Independent reading course. A half course.
Fall and spring semesters. The Department.
How to handle overenrollment: null
Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: n/a
(Offered as HIST 370 and ASLC 370) Japan, the only non-Western colonial empire to emerge during the second half of the nineteenth century, shaped itself and East Asia through imperialism. This course engages that history by paying attention to shifts in scholarly approaches to empire. We will consider, for example, how theories of imperialism and post-colonialism apply to Japan and East Asia.
(Offered as ASLC 354 and HIST 354.) What does it mean to talk of “Asia,” if the term itself is largely the product of modern imperialism and its attendant discursive formations? This seminar adopts Kuan-Hsing Chen’s framework of “Asia as Method” to combine post-colonial studies, critical area studies, and the emerging field of “Asian studies in Asia” to grapple with the intellectual history of East Asia from the late-nineteenth century onwards.
(Offered as HIST-344 and EUST-344.) Many see today’s world resembling some features of the world in the 19th century. Unlike in the Cold War, there is no stability of two superpowers system. Like in the 19th century some powers today claim regional hegemony, attempt to pursue the course of supranationalism, and encounter the challenge of diversity.
(Offered as HIST 326 and BLST 326) Diamonds have a long history in global trade; for centuries, they were scarce enough to be among the most precious commodities. But in 1867, the discovery of diamonds in a remote part of the Cape Colony in southern Africa turned them into a commodity that helped finance the construction of the British empire on the continent through conquest and African labor.
The medieval and early modern past is constantly being explored and reinterpreted, whether in the traditional realms of academia and the heritage industry or through film, TV, games, and even political protests. Despite this saturation of premodernity in modern culture, few opportunities exist for those outside the academy to consider how the premodern past is selectively shaped and communicated to the public.
This course offers an opportunity for history majors and students intrigued by the past to reflect upon the practice of history. How do we claim to know anything about the past at all? How do historians construct the stories they tell about the past from the fragmentary remnants of former times? What is the connection between the past as it was lived and the narratives that historians write? How do we judge the truth and value of these histories and memories? The course explores questions such as these through readings and case studies drawn from a variety of places and times.
This course will offer an introduction to Great Power/regional dynamics in the Arab World with a view to highlighting the linkages and interplay between regional developments and Great Power politics during the 20 th Century, and how each has affected the other. It will assess the impact of global and regional wars on Great power diplomacy and their role in shaping the region and resolving its conflicts, from the demise of the Ottoman Empire to the emergence of the US as the dominant great power in the late 20 th century.
(Offered as HIST 265, LLAS 265 and ENST 265) This course focuses on the links between ecological transformations and human problems, and between rural social movements and environmentalism. Questions we will engage include: How has imperialism impacted the environment? How have these environmental impacts shaped the possibilities for political resistance by subaltern groups?
