GLBS 300 Challenges and Opportunities of Globalization (CORE—Western Civilization)
Prerequisite: 3 credits from the Social and Behavioral Analysis area of the Core (Both semesters/3 credits)
This course examines the cultural, economic and political forces of globalization. It is organized around the debate concerning the merits of modern globalization. We will examine how the forces of globalization impact certain aspects of lives of people around the world. We will use the evidence gathered in our examination of the impact of globalization to critique the classical arguments.
AFPS 240 African-American Politics
An examination of African-American political activity in the 20th
century. African-American participation in the U.S. electoral process
and the power structure in African-American communities.
AFHS 250 African-American History to the 20th Century (CORE—Historical Analysis)
(First semester/3 credits)
A chronological and thematic survey of African-American history from pre-colonial Africa to the 20th century. Focuses on the economic, political, social and cultural context in which a uniquely constituted African-American culture developed. Themes include African-American women and working-class African-Americans.
AFHS 251 African-American History During the 20th Century (CORE—Historical Analysis)
(Second semester/3 credits)
Examines African-American history in the 20th century with emphasis on cultural and intellectual contributions and the struggle to achieve human rights. Emphasis on African- American women and working-class African-Americans.
AFEN 265 African-American Voices Before the 20th Century (CORE—Literature)
(First semester—even years/3 credits)
A study of how early African-American literary traditions have been formed not only by slavery, but also by community, geography, orality, politics and literature itself. Works may include slave narratives of Olaudah Equiano, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs, as well as 19th century fiction by Harriet Wilson, Frances Harper, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Charles Chesnutt.
AFEN 266 The Harlem Renaissance and Beyond: 20th Century African-American Literature (CORE—Literature)
(First semester—odd years/3 credits)
Beginning with the energetic era of the Harlem Renaissance, this course studies African- American writings in the 20th century. Themes discussed include the influence of folk elements and music, the appearance of the trickster and masking techniques as both means of survival and art forms, the issue of audience address and language choices and the subject of dual consciousness. May include works by DuBois, Johnson, Toomer, Larsen, Hurston, G. Jones, Baldwin, Walker, Reed, C. Johnson and Morrison.
AFPY 270 African-American Psychological Perspectives
(Second semester/3 credits)
This course will explore the theories, research, and practices of African-American psychology. Focuses on understanding the forces that have influenced this unique, coherent, and persistent psychological perspective. Themes include definition and development of African-American psychology; issues related to identity and personality development of African-Americans; and evaluation of psychological principles, theories and assessment techniques in relation to the personality and behavioral development of African-Americans.
AFAM 299 Special Topics in African-American Studies
(Course offered as needed/3 credits)
This course is a general topics course in African-American Studies, allowing faculty and students to study particular topics of interest.
AFPS 301 African-American Political Autobiography (CORE—Western Civilization)
Prerequisite: 3 hours in African-American history, literary criticism or politics, or permission of the instructor. (As needed/3 credits)
This course examines the connections between autobiography, political philosophy, utopian thought and politics in African-American autobiographies. Selected African-American political autobiographies will be analyzed to determine the criticisms authors launched against their societies, the social and political alternatives suggested and the agencies they suggested be mobilized to institute change.
AFRL 311 Black Theology (CORE—Western Civilization)
Prerequisite: 3 credits of history, religion, political science or African-American studies at the 200 level, or permission of the instructor (First semester/3 credits)
This course introduces students to the core of black Christian theological thought: black liberation theology. Explores the historical roots of black Christian theology and focus on some of its key tenets like the physical depiction of Christ, the depiction of the Christian community/communities and the role of Christianity. Identifies the major points of convergence and divergence between black liberation theology and other liberation theologies such as womanist theology and Latin American liberation theology.
AFAM 335 Teaching Assistantship in African-American Studies
Prerequisites: Senior standing, at least three courses in the African-American studies minor and permission of the instructor (Either semester/1 or 2 credits)
A senior may serve as a teaching assistant in selected courses. The assistant would attend classes, tutor students, show and discuss films and join in periodic conferences with the instructor. Other duties would include assisting the instructor in other class-related projects, including field trips, speakers and discussion sessions. May be taken only once. Grading is on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
AFPS 350 African Politics (CORE—Non-Western Civilization)
Prerequisite: HIST 246 or permission of the instructor. (First semester—even years/ 3 credits)
An introductory survey of post-independence political patterns and processes in Africa. Emphasis will be given to current political dynamics such as democratization and state-society relations. Case studies in Southern and Eastern Africa will be used.
AFAM 351 The African Diaspora
Prerequisite: AFPS 240, AFPS 350, AFPS 353 or HIST 246, or permission of the instructor. (Offered as needed/3 credits)
This course examines the processes and institutions that link or differentiate Africans and their descendants in the African Diaspora. The linkages of educational and missionary institutions, world conferences and political ideologies of Pan-Africanism, Ethiopianism and anti- colonialism will be viewed through the lenses of culture, politics, history and philosophy.
AFPS 353 Contemporary African Political Thought (CORE—Non-Western Civilization)
Prerequisite: HIST 246 or AFPS 350 or completion of the Philosophical Inquiry section of the Core. (Offered as needed/3 credits)
An introduction to African political thought from the pre-colonial period to the present. Emphasis will be given to the impact of Islam, cultural nationalism, nationalism, revolutionary theories, democracy, African socialism and Marxism of major African political theorists.
AFPS 355 African-American Political Thought (CORE—Western Civilization)
Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing only, or permission of the instructor. (First semester—odd years/3 credits)
The course examines African-American political thought in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries within the parameters of Western political discourse. Topics include the changing definitions of African-American conservatism, neoconservatism, nationalism, liberalism, radicalism and feminism.
AFAM 375 Independent Study in African-American Studies
Prerequisites: 6 credits in African-American studies and permission of the instructor. (Either semester/1, 2 or 3 credits)
Independent reading and/or research in a selected field of African-American studies. Conferences.
AFAM 399 Internship in African-American Studies
Prerequisites: 9 credits in African-American studies (Either semester/3 or 6 credits)
An investigation of how race and racial dynamics function in a variety of private, public and on-governmental settings through supervised full- or part-time work. Sites and projects must be approved by, and coordinated with, the instructor. Grading is on a satisfactory/ unsatisfactory basis.
AFHS 424/524 Race and Racism in the United States
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, and HIST 217 or HIST 218 or AFHS 250 or AFHS 251 or permission of instructor. (First semester—even years/3 credits)
The origins and development of racial attitudes, both scientific and popular, supporting mythologies and contemporary institutional expressions. Emphasis on an historic overview of racism from the first English contacts with Africans and Indians in the late 16th century to the present and on political approaches to the problems of racism in American society.
AFAM 470/570 African-American Feminist Thought
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing and 3 hours in African-American history or African-American literature. (Offered as needed/3 credits)
An examination of African-American feminist scholarship in the 19th and 20th centuries, as African-American women grappled with the issues of gender, race and class. Focus on African-American women’s perspectives and diverse experiences within the context of changing political, economic and social structures. Primary and secondary writings by African- American feminists in various disciplines will be used to understand the issues, agendas, contending philosophies, organizational strategies and alliances proposed.
HIST 200 The Ancient World (CORE—Historical Analysis)
(First semester—even years/3 credits)
The origins of civilization in the Western world from prehistory to the rise of the Roman Empire. Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Rome, focusing on the major political, social, economic and aesthetic developments.
HIST 202 Medieval Europe (CORE—Historical Analysis)
(First semester—even years/3 credits)
A survey of the European Middle Ages, including political, social, economic and cultural developments from the fall of Rome through the 15th century.
HIST 203 Renaissance and Reformation Europe (CORE—Historical Analysis)
(Second semester—odd years/3 credits)
A survey of European history during the Renaissance, the Age of Discovery and the Reformation era, from the 14th century to 1648.
HIST 204 Ancient Rome (CORE—Historical Analysis)
(Second semester—even years/3 credits)
An exploration of the history of Rome, from its founding through the Republic and the Empire, focusing on political, social, cultural and military developments.
HIST 205 Modern Europe, 1648-1815 (CORE—Historical Analysis)
Credit by exam. (First semester/3 credits)
A study of the foundations of modern Europe from the 17th century to the Napoleonic Era. The Age of Absolutism, the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment. A close look at the major political, social and economic events of Europe with particular attention to the role of the common person and the place of women.
HIST 206 Modern Europe, 1815-1914 (CORE—Historical Analysis)
Credit by exam. (Second semester/3 credits)
A study of the development of Europe in the 19th century, from the Congress of Vienna to the First World War. The basic events, ideas and institutions including the rise of nationalism, socialism, humanitarianism, imperialism, democracy and the labor movement.
HIST 210 Women in 20th Century America (CORE—Historical Analysis)
(Course is offered as needed/3 credits)
An examination of the changing roles, conditions and expectations of American women from 1900 through the 1990s. Topics include women’s suffrage, the loss of momentum in the women’s movement after 1920, changing patterns of female employment, tension between career and family after 1945 and the women’s movement of the 1960s and 70s.
HIST 212 War and Society
(First semester—odd years/3 credits)
A study of modern war and its effects on people and nations in a historical perspective. Analysis of the causes of war. Survey of the tools and weapons of war and the changes in weapons and technology over time. Reactions of soldiers, civilians and political leaders to the demands of war.
HIST 217 History of the United States to 1865 (CORE—Historical Analysis)
Credit by exam. (First semester/3 credits)
The development of the United States from the colonial settlements to 1865.
HIST 218 History of the United States since 1865 (CORE—Historical Analysis)
Credit by exam. (Second semester/3 credits)
The development of the United States as a world power from 1865 to the present.
HIST 234 History of Modern Russia
Prerequisite: Open to freshmen with permission of the instructor. (First semester/3 credits)
History of Russia and the Soviet Union in modern times—from 1855 to the present—from Alexander II and the Era of Great Reforms to current Russian government and society. Fall of the Romanovs, the Bolshevik coup, Lenin, Stalin and their successors. Historical, political, economic and intellectual developments under Communism and after.
HIST 340 Modern China and Japan (CORE—Non-Western Civilization)
Prerequisite:
One of the following: HIST 200, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 212, 234,
238, 246, or HSPS 245 (First semester/3 credits)
The history of China and Japan in the
nineteenth and twentieth centuries, from the first contact with and
response to the west, through Japanese modernization and imperialism;
the Boxer uprising, 1911 revolution, and nationalism in China; and World
War II and the Chinese communist era. The course will explore these and
other major political, social and economic developments, with an
emphasis on the international role of each country.
HIST 238 Contemporary Southeast Asia
(Course is offered as needed/3 credits)
A study of the history of the major nations of Southeast Asia in the modern era. Emphasis on the 20th century. Key developments in each country from the period of colonial rule to the rise of national movements. The role of this area in international events, with emphasis on Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.
HSPS 245 Global Perspectives on Women, Power and Politics (CORE—Social and Behavioral Analysis)
(Course is offered as needed/3 credits)
An interdisciplinary, global perspective on women, power and politics. The course will focus on the different ways in which gender structures women’s political experiences and how race, class and ethnicity intersect with gender in shaping political consciousness and action. Readings will emphasize women’s power within established formal government structures as well as the informal exercise of power through religion, family and society. Their leadership in grassroots movements and contributions to nation building will be highlighted.
HIST 246 Introduction to Africa
(First semester/3 credits)
A study of the political, economic and cultural forces that have shaped the lives of the African people from the earliest beginning to the present. The approach will be to examine the major themes in the development of Africa. The focus will be on such topics as state formation, the slave trade, colonialism, nationalism, apartheid and the problems of nation building.
AFHS 250 African-American History to the 20th Century (CORE—Historical Analysis)
(First semester/3 credits)
A chronological and thematic survey of African-American history from pre-colonial Africa to the 20th century. Focus on the economic, political, social and cultural context in which a uniquely constituted African-American culture developed. Themes include African-American women and working-class African-Americans.
AFHS 251 African-American History During the Twentieth Century (CORE—Historical Analysis)
(Second semester/3 credits)
Examines African-American history in the 20th century with emphasis on cultural and intellectual contributions and the struggle to achieve human rights. Emphasis on African- American women and working-class African-Americans.
HIST 300 From Celts to Vikings, 400-1000
Prerequisite: HIST 202 or 204, or permission of the instructor. (Second semester—odd years/3 credits)
A study of the peoples and culture of early medieval Europe, from the late Roman period through the 10th century. Topics include the Celtic population of the Roman Empire; “barbarian” kingdoms such as Celtic Ireland and Scotland, Anglo-Saxon England, Frankish Gaul and Visigothic and Islamic Spain; Christian missions; social and technological developments; the Carolingian Empire and its Renaissance; Viking Scandinavia and the impact of the Viking invasions on Europe; and the culture of the millennium.
ARHS 301 Age of Cathedrals (CORE—Western Civilization)
Prerequisite: HIST 202 or 204, or ART 220, or permission of the instructor. (Offered as needed/3 credits)
This course explores medieval society in western Europe during the High Middle Ages (c.1100-1300), focusing on the expression of social and cultural movements visually through buildings and the use of space. Topics covered include Romanesque and Gothic architecture, monastic life and monasteries, pilgrimage and relics, gendered space, building technology, and sculpture.
HIST 309 Islam and the Crusades (CORE—Non-Western Civilization)
Prerequisite: HIST 202 or 204, or permission of the instructor. (Offered as needed/ 3 credits)
A study of the “holy wars” between the Islamic world and the Christian west in the 11th through 15th centuries, including long-term effects on the modern Middle East.
HIST 310 History of Women in the United States
Prerequisite: HIST 217 or 218 or by permission of instructor. (First semester—even years/ 3 credits)
This course explores the impact of historical events on the lives of American women and the varied roles women have played in shaping United States history from the colonial period to the present. It will focus specifically on how class, ethnicity and race have influenced American women’s work, family life and organized activities. Topics include: Native American women’s lives; gender and family life under slavery; the impact of industrialization on women of different classes; the ideology of separate spheres; women’s political activities including the antislavery movement, the suffrage movement, the Nineteenth Amendment and the resurgence of feminism in the 1960s; and transformations in the lives of modern women including work, politics, sexuality, consumption patterns and leisure activities.
HIST 311 Women in the Ancient World
Prerequisite: 3 credits of history at the 200 level, WMST 200 or permission of the instructor. (Course is offered as needed/3 credits)
An exploration of the roles and experience of women in early societies, from prehistory to Mesopotamia, Egypt, classical Greece, Celtic and Germanic Europe and the Roman Empire, including the impact of Christianity.
HIST 313 Medieval England (CORE—Western Civilization)
Prerequisite: HIST 202 or 204, or permission of the instructor. (First semester—even years/3 credits)
England’s political, social and cultural history from prehistoric times through the Anglo-Saxon era, the Norman Conquest, the development of Parliament and the War of the Roses.
HIST 314 Tudor and Stuart England
Prerequisite: HIST 202, 203 or 313, or permission of the instructor. (Second semester—even years/ 3 credits)
British history in the 16th and 17th centuries, including the English Reformation, the reign of Elizabeth I, the English Civil War and the Glorious Revolution.
HSPS 315 Politics of Assassination
Prerequisites: HIST 218 and PSCI 203 or permission of the instructor. (First semester—as needed/ 3 credits)
An in-depth look at the major political assassinations of the 60s—John Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. How did American institutions, especially the American system of justice, respond to this crisis in national political life?
HIST 316 The Middle East in Modern Times (CORE—Non-Western Civilization)
Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing, or 6 credits of history, or permission of the instructor. (Second semester/3 credits)
A study of the Middle East in the modern world. Emphasis on the 20th century. National movements, Pan-Arabism, Zionism and the struggle over Palestine. The Arab-Israeli conflict, the Arab world, the influence of oil, terrorism and recent wars. Political, social and economic developments.
HIST 318 The American Revolution and Early Republic, 1763-1815 (CORE—Western Civilization)
Prerequisite: HIST 217 or permission of the instructor. (First semester—as needed/3 credits)
This course examines the constitutional, political, economic, military and social developments during that period of American history encompassing the American Revolution, the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution and the early republic through the War of 1812. Emphasis will be on the challenges facing the new nation, including the meanings of the American Revolution and how these meanings were manifested in the creation of the American republic.
HIST 319 The Civil War and Reconstruction
Prerequisite: HIST 217 or HIST 218. (Second semester—even years/3 credits)
A study of America’s most destructive war: its origins, impact and aftermath. The course also will deal with the problems, accomplishments and failures of reconstruction.
HIST 320 America in the Sixties
Prerequisite: HIST 217 or HIST 218 or permission of the instructor. (Course is offered every three years/3 credits)
This course is an in-depth examination of American society, culture and politics during the period commonly known as “the sixties.” The course will cover American politics, the Cold War, nuclear proliferation, social movements, the Vietnam War and American popular culture. Course materials include books and articles, movies, documentaries and sound recordings, as well as guest lectures by 60s participants.
HSLS 330 Cultural Encounters in Latin American History (CORE—Non-Western Civilization)
Prerequisite: Historical Analysis section of Core requirement. (Second semester/3 credits)
Employing a cross-cultural perspective, this course explores the historical process as being a dialogue between the cultures of the indigenous peoples of Latin America and the European settlement.
HIST 333 The History of Intelligence and Espionage since 1850
Prerequisites: HIST 218, and either PSCI 210 or PSCI 215, or permission of instructor. (First semester/3 credits)
The history of intelligence gathering since 1850. This course will focus on the history and development of American intelligence agencies, with major emphasis on intelligence gathering methods and espionage in the 20th century, both in warfare and in peacetime, especially in relation to national security. It will review the history of major foreign intelligence operations—for example Soviet and Russian, German, British, French and Israeli—and will give particular attention to intelligence efforts in the Cold War and the growth of the national security state. Post-9/11 developments in intelligence gathering will also be covered.
HIST 335 Teaching Assistantship in History
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, completion of course(s) involved or equivalent competency, and permission of the department. (Either semester/1 credit)
The teaching assistant will have significant responsibilities in the assigned class or classes supporting the instruction of the course. Duties can include research, assisting with course instructional technology, tutoring class members and working on other class-related projects. May be taken only twice. Grading is on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
HIST 336 The World since 1945
Prerequisite: One of the following: HIST 206, HIST 212, HIST 218, HIST 234, HIST 246 (Second semester—odd years/3 credits)
A study of major world developments since the end of World War II, including such topics as the reconstruction of Europe, the end of colonialism, the Cold War, the Middle East crisis, the nuclear age, terrorism and humanitarian crises and response.Themes will include war, politics, revolution and international cooperation.
HIST 344 Revolutions and Revolutionaries
(Second semester—odd years/3 credits)
A study of the causes and nature of revolutions and the role of the revolutionary. Emphasis on the modern era—the American Revolution, the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution and the Chinese Revolution. Also, the international struggle for labor and women’s rights.
HIST 353 U.S. Foreign Relations since World War II
Prerequisite: HIST 218 or permission of the instructor. (Second semester—even years/3 credits)
This course explores the history of America’s role in the world since the Second World War, examining the development of America’s position within the world community and the political, social and economic factors shaping its foreign policy. The course will cover such topics as the creation of the United Nations, the Cold War, Korea and Vietnam, détente, globalization and American involvement in the Middle East.
HIST 371A Topics in Early History
Prerequisite: One of the following: HIST 200, HIST 202, HIST 203 or HIST 204, or permission of the instructor. (As needed/3 credits)
Advanced topics in ancient and medieval history. This course offers a chance to pursue in more detail subjects only touched upon in broad survey courses, or those not covered elsewhere in the history curriculum. Format, perspectives and topics may vary according to the instructor’s expertise. Students who lack the prerequisite, but who have other coursework or experience relevant to the specific topic, are encouraged to seek the instructor’s permission to enroll.
HIST 371B Topics in American History
Prerequisite: One of the following: HIST 217, HIST 218, AFHS 250 or AFHS 251, or permission of the instructor. (As needed/3 credits)
Advanced topics in colonial American and United States history. This course offers a chance to pursue in more detail subjects only touched upon in broad survey courses, or those not covered elsewhere in the history curriculum. Format, perspectives and topics may vary according to the instructor’s expertise. Students who lack the prerequisite, but who have other coursework or experience relevant to the specific topic, are encouraged to seek the instructor’s permission to enroll.
HIST 371C Topics in Modern European History
Prerequisite: One of the following: HIST 203, HIST 205, HIST 206, HIST 212 or HIST 234, or permission of the instructor. (As needed/3 credits)
Advanced topics in the history of modern Europe. This course offers a chance to pursue in more detail subjects only touched upon in broad survey courses, or those not covered elsewhere in the history curriculum. Format, perspectives and topics may vary according to the instructor’s expertise. Students who lack the prerequisite, but who have other coursework or experience relevant to the specific topic, are encouraged to seek the instructor’s permission to enroll.
HIST 371D Topics in World History
Prerequisite: One of the following: HIST 212, HIST 234, HIST 246, HIST 316; or HSPS 245; or permission of the instructor. (As needed/3 credits)
Advanced topics in comparative and world history. This course offers a chance to pursue in more detail subjects only touched upon in broad survey courses, or those not covered elsewhere in the history curriculum. Format, perspectives and topics may vary according to the instructor’s expertise. Students who lack the prerequisite, but who have other coursework or experience relevant to the specific topic, are encouraged to seek the instructor’s permission to enroll.
HIST 375 Independent Study in History
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. (Either semester/1, 2 or 3 credits)
A readings course to supplement the regular offerings of the department. Conferences and written reports.
HIST 399 Internship in History
Prerequisites: 18 credits of history, or permission of the instructor. (Either semester/3 to 15 credits)
Supervised historical writing, research and/or museum work with private or governmental agencies full or part time. Grading is on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.
HIST 406/506 Religion, Family and Society in Reformation Europe (CORE—Western Civilization)
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing and HIST 202, HIST 203, HIST 205 or REL 212 or permission of the instructor. (First semester—even years/3 credits)
A study of the 16th-century Protestant Reformation and its impact on such aspects of European society as the family, marriage, women’s lives, popular culture, and urban and rural society. Topics covered will include the witch hunts of the 16th and 17th centuries. Students who lack the specific prerequisite but have extensive history or religion coursework are encouraged to seek instructor permission to enroll.
HIST 412/512 Women in Medieval Europe
Prerequisites: 9 credits in history (3 credits may be WMST 200) and junior or senior standing, or permission of the instructor. (Offered as needed/3 credits)
A study of the roles and experience of European women during the Middle Ages, 500-1500. Legal and social status, queenship and power, religion and spirituality, marriage and family and women in the ethnic minorities.
HIST 421/521 Hollywood’s America
Prerequisites: Twelve credits in history and junior or senior standing; or by permission of instructor. (Offered as needed/3 credits)
This course examines American culture and society through film. The primary text for this course will be American films such as “Gone With the Wind,” “The Birth of a Nation,” “The Grapes of Wrath,” “Casablanca,” “Dr. Strangelove,” “The Graduate,” “Apocalypse Now,” “Wall Street” and “American Beauty.” Students will critically analyze how American cultural and social conflicts are portrayed and worked out in popular films, and explore how motion pictures create a window into modern American society. Students will learn how to read films as cultural texts and write critical film reviews as the principal primary form of cultural and historical analysis.
AFHS 424/524 Race and Racism in the United States
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, and HIST 217 or HIST 218 or AFHS 250 or AFHS 251 or permission of instructor. (First semester—even years/3 credits)
The origins and development of racial attitudes, both scientific and popular, supporting mythologies, and contemporary institutional expressions. Emphasis on an historic overview of racism from the first English contacts with Africans and Indians in the late 16th century to the present and on political approaches to the problems of racism in American society.
ARHS 334 Film and Society: New Wave European Cinema
Prerequisite: ART 275 or CMA 280 or CMA 281, or permission of the instructor. (First semester— as needed/3 credits)
This class surveys the “New Wave” cinemas—Italian Neorealism, the French New Wave, Czech New Wave, New German Cinema and British New Wave—that emerged in post- World War II Europe (1945-1980) as alternatives to Hollywood cinema. The chief focus will be to analyze and describe how individual films function both as works of art and as historical documents within specific cultural and political contexts. The course will study each cinematic movement in relation to the following themes and topics: film authorship, the relationship between Hollywood and European cinema, national identity vis-à-vis cinema, urban space and the changing postwar European landscape, and the role of film in the rewriting of European history.
HIST 208 Introduction to Public History
(First semester—even years/3 credits)
An overview of the field of history as practiced in museum work, historic preservation, state and national parks, archives, historic sites, historical societies and government agencies that employ historians. Students will utilize local resources and engage in hands-on projects. This is the foundation course for the Public History Concentration and is also open to all interested students.
HIST 337 U.S. Labor History from the Gilded Age to the 21st Century
Prerequisite: HIST 218 or permission of the instructor (Second semester—odd years/3 credits)
This course offers students a history of work, labor relations, social movements, and labor policy in the United States from the Gilded Age into the twenty-first century. Readings on industrial, agricultural, service, and domestic work, as well as on migration and immigration, will enable us to trace the history of class politics and economic development in modern America. The course also places American labor struggles within the context of global capitalism throughout the twentieth century. Our readings will reveal how the labor movement has wrestled with its role in politics in different time periods and its relation to the state and the courts, and, in turn, how the government impeded or encouraged labor organizing and workers’ rights over the last century.
HIST 338 The Gilded Age and Progressive Era, 1877-1929 (CORE—Western Civilization)
Prerequisite: HIST 218 or permission of the instructor (First semester—odd years/3 credits)
Between 1877 and 1929, the United States wrestled with the wrenching social, political, cultural and economic transformations that accompanied the second industrial revolution. Additionally, America entered the world stage as an imperial power, experienced an unprecedented wave of immigration and witnessed the rise of cities that were far beyond the imagination of any of nation’s founders. This course will address the ways in which Americans responded to the crises caused by industrialization, immigration and urbanization with special emphasis on Progressive Era reform.
HIST 339 New Deal America, 1929-2000 (CORE—Western Civilization)
Prerequisite: HIST 218 or permission of the instructor (Second semester—even years/3 credits)
This course traces the rise and fall of the New Deal order from the Great Crash of 1929 through the end of the millennium. The first part of the course will discuss the social, political and economic legacies of the New Deal and U.S. participation in World War II. The second part focuses on the turbulent 1960s, when the women’s rights, civil rights and anti-war movements reached high tide. The final part of the course will examine the causes and consequences of economic crises of the 1970s and America’s “conservative turn” under Reagan in the 1980s.
HIST 371E Topics in Public History
Prerequisite: One of the following: HIST 208, HIST 217, HIST 218, HIST 299B or permission of the instructor. (As needed/3 credits)
Advanced topics in public history (museum studies; historic preservation; archives; and history practiced in state and national parks, historic sites, and historical societies). This course offers a chance to pursue in more detail subjects only touched upon in broad survey courses, or those not covered elsewhere in the history curriculum. Format, perspectives and topics may vary according to the instructor’s expertise. Students who lack the prerequisite, but who have other coursework or experience relevant to the specific topic, are encouraged to seek the instructor’s permission to enroll.
HIST 470 Research Seminar in History
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, 9 credits of 200- and/or 300-level history. (Either semester/ 3 credits)
This advanced course explores the problems, methods, techniques and ethics of historical research and inquiry. In the course, each student completes an extended research project using original primary sources from archives or other collections. Individual research topics are usually local or family history subjects. The project is completed in stages throughout the semester and presented to the seminar group.
HIST 270 Research and Writing in History
Prerequisites: Open to history majors with at least sophomore standing and HIST 217 or 218. (Both semesters/3 credits)
This course introduces students to the methods of historical research and writing, including historical argumentation, evidence, documentation, and archival research. In the course, each student completes an extended research project using original primary sources from archives or other collections. Individual research topics are usually local or family history subjects. The project is completed in stages throughout the semester and presented to the seminar group. The course is designed to be the entry into the major, though it should not be the first history course a student takes. It should be taken in the second semester of the sophomore year or the first semester of the junior year.