18 courses with the subject HIST, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
HIST 1200Ancient Greece and Rome4
Goals: To understand some of the key developments that shaped society, culture, and politics in this period. Content: This course will examine the evolution of Ancient Greek and Roman cultures and give the students an overview of some of the main themes and developments which made those cultures important. Some of the questions examined will be: How did Ancient Greek civilization differ from that of its neighbors? Why is Ancient Greece and Rome important to this day? What can we learn from the Roman political evolution from a Republic to Empire? Taught: Annually
HIST 1210Plague, War, Slavery, and Ideas in European History4
Goals: To understand some of the key developments that shaped European society, culture, and politics in the early modern period (1350-1800). Content: This course surveys the history of Europe over five centuries. It looks at plague, war, and antisemitism; witchcraft and alchemy; new religions and scientific discoveries; the Atlantic slave trade and the systematic enslavement of millions of Africans that it made possible; and the causes and results—political, cultural, social—of these shocking developments. Taught: Annually
Goals: To understand some of the key developments that shaped European society, culture, and politics since the French Revolution. Content: The purpose of this course is to introduce the students to some of the main themes (political, social, cultural, and economic) which have characterized the evolution of modern Europe from the time that it was the undisputed center of world politics and diplomacy to its present position. Taught: Annually
Goals: To understand some of the key developments that shaped European society, culture, and politics under Islam. Content: The purpose of the course is to study the impact of political Islam on Europe. From the 14th to the 20th century the Ottoman Empire, an Islamic state, had a major presence in Europe occupying most of the Balkans. We will study how East and West, Islam and Christianity reacted to each other and what were the wider implications of that contact for the development of Southeastern Europe as well as its legacy to this day. Taught: Annually
HIST 1310Introduction to United States History: 1877-Present4
Goals: To understand the key social, economic, and political developments that shaped the United States from 1877 to the present day. Content: This course covers major themes in U.S. history since the end of the Civil War, including westward and overseas expansion, industrialization, and immigration. The course pays particular attention to movements for social reform and for political and civil rights. Taught: Annually
This survey will cover the vast continental history of the lands that form the current United States. Topics covered will include the social, economic and political diversity of peoples that contributed to pre-colonial, colonial, founding of the United States, and reconstruction of the union following the Civil War. Particular focus will consider Indigenous North America, European colonization, revolutionary America, slavery, the changing labor landscape, the American Civil War, and reconstruction. Taught: Spring
Goals: To understand the key characteristics that shaped the evolution of China both regionally and globally from pre-modern times to the present. Content: This course will survey the rise of modern China from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) to the present through lecture, reading, video and discussion. Various topics such as the Opium War, global trade, revolutionary and reformist movements, the social role of students and intellectuals, the rise of Communist governance, democracy, the status of women, imperialism, market reforms, and nationalism will be covered.
Crosslisted: Also listed as GIST 3020 Goals: To introduce students to interdisciplinary research methods and to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to develop original research questions, and write research proposals and carry out research. Content: The course focuses on understanding and practicing various interdisciplinary research methods. Students will acquire and practice the skills necessary to approach research questions from multiple disciplinary perspectives and develop, write, and carry out sophisticated research proposals. Taught: Fall semester
Goals: To explore and analyze the contours of and prejudices against same-sex love between men and between women in Britain 1830-1980, and to compare these to the present day. Content: This course is on queer identity and sex in Britain between approximately 1830 and 1980. We will work to understand the ways in which same-sex orientation was constructed, understood, lived out, tolerated, persecuted, and prosecuted. Topics include laws against sodomy, tensions between repression and thriving subcultures, aestheticism, sexology, cross-class relationships, key scandals and causes célèbres, feminism, the New Woman, butch/femme culture, the Gay Liberation Front, the rise of gay rights movements, lesbian separatism, and the recent popularity of “gender-critical” or TERF politics. Taught: Alternate years
This course deals with events associated with the First World War. Emphasis will be on the development of Europe on the eve of the First World War and the impact of that war on European politics and society. The first part of the course covers events and developments leading to the war from about 1870 to 1914. Emphasis will be on domestic social and political developments during the transition from the nineteenth to the twentieth centuries. In particular we are concerned with: a) The pressures associated with the development of a mass society (including social and political conflicts), b) the transformation of cultural values that can be seen as part of the transition to the new century with the expansion of Europe during an era of imperialism, and c) the international rivalries that ultimately led to war. The latter part of the course deals with the war itself, its consequences for European political and social developments, (including the impact of the Russian Revolution on Europe) and the postwar upheaval and search for stability during the early years of the 1920s. Taught: Alternate years.
The purpose of this course is to examine the monumental events associated with the Second World War in Europe. It begins with the background to the war, continues with events associated with the war itself, and ends with the aftermath of the war and its impact upon Europe. Emphasis will be on the conditions of European society and politics on the eve of the war, the military campaigns and strategies of the war, conditions inside Europe during the Nazi occupation, and the consequences of the war for European society. Taught: Alternate years
HIST 3910Wars and Reforms in the Russian Empire: From Czar to Red Czar4
The purpose of this course is to introduce the students to some of the main themes (political, social, cultural, and economic) which characterized the evolution of Imperial Russia from a weak second-rate state to one of Europe’s Great Powers. In the process we will highlight some trends which can be traced to our day and might even help explain current events in that part of the world. Taught: Alternate years
The purpose of the course is to acquaint the students with the background to the Russian Revolutions of 1917, the revolutions themselves, the evolution and dissolution of the Soviet Union, and Russia today. Besides political events and developments the course will also examine cultural, economic, and social aspects of the era. Taught: Alternate years
Goals: To study the history of the United States. Content: Focus varies. Recent examples: Reform Movements in American History, Landmark Trials, Immigration, America in the Middle East. Taught: Alternate years
This course examines fascism and other related radical movements. The class will follow the evolution of this ideology from its beginning in late 19th century Europe; to its rise and spectacular fall; and its recent unexpected resurrection in the form of “illiberal democracy”. The goal will be to better understand this phenomenon and its ramifications in today’s world.
Crosslisted: Also listed as GIST 5950 Goals: To provide an interdisciplinary capstone experience in which students practice and polish previously learned skills and build on previous knowledge and experience to produce a significant research product that demonstrates the ability to conduct research and writing in global studies or history. Content: A focus on the research and writing process, from conceptualization through completion. Students pursue individual projects, share discussions of the research and writing processes, and share their final products with one another. Taught: Spring semester
