republic in 1912. We will explore the major historical transformations (political, economic, social, and cultural) of the last imperial dynasty, the Qing (1644-1911), and develop an understanding of the major social, political, economic, and intellectual cultural forces shaping the formation of modern China. Contrary to commonly-held ideas in both West and in China that traditional Chinese society was timeless or stagnant, historians now see dramatic and significant changes during this period--to the economy, to gender relations, to religion, and to many other aspects of life. This course surveys the social, political, economic, and cultural history of this era, with emphasis on recent research. The main goals of the course will be to acquaint students with the key changes and to show the interplay between economic, social, and cultural changes on the one hand and political developments on the other. By the end of the semester you should have a good sense of how Chinese society was transformed over the course of the 17th through early 20th centuries. The topics we will discuss include urbanization and commerce; gender, family and kinship; education and the examination system; opium and free trade; and ethnicity and nationalism. Offered as ASIA 288 and HSTY 288.
Reform, Revolution, Republics: China 1895 to Present
HSTY 289
M/W/F: 2:15-3:05PM
To Be Announced
Completes a two-term sequence of the Chinese history survey, although HSTY 288 is not a prerequisite for this course. Beginning with the First Sino-Japanese War (1895), we review the historical development of intellectual discourse, public reaction, and political protest in later Imperial China through the creation of the People's Republic in 1949 forward to contemporary times. In contrast to the conventional description of China from a Western point of view, this course tries to explain the emergence of modern China in the context of its intellectual, political, and socio-economic transformation as experienced by Chinese in the late 19th and into the 20th century. By discussing the influence of the West, domestic rebellions, and political radicalism, we examine how the Chinese state and society interacted in search for modernization and reforms, how these reforms were continued during the Republican period, and to what extent historical patterns can be identified in China's present-day development. Offered as ASIA 289 and HSTY 289.
Alexander the Great: Materials and Methods
HSTY 316
T/TH: 4:00-5:15PM
R.Sternberg
This seminar is the Disciplinary Communication course for majors in Ancient Near Eastern and Egyptian Studies (ANEE) and Classics (CLSC), though it can also be taken for regular credit in ANEE, CLSC or HSTY by any undergraduate or graduate student. The course offers students a firm grounding in the disciplines of Ancient Near Eastern, Egyptian, and Classical Studies with an emphasis on the diverse materials (particularly primary source material), methods, and approaches that can be brought to bear on the study of these ancient cultures. Students will read and discuss the ancient sources and contemporary scholarship on the enigmatic Alexander the Great drawn from various fields, including historiography, chronology, archaeology, art history, philosophy, gender studies, epigraphy, numismatics, and the reception of Alexander. Based upon this, they will then write a research paper that employs the conventions found in the fields of Ancient Near Eastern, Egyptian and Classical Studies. Offered as ANEE 316, CLSC 316, CLSC 416, HSTY 316 and HSTY 416.
The Modern European City
HSTY 345
T/TH: 10:00-11:15AM
J.Geller
An examination of social, cultural, political, economic, and architectural and urban planning aspects of life in European cities in nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The principal focus will be the transition of medieval and early modern cities to modern metropolises, both spatially and socially. Case studies may include London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, and cities in eastern Europe and southern Europe. Offered as HSTY 345 and HSTY 445.
Women and Medicine in the United States
HSTY 373
T/TH: 11:30-12:45PM
R.Sentilles
Students in this seminar will investigate the experiences of American women as practitioners and as patients. We will meet weekly in the Dittrick Medical Museum for discussion of texts and use artifacts from the museum's collection. After a unit exploring how the female body was viewed by medical theorists from the Galenic period to the nineteenth-century, we will look at midwives, college-trained female doctors and nurses, and health advocacy among poor populations. We will then look at women's experiences in terms of menstruation, childbearing, and menopause, before exploring the cultural relationship between women and psychological disorders. Offered as HSTY 373, HSTY 473, and WGST 373.
History of Zionism
HSTY 389
M/W: 12:45-2:00PM
A.Cooper, J.Geller
This course seeks to elucidate the major strands of Zionism, their origins, how they have interacted, and their impact on contemporary Israeli society. These may include political Zionism, cultural Zionism, socialist (labor) Zionism, Revisionist Zionism, and religious Zionism. This course will also examine the differences in the appeal of Zionism to Jews in different places, such as Western Europe, Eastern Europe and the United States. Offered as HSTY 389, JWST 389, and RLGN 389.