History


History 1501 (formerly C060): Third World History
3 credit hours

A study of the historical background of the modern world. This includes the development of the Western-dominated world system, reaction and conflict caused by modern capitalism, national rivalries culminating in world wars and the cold war, independence movements, and the creation of the Third World.



History 1702 (formerly C062): World History Modern
3 credit hours

Notes: This course meets the Non-Western/Third World core requirement.

This course begins with Columbus' voyages, which linked the major trading regions of the world together, and continues through the expansion of imperialism, the revolts against excessive government power and authority, and the invention of astonishing new technologies of creativity and destruction. The course concludes with the formation of new international, national, religious, and gender identities in the last few decades. We analyze economics, politics, technology, culture, religion, and innovative ideas as formative influences. We always ask "How do we know?" and "What is its significance?" as well as "What do we know?" The course serves as an introduction to modern world history that students can build upon in subsequent course work.



History 1301 (formerly C066): Modern Europe
3 credit hours

A general survey of the main aspects of European civilization. Special emphasis is placed on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, including the creation of the nation-state system, the industrial revolution, the evolution of modern urban culture, and the colonization of the rest of the world. Note, this was formerly History 0107 and may not be taken by students who have completed History 2812.



History 1101 (formerly C067): History of the U.S. to 1877
3 credit hours

A survey of U.S. history from the discovery of the New World to the end of the Civil War era, including the origins of the U.S. political system, the rise of individualism, women in a changing society, race and slavery, the Civil War, and the Reconstruction of the Union. Note, History 1101 and History 1102 may be taken in either order.



History 1102 (formerly C068): History of the U.S. since 1877
3 credit hours

A survey of the second, or modern, half of U.S. history. Attention is given to social and technological change and to internal and international politics. Note, History 1101 and History 1102 may be taken in either order.



History 2811 (formerly 0106): World War I
3 credit hours

An analysis of what led to World War I, how it was fought and experienced, its mental and material impact, its end, and its legacies. In 1914, the major powers of Europe went to war, and things were never the same again. The war was expected to be a short one, but it lasted more than four years, killing millions, destroying economies, overthrowing empires, and setting the stage for a second war that was, if possible, even more terrible than the first. Note, this was formerly History 0151.



History 2812 (formerly 0107): World War II
3 credit hours

A global survey of the Second World War, from its origins in the 1930s to its horrifying conclusion in 1945. This is an intermediate course that addresses broad historical themes and interpretations and requires students to read a number of important secondary works in the field. However, as a survey, it also serves as an excellent introduction to the subject for students with an interest in but little prior knowledge of World War II. Note, this was formerly History 0152.



History 2702 (formerly R109): Imperialism, Race, and Empire
3 credit hours

An introduction to themes and issues central to an understanding of race in modern history. Examining the intersection of race and imperialism over the last two centuries, this course places special importance on how ideas about race were profoundly affected by the colonial encounter, how rationalizations for imperialism have often depended on race, and how subordinated people resisted racialist discourses and forms of rule.



History 0111/W111: Asian Diaspora
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: American Studies 2096 & Asian Studies 2097)

An examination of the social experiences and cultures of South Asians, Chinese, Filipinos, Koreans, and Japanese who have journeyed to far-flung lands and the terms that can be employed to analyze their experiences and culture. Spurred by pressures of colonialism, economic change, nationalism, political repression, and war, as well as individual needs and adventurism, Asians have migrated from their homelands to new regions of the world?within Asia and into North America, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe. In considering Asian diasporas, familiar terms, such as Asia, American, community, and nation, are called into question by the multiplicity of experiences and identities of those who have ventured out from eastern regions of the globe.



History 2501 (formerly 0115): Introduction to East Asia: China
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 2501)

An examination of the Chinese social formation and the development of characteristic institutions in the premodern era and of the revolutionary transformation in the modern era. Provides students with a basic understanding of state, society, and culture in China; the major themes of Chinese history; and, more generally, the broad processes of social change.



History 2502 (formerly 0116): Introduction to East Asia: Japan
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 2502)

A survey of Japanese history to the twentieth century. Topics include the early centralized state; the rise of aristocratic culture; the emergence of the warrior class; and the modern transformation into an urban, industrial state. Course materials include selections from Japanese literature and films.



History 2503 (formerly 0117): Introduction to Southeast Asia: Insular
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 2503)

A study of the histories of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore from the sixteenth century until modern times. This course introduces students to the island worlds of Southeast Asia, their peoples, histories, societies, and economies. To familiarize students with non-Western worlds, lectures will be illustrated with videotapes, slides, and transparencies. Excerpts of articles and indigenous documents will also be used for discussion. Course work will include readings, discussions, examinations, and book reviews. Note, this was formerly History 0130.



History 2504 (formerly 0118): Introduction to Southeast Asia: Mainland
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 2504)

A study of the histories of Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam from the sixteenth century until modern times. This course introduces students to an analysis of such forces as religion, statecraft, ideology, and trade and the manner in which they have shaped the mainland countries of Southeast Asia. Mainland Southeast Asia's role in world politics and the global economy is also analyzed. Reference will be made to contemporary events taking place in the region, and students will be encouraged to follow these developments through the media and to integrate their knowledge in class discussions. Note, this was formerly History 0129.



History 0131: Social Economic History of Modern Europe I
3 credit hours

A survey of the development of the European economy and Europe's transformation from a preindustrial to a modern industrial society. Emphasis is on the rise of the major national economies (early comers England and France versus latecomers Germany, Italy, and Russia) and on the growth and diffusion of industry. The course stresses long-run factors in economic growth, the widening economic inequality among nations, and the shifting distribution of income and wealth.



History 0132: Social Economic History of Modern Europe II
3 credit hours

A survey of the development of the European economy from the first Industrial Revolution in England to the present. Emphasis is on the comparison between early developers England, Belgium, and France and the latecomers Germany and Russia. The course stresses the growth and diffusion of industry in relation to political and social factors. Special attention is given to the growth of the world economy, the international economic disintegration between the wars, and the rebuilding of the world economy after World War II.



History 2103 (formerly R161): African American History to 1865
3 credit hours

An examination of the activities of African Americans in America from slavery to 1865. Among the topics to be studied are slavery, the American Revolution, and the Civil War. In addition, much attention will be devoted toward emphasizing the multidimensional aspect of the African American community and the crucial role that African American women have played in America. The course focuses on themes and questions that are essential to an understanding of the past and to an understanding of the present struggles for full citizenship on the part of African Americans. This course meets the university's Studies in Race requirement. Note, this was formerly History R233.



History 2104 (formerly R162): African American History 1865-Present
3 credit hours

An examination of the activities of African Americans in America from Reconstruction to the present. Among the topics to be studied are Reconstruction, the evolution of African American leadership, the Harlem renaissance, the civil rights movement, and black power. In addition, much attention will be devoted toward emphasizing the multidimensional aspect of the African American community and the crucial role that African American women have played in America. The course focuses on themes and questions that are essential to an understanding of the past and to an understanding of the present struggles for full citizenship on the part of African Americans. This course meets the university's Studies in Race requirement. Note, this was formerly History R234.



History 2107 (formerly R163): Asian American History
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: American Studies 2107 & Asian Studies 2107)

An introductory survey of the historical experiences of Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, and South and Southeast Asian immigrants in the United States. Considers economic, social, political, and cultural trends, beginning with the arrival of the Chinese in the 1830s and ending with issues facing Asian Americans today. Includes the development and significance of Asian American communities and cultures and approaches to the study of Asian Americans in racial hierarchies. The aims of the course are to analyze commonalities and differences in the historical and contemporary experiences of Asian ethnic groups and to explore perspectives on the position of Asians in U.S. society?assimilation, model minority, institutional racism, and internal colonialism. Instructional methods include lectures and audiovisual materials, but they also emphasize active student participation in learning through discussion, oral reports, and written assignments. This course meets the university's Studies in Race requirement. Note, this was formerly History R237.



History 1007 (formerly 0174): Popular Culture in 20th Century America
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: American Studies 3061 & JPRA 0352)

An examination of the roles that stereotypes, fashions, sports, automobiles, movies, radio, television, and leisure activities have played in twentieth century American culture and of the manifestations of political and cultural life that the artifacts and leisure activities of the average American exemplify. A knowledge of the history and development of popular culture reveals the roots of modern American society and culture and explains why Americans have not only developed in a unique way but why their cultural influence has been so great on a global scale. As such, the course allows students to gain a broader view of American society while providing depth and clarity of understanding of it through areas not usually addressed by more traditional avenues of learning. Toward this end, students will write a research paper on a topic in popular culture using written, oral, and visual materials. Emphasis is placed on the development of the student's topic through an analysis of historical context, asking a proper historical question, analyzing multiple historical factors, and formulating historical arguments. Note, this was formerly History R217.



History 2111 (formerly 0175): Recent American History
3 credit hours

A description of the political, social, and economic changes that the United States has experienced in making the transition from the cold war era to the post-cold war (and postindustrial) society of the late twentieth century. The subject matter should be of interest to students in education, journalism, urban studies, and psychology, as well as to history majors. The course covers the entire period since World War II, but there is more emphasis on social change since 1970. Topics covered include the origins of the cold war; anticommunism in American society and politics; the civil rights movement; the Vietnam War and antiwar movement; the conservative backlash; Nixon and Watergate; the rise of a postindustrial economy; postindustrial social trends (gender, race, and the new immigration); and the growing impact of media on society and politics. Note, this was formerly History 0215.



History 2213 (formerly 0176): History of the American Economy and American Business
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: American Studies 2120 & Economics 3532)

A history of the development of the American economy, with an emphasis on the part business played in its development. Topics covered include the agricultural economy; the rise of manufacturing; the development of the corporation, the stock exchanges, finance capitalism, and? banking; nineteenth-century business cycles; the expansion of the American corporation in the years between the Civil War and the Great Depression; the overseas expansion of business and the development of worker's capitalism in the 1920s; the changes produced by the Great Depression and the Second World War; and the rise of the modern economy, with its transnational connections, movement toward deregulation, and shift from manufacturing to a service economy. Students will be introduced to a number of skills aimed at making them better able to understand the current American economy, to the use of historical data as a means of judging current trends in finance and business, and to some of the major Web sites and journal literature on the subject. They will make written and oral presentations in which they defend their ideas; will take a midterm and a final exam, both of which will require students to answer essay questions; and will write a short paper (10-15 pages) on a historical topic dealing with business or economic issues. Note, this was formerly History 0242.



History 2217 (formerly 0183): Vietnam War
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: American Studies 2217 & Asian Studies 2217)

A study of the Vietnam War as a microcosm of the forces that have shaped the twentieth century world: colonialism, imperialism, nationalism, revolution, modernization, nation building, Third World development, capitalism, communism, the cold war, and more. It was a defining moment for Americans and Vietnamese, although the peoples of neither nation can agree on what precisely it defined. For the United States, the loss of the war produced a crisis of national identity. For Vietnam, the victory meant the culmination of 30 years of revolutionary struggle. To the present day both suffer from the failure to resolve problems inherent in these outcomes. This course is designed to emphasize the war as a problem for Americans and Vietnamese. The question is why almost complete strangers prior to World War II became such bitter enemies so soon thereafter and as a consequence engaged in mortal combat for more than a decade. The strategy is to explore the social, political, economic, military, and diplomatic dimensions and ramifications from the perspective of each nation. Note, this was formerly History 0256.



History 2680 (formerly 0194): Topics in Asian History
3 credit hours

A course arranged each semester. Please consult with the instructor.



History 2680 (formerly 0194): Topics in Asian History: Modern Japanese Intellectual History
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 3000)

An in-depth study of the structure and development of the political, social, and cultural ideas that have shaped modern Japan.



History 2680 (formerly 0194): Topics in Asian History: Japan and the Asia-Pacific War
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 3000)

An examination of the origins, conduct and consequences of Japan's drive to create a New Order both at home and abroad in East Asia during the 1930s and 1940s. Covering the years from the end of World War One through Japan's defeat in 1945, we will focus on the interplay between domestic and international forces that help explain the actions taken by Japan's leaders, as well as attempt to understand some of the varied perspectives and experiences of the Japanese people.



History 3521 (formerly 0217): Chinese Revolution
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 3521)

A general introduction to the Chinese Revolution (1921-1949) from the perspective of sociopolitical history. Special emphasis is on the internal historical trends and external (semicolonialist) interventions that shaped the struggle for revolutionary change in the twentieth century, the conditions in the countryside on the eve of revolution, the urban and rural contours of the communist movement, the evolution of Mao Zedong's thought, and the revolutionary process and its dynamics. Note, this was formerly History 0321.



History 3522 (formerly 0218): Contemporary China
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 3522)

An examination of society, state, and popular politics in the Peoples' Republic of China from 1949 to the present. Special emphasis is on revolutionary transformation and socialist construction during the Maoist years (1949-1979) and the post-socialist trajectory and its critique over the last two decades. Note, this was formerly History 0322.



History 3531 (formerly 0219): Modern India
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 3531)

An examination of the major political issues in modern India, including colonialism, nationalism, nonviolent political struggle, independence and adjustment, regionalism and tension, leadership in a Third World movement, and relations with the United States. Social issues include coping with inequality, population explosion, hunger, regional violence, and new popular organizations. Major personalities surveyed are Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Indira Gandhi, Jayaprakash Narayan, and Sri Aurobindo. Note, this was formerly History 0332.



History 3541 (formerly 0220): Japan Today
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 3541)

An examination of important social, political, and economic trends in Japan from 1945 to the 1990s through lecture, discussion, audiovisual materials, and group oral reports. Topics include the Occupation, the economic miracle, state and society, the world of work, women and gender, international relations, the impact of affluence, post-bubble Japan, and varying approaches to the study of postwar Japanese history and society. Note, this was formerly History 0330.



History 3542 (formerly 0221): Women and Society in Japan
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 3542)

An exploration of the changing position of women in Japanese society from ancient times to the 1990s. We will investigate female goddesses, shamanesses, female emperors, famous classical and modern women writers, women of the early and late warrior age, and women in industrializing and postwar Japan through lecture and discussion based on historical documents, secondary writings, audiovisual materials, and literature, including works written by Japanese women. Major themes include women and religion, women and household or family, women and the state, women and the arts, and women and work. Note, this was formerly History 0337.



History 3551 (formerly 0222): History of Vietnam
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 3551)

An emphasis on the cultural, social, and economic factors throughout Vietnam's history, from its mythological origins to the twenty-first century. Topics include indigenous social formations; the period of Chinese domination; the rise of independent Vietnamese dynasties; the French colonial era; the Vietnamese revolution; and the three Indochina wars, including the Vietnam conflict in the twentieth century. The course closes with a consideration of life under in today's Socialist Republic of Vietnam.



History 3433 (formerly 0246): History
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Blood and Iron: 19th Century European Diplomacy)

A survey of the history of European diplomacy from the wars of the French Revolution until the outbreak of World War One in 1914. Modern warfare, nationalism, and tremendous economic, social, and technological upheaval shaped the nineteenth century and fundamentally altered the way nation-states interacted. Therefore, we cannot be content in this course to study the biographies of Metternich, Napoleon III, Bismarck, and other great diplomats of the nineteenth century, though they will receive due attention. In order to explain the events that in many ways laid the groundwork for the world situation in our own time, we will examine cultural and intellectual movements, military and scientific innovations, and political and social changes that still affect the way nations conduct diplomacy. Note, this was formerly History 0126.



History 2307 (formerly 0250): Europe Divided and United, 1939-1945
3 credit hours

An examination of the ways in which World War II and subsequent events created the conditions for division and unification in Europe by ending the era of European world dominance. Over the past 50 years, Europe has been both more starkly divided and more peacefully unified than at almost any other time in history. The cold war split Europe on opposite sides of the Iron Curtain, while the recent collapse of communism in Eastern Europe has created unprecedented opportunities for European nations to act in concert. European nations and peoples have adjusted to their new (diminished?) role in the world in fascinating ways. Highlights will include the Second World War, the growing cold war, the revolutions of 1968, and the collapse of the authoritarian governments in Eastern Europe. Special attention will be paid to the efforts aimed at the economic and political unification of Europe up to the present day. Business, tourism, and other majors will find this course an invaluable introduction to the economic and cultural environment of Europe. Note, this was formerly History 0124.



History 3363 (formerly 0258): Russia: Revolution, State, and Empire
3 credit hours

An analysis of Russia and the other former Soviet republics and their struggle to understand and interpret their recent history: the visions upon which it was founded, the tragedies and triumphs that altered those visions, and the reasons for its eventual collapse. The dramatic collapse of the USSR in 1991 was, in fact, only the latest in the series of revolutions and other upheavals that have characterized Russian history in the twentieth century. This course will examine the political history of the country as it moved from absolute monarchy through dictatorship under Stalin, to increasingly powerful movements for change from Khrushchev to Gorbachev. It will also study the economic revolutions that made the Soviet economy the world's second largest, and the economic weaknesses that became increasingly evident in the 1980s and 1990s. Finally, it will look at the experiences and aspirations of the Russian and Soviet people themselves: how they have been affected by the radical ideas and violent upheavals of the twentieth century, and how they participated in the creation of a unique Soviet polity and culture. Note, this was formerly History 0175.



History 3104 (formerly 0270): Nineteenth-Century America
3 credit hours

An advanced-level history course aimed at giving history majors and students in other disciplines, such as English and political science, an understanding of the changes in American life during the nineteenth century. This is truly a "World We Have Lost," a society dominated by agriculture but becoming increasingly industrial and urbanized. The topics discussed in this course are related to the changes in the United States that promoted its development as a multicultural democracy and an economic superpower.



History 3105 (formerly 0271): Twentieth-Century America
3 credit hours

An analysis of American politics, society, and culture in the twentieth century. Among the topics to be analyzed are the changing role of the presidency from McKinley to Clinton, progressivism, World War I, the conflictive 1920s, the Great Depression and the New Deal, World War II, affluence in the 1950s, the cold war, anticommunism, racism, the civil rights movement, the rebellious 1960s, the war in Vietnam, Nixon, the Great Society, the women's movement and gender issues, the conservative backlash, and the new diversity.



History 3107 (formerly 0272): History of Modern China
3 credit hours

A tracing of China's search for independence and modernity from the late nineteenth century to the present. We will study the Chinese revolution from the points of view of its participants-students, intellectuals, peasants, urban workers, merchants, and women.



History 3229 (formerly 0291): Superpower America
3 credit hours

This course traces the ebb and flow of the 20th century effort to establish and institutionalize a new framework and set of norms for the international order based on U.S. leadership. Overlaying the narrative history of Presidential polices from Franklin Roosevelt to Bill Clinton is a number of interrelated themes, including: the rise and fall of the United States as a creditor nation; the tension between America's idealistic impulses and the perceived need to behave "realistically" in a frequently hostile environment; the impact of domestic influences on foreign policy; the emergence of bipolarism and Soviet-American antagonism; the challenge to bipolarism posed by the Third World and regional disputes; atomic diplomacy and the balance of terror; "existential deterrence" and arms limitation; crisis management and avoidance; and, finally, the end of the Cold War, the implosion of the former Soviet Union, and the implications of the Russian empire's collapse for restructuring the global system, reordering America's international priorities, and producing a national strategy that succeeds "containment." The assigned readings reflect an array of interpretations and approaches to the study of the history of U.S. foreign policy. Although no "formal discussions" are scheduled, students will be provided the opportunity and encouraged discuss freely their responses to and questions about these interpretations during every class. In additions, at least once each student will be required to present a succinct oral summary of the fundamental issues raised in the previous session, and time will be allotted to examine and dissect the distributed documents. Note, formerly History 0249.



History 3580 (formerly 0325): Topics in Asian History
3 credit hours

A course whose topics are arranged each semester. Please consult with the instructor.



History 3580 (formerly 0325): Topics in Asian History: Japanese History through Film
3 credit hours

An examination of such themes as the status of women, Japan's role in Asia, personal freedom versus social pressures, political corruption, the early post-World War II years, and current social problems. Uses films as historical documents to understand various social issues and problems in Japan between the Meiji Restoration and the present.



History 3580 (formerly 0325): Topics in Asian History: Southeast Asia in Modern Times
3 credit hours

A focus on Southeast Asian history from the late eighteenth century through World War II. Unifying themes include the emergence and impact of European colonialism; the nationalist, communist, and Islamic response; and the Japanese occupation. Social, political, and economic developments are analyzed for each of the countries of Southeast Asia, with the greatest attention placed on the late nineteenth and early (pre-World War II) twentieth centuries.



History 3280 (formerly 0329): Topics in American History
3 credit hours

A course whose topics are arranged each semester. Please consult with the instructor.



History 3280 (formerly 0329): Topics in American History: America in the Nuclear Age
3 credit hours

An examination of the profound influence that the atomic bomb has had on American society from the 1940s to the 1980s. Students learn how the presence and image of the atomic bomb affected institutions such as the educational system, stimulated the rise of a national security state and a new technical elite, influenced political discourse, and pervaded American culture.



History 4697 (formerly W340): Modern Japan: Empire, War, Society
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 4696)

A survey of Japanese people, culture, and events and trends at home and abroad that will help you find answers to various questions about Japan. Was early modern Japan static and unchanging? Do the roots of Japan's modern achievements lie in early modern culture? What happened to Japan after the 1868 Meiji Restoration, and why? Was modernity a blessing or a curse? Course assignments emphasize the development of research and writing skills, specifically the writing of book reviews and short historiography essays, as well as the verbal expression of critical reading and analytic skills. Five worksheets and lectures show how to do the writing assignments, which will consist of two, five-page historiography essays on assigned readings and one comparative book review on a topic the student selects in consultation with the instructor. Note, this was formerly History 0326.



History 4296 (formerly W386): American History Writing Seminar
3 credit hours

Prerequisite: Written permission of instructor

A seminar that focuses on a special topic in American history. The course gives students experience in historical writing, argumentation, and research. Students will complete a research project during the semester. Part of the course will be devoted to problems of research and writing.



History 4696 (formerly W388): Third World History Writing Seminar
3 credit hours

Prerequisite: Written permission of instructor

A seminar that focuses on a special topic in Third World history and assists students in the development of advanced-level skills in historical writing, argumentation, and research. Students will complete a research project during the semester.



History 4696 (formerly W388): Third World History Writing Seminar: The Japanese Occupation of Southeast Asia
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 4096)

Prerequisite: Written permission of instructor

A focus on Japan's occupation of Southeast Asia between 1942 and 1945 and related topics. Designed primarily for history majors, this course emphasizes research and writing skills. Seminar presentations and a research paper are required. Students are advised to take History 1501 and History 0328 (and/or History 0326) in preparation for this course.



Note:
Please note: the information contained in these course descriptions is subject to change, and individual courses may be added or deleted as necessary. If you wish to know what specific courses are being offered in a given term, please see the current course schedule.