PROFESSORS

Charlotte G. Borst. 2006. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. B.A., Boston University; M.A., Tufts University; M.A. and Ph.D., University of Wisconsin. (History of Science, American history.)
Michael R. Drompp. 1989. B.A., M.A., and Ph.D., Indiana University. (East Asian history, China and Japan, Inner Asian history.)
Lynn B. Zastoupil. 1988. The J. J. McComb Professor of History. B.A., Dickinson State College; M.A., University of Texas; Ph.D., University of Minnesota. (Modern Britain, India, European intellectual history.)

ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS

Dee Garceau-Hagen. 1995. B.A., Nasson College; M.A., Washington State University; Ph.D., Brown University. (Gender in the American West, American women, Native American history.)
Timothy S. Huebner. 1995. B.A., University of Miami; M.A. and Ph.D., University of Florida. (U.S. South, nineteenth century, U.S. constitutional/legal history.)
Jeffrey H. Jackson. 2000. B.S., Vanderbilt University; Ph.D., University of Rochester. (Modern Europe, France, cultural history.)
Michael J. LaRosa. 1995. B.A., George Washington University; M.A. and Ph.D., University of Miami. (Contemporary Latin America, Colombia, church history.)
Gail S. Murray. 1991. Chair. B.A., University of Michigan; M.S.E., University of Central Arkansas; Ph.D., University of Memphis. (U.S. social history, colonial America, Southern women, U.S. childhood.)

ASSISTANT PROFESSORS

Charles W. McKinney. 2004. B.A., Morehouse College; M.A. and Ph.D., Duke University. (African-American history, civil rights studies, twentieth century United States)
Alex J. Novikoff. 2008. B.A., New York University; M.A., University of York; M.Phil., University of Cambridge; Ph.D.,  University of Pennsylvania. (Medieval intellectual history, France, Jewish-Christian relations.)
Robert F. Saxe. 2003. B.A., Reed College; Ph.D., University of Illinois. (twentieth century United States, political history, war and society.)
Etty Terem. 2008 B.A. and M.A., Tel Aviv University; Ph.D. Harvard University.  (Islamic history, Middle East, North Africa.)

VISITING PROFESSOR

Frank Buscher. 2006. B.A., Northern Michigan University; M.A. and Ph.D., Marquette University. (Russian and Soviet history, Modern Germany, Europe in the 20th Century, World War II.)

Prospective majors should complete History 200 by the end of the sophomore year. Students should have completed at least one other course at the 200 or 300 level before attempting coursework at the 400 level.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR IN HISTORY

A total of 10 courses (40 credits) as follows:

1. History 200 (The Historian’s Craft)
2. History 485 (Senior Seminar)
3. Eight (8) additional courses at the 100, 200, 300, and 400 levels, selected according to the following principles:
     a. Of the eight courses, no more than one may be taken at the 100 level.
     b. Of the eight courses, at least three courses must be seminar courses at the 400 level.
     c. Of the eight courses taken at all levels at least one must be taken in each area listed below. In addition, no more than four (4) from a single area will be counted toward the major. The areas are:
      (1) History of Europe
      (2) History of the Americas
      (3) History of Asia, Africa, and Middle East  
     d. Of the eight courses taken at all levels, at least one must concentrate on a period prior to 1500 CE. The following courses meet that requirement: History 212, 281, 282, 288, 293, 385, and 412. (There may be special topics as well.)
   

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN HISTORY

A total of 5 courses (20 credits) selected according to the following principles:

1. No more than one course at the 100 level.
2. At least two courses at the 400 level.
3. At least one course in each of the following areas:
     (a) History of Europe
     (b) History of the Americas
     (c) History of Asia, Africa, and Middle East 

HONORS IN HISTORY

1. Completion of all requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and minimum grade point average of 3.50.
2. Completion of the two-term tutorial sequence History 495-496.
3. Completion of major research project, culminating in a research paper and an oral presentation. The student normally begins preparing a proposal by taking a directed inquiry in the spring of the junior year. The formal research proposal must be accepted by the Department early in the student’s senior year. Project must be completed and approved by the supervising committee by April.
   

COURSE OFFERINGS

105. Introductory Seminars in History.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F2, F3 (some sections).
This writing intensive course, intended for first and second year students, provides an introduction to themes and topics from a variety of historical perspectives. Possible topics include: “The Mongol Empire”, “Memphis and the American South”, “British Empire and its Enemies”, and “Why Hitler?” May not be repeated for credit. Not open to juniors and seniors.

200. The Historian’s Craft: Methods and Approaches in the Study of History.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: F2.
This course introduces prospective history majors and minors to the experience of how historians perform their craft. Each seminar will teach students the basic skills of research, historical writing, and historical analysis. Students will be introduced to historiography, the use of primary sources, and ethical issues in history. Written work will be emphasized, and an oral presentation may be required of all students. Not open to seniors.

200-level classes are introductory and cover broad chronological spans or large geographical areas. Open to all students.

205. Selected Topics in History.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3 (some sections).
Introduction to selected periods in history. Varies with instructor. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Not offered every year. Potential topics include “Russia Since 1861” and “Asian Societies: Past and Present.”

212. Medieval Europe.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
This course examines the transition from the world of late antiquity to that of the European Middle Ages, from the collapse of the Roman Empire through the fourteenth century. Lectures will focus on the medieval “braid” of Roman tradition, Christianity and Germanic custom. Topics will include patterns of migration, the Christianization of Europe, the development of social and political institutions, the conflicts between church and state, the urban revival of the eleventh century, and the intellectual “renaissance” of the twelfth century, culminating in the famine, plague, and chaos of the fourteenth century. (Course offered in alternate years, scheduled for 2009-2010.)

213. Renaissance and Reformation Europe.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
This course begins by examining the changes, as well as the medieval carry-overs, that brought about the period known as the Renaissance. The effects of impersonal forces such as climate change and epidemics, the impact of the discovery of the Americas, and a new understanding of human capabilities will be considered. The course then turns to a survey of the intellectual movements and of the religious, social, and political characteristics of European history from 1500 (the coming of the Reformation) to 1714 (the height of French power under Louis XIV). The emphasis will fall upon those changes that prepared society for the transition to what is now considered the “modern” world. (Course offered in alternate years, scheduled for 2009-2010.)

215. Enlightenment and Revolution: Europe, 1714-1815.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
The eighteenth century was an age of intellectual and political revolutions that destroyed what historians describe as the Old Regime. This course critically assesses the rhetoric, goals and legacy of the century’s key philosophic movement, the Enlightenment. It surveys the development of the Old Regime in the eighteenth century and seeks to interpret the social, economic and intellectual forces that tended to undermine it. Particular emphasis will be placed on the French Revolution, the overthrow of the Old Regime, the Reign of Terror and the rise and fall of the Napoleonic system in Europe.

216. Industrialism, Nationalism, and Imperialism: Europe, 1815-1914.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
This course examines the impact of industrialization on the social, political, and intellectual life of Europe. The combination of nationalist idealism and the realism of state power that produced the unifications of Italy and Germany will be critically examined. The course will also examine the nationalist and imperialist rivalries that drove the European states to the brink of war after the turn of the century.

217. The Age of Extremes: European Culture and Society in the Twentieth Century.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
By focusing on the experiences of ordinary people and significant shifts in their values, we will study how Europe evolved through what one historian has called an “age of extremes” in the twentieth century. Central issues will include the experience and legacies of “total war,” daily life under Nazi rule and in the Communist countries of Eastern Europe, the psychological impact of the Great Depression, and the various ways in which people struggled to redefine themselves as Europe faded from a position of world dominance.

224. British Empire and Its Enemies.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
This course addresses some of the major developments of the British empire from the early 1600s to the 1980s. Emphasis is on the changing nature of the empire, its role in Britain’s rise and fall as a world power, the influence of empire on Britain’s political, economic, and cultural development, and the imperial impact on Britain’s colonies and possessions. Attention is also directed at the many enemies that the empire created, both in Britain and in the colonies. The course concludes by examining aspects of post-colonialism in Britain and its former possessions.

225. Modern Britain.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
This course will introduce students to some of the major historical developments in Britain since 1688. The focus will be on political events, but some attention will also be paid to social, economic, religious, and intellectual developments. Topics to be discussed include: Glorious Revolution of 1688-89; corruption and reform in eighteenth-century politics; origins, nature, and impact of industrialism; evolution of parliament and emergence of the office of prime minister; impact of the French Revolution; reform and radical movements of the nineteenth century; imperialism; the British experience in World Wars One and Two; origins and nature of the welfare state; British society and politics since 1945; and the Americanization of Britain.

231. North America in the Colonial and Revolutionary Eras.
Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
This course investigates British, French, Spanish, African, and Native American encounters in North America from the Age of Exploration through the early political development of the United States. Major themes include the tensions between individual and community interests, the origins and development of slavery, the emergence of capitalism, religious diversity, and the American Revolution. (Course offered in alternate years, scheduled for 2008-2009).

232. The United States in the Nineteenth Century.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
This course examines major social, political, economic, and cultural changes in the nineteenth century, including U.S. relations with Native North Americans, antebellum reform, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and industrialization/urbanization. Major themes may include the rise and decline of sectionalism and transformations in gender and race relations, as well as questions of individualism and community, liberty and order.

233. The United States in the Twentieth Century.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
This course investigates major social, political, cultural, and economic changes in the twentieth century, from Progressivism through the end of the Cold War. Major themes may include the effects of world war and economic depression on society, the United States’ changing role in the global community, the rise and fall of American liberalism, the Vietnam War as watershed, and the emergence of cultural pluralism.

242. African-American History.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3, F9.
The experiences of African-American people in the United States can be described as a continuous quest for empowerment; this quest has been affected by myriad factors (e.g., gender roles, class divisions, secular and non-secular ideologies, regionalism) in addition to racism. This course, through the use of secondary and primary material, historical documentaries, and critical analyses, will chart the historically complex journeys of African Americans, from the impact of the African diaspora on colonial America to the Black student sit-ins and the formation of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee in 1960, and beyond.

244. History of Childhood in the United States.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3, F11.
This course provides an examination of the ways in which the concept of childhood has been defined throughout United States history, as well as a study of how children themselves have influenced and shaped institutions, laws, and popular culture. A service-learning component is required. (Course offered in alternate years; scheduled for 2009-2010.)

246. Gender and Warfare in America.
Fall. Credits: 4
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
While the study of wars has always proven to be a popular subject for students of American history, the use of gender in analyzing the causes and effects of these conflicts has only recently been an important focus in historians’ examinations of different conflicts. New studies have used gender to examine the origins of different wars and to understand the motivations of the soldiers who fought them. By emphasizing the importance of gender in historical study, students will be encouraged to examine historical evidence critically in order to bring their perspective to the study of wars in American history.

247. The American South.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
This course examines the social, political, and cultural history of the South as a distinct region of the United States. The course will include discussion of the origins of a slave society, the culture of slavery and the Old South, the Civil War and Reconstruction, political and cultural change in the New South, and the Civil Rights Movement.

249. Poverty in the United States.
Spring, Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
This course will examine attitudes toward the poor throughout the course of U.S. history, as well as the experiences of public and private relief organizations. Lectures and readings give attention to attempts to define “poverty,” to vagabond/homeless experiences, to problems facing the working poor, to private and public attempts to eradicate poverty, and the assessment of various programs of poor-relief, public assistance, family wage. Field trips and a community-based group project are required. (Course offered every third year; scheduled for 2009-2010.)

254. Interpreting the American West.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3, F5.
A collaboration between History and Theater, this course will immerse students in primary historical research and in the techniques of scripting, staging, and acting. Students will explore and critique some of the most mythologized elements of the American West: the fur trade, the Overland Trail, and the cattle drives. Using revisionist perspectives, students will “decolonize” western history, and then, using archival sources, students will create a performance piece. All students will engage in both historical analysis and dramatic interpretation.

255. Conservatism in the United States.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
This course will provide an introduction to developments in conservative thought and politics in the 20th Century. Students will learn about the roots of American conservatism and learn how conservatives critiqued the creation of the New Deal, the rise of Stalinist Russia and the threat of communism, and the outbreak of World War II. Class will discuss conflicts between traditionalists and libertarians, Eisenhower’s “modern Republicanism,” conservatives and the Cold War, the campaign of Barry Goldwater, and the conservative response to the civil rights movement, Vietnam and “free love.” Finally, the class will consider the Reagan revolution and its impact on the current state of conservative politics in the United States and suggest directions for conservatism in the 21st Century. (Course offered in alternate years; scheduled for 2009-2010.)

256. Liberalism in the United States.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
How did liberalism, one of the dominant ideologies of the 20th century America, get transformed into the “L” word in current political debates? Did Ronald Reagan bury liberalism or might Bill Clinton have played a part in its decline? This course will examine the origins of modern liberalism in the Progressive Era, its rise and expansion during the New Deal, its ideological dominance through the fifties and sixties, and its eventual decline at the end of the century. This course will give students the opportunity to understand the rise and fall of American liberalism, and to suggest possible directions for American liberals in the future. (Course offered in alternate years; scheduled for 2009-2010.)

261. Colonial Latin America.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3, F9.
This course surveys the history of Latin America in the period before the Revolutions of Independence (before 1810). After studying the Native American (principally Aztec, Inca, Chibcha and Maya) and European (Spanish and Portuguese) civilizations that shaped the formation of colonial Latin American history, the conquest, the institutions and the social history/movements during this historical period will be addressed in a thematic fashion.

262. Contemporary Latin America.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3, F9.
This course surveys the history of Modern Latin America from the period of Independence (1810-1824) to the present, addressing the economic and social development of the Latin American region. Certain themes, such as religion, poverty, violence and foreign intervention will be covered in depth. Feature films, recent literature and oral history testimony will serve as “tools” for understanding contemporary Latin America.

267. Mexico: From Pre-Columbian Peoples to the Present.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
This course focuses on Mexico as a geographic unit and addresses, principally, the social, cultural and economic history of the peoples who have inhabited Mexico. Beginning with an examination of pre-Columbian history, the course moves in a mostly chronological fashion, focusing on the European conquest of Mexico (1519-1521), colonial institutions and actors, nineteenth century independence, politics and instability. The course concludes with an examination of twentieth century revolution (1911 and after), reform and identity.

281. The Origins of Chinese Civilization.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
This course examines the foundations and evolution of China’s cultural tradition from the prehistoric period to the Song reunification in 960 CE, with emphasis placed on the imperial period (beginning 221 BCE). The themes of change and continuity within the structure of an enduring ideology are supplemented by a multifaceted approach that includes the history of society and the arts.

282. Late Imperial China.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3.
This course examines China’s development into a modern nation from the tenth-century Song reunification through foreign conquest, native recovery, and yet another foreign conquest to the creation of the heavily bureaucratized and Confucianized Qing state. It also explores the beginnings of China’s encounter with the West that led to the collapse of the traditional Chinese world order.

288. Japanese Civilization.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3, F9.
This course presents an examination of Japan’s history and culture from prehistoric times to the mid-nineteenth century. Important themes will include Japan’s creation of a unique culture through both isolation and cultural receptivity, the formation and preservation of enduring values, the structure and transformations of Japanese society, and Japan’s “cult of aesthetics.”

293. Ancient and Medieval India.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3, F9.
This course explores India from the era of the Indus civilization through the death of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1707 CE. Topics include the Harappa culture, Aryan migrations and emergence of Hinduism, Gangetic culture and rise of Mauryan and Guptan empires, Islamic invasions and creation of the Delhi sultanate, and the Vijayanagar empire. The course concludes with a close examination of the rise and fall of the Mughal Empire, one of the world’s greatest empires. Considerable attention will also be devoted to religious, social, and cultural developments, including the evolution of Hinduism, the caste system, Islamic culture in India, religious reform movements, and architecture.

294. Modern India.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities, F3, F9.
This course surveys the history of South Asia following the collapse of the Mughal Empire in the early eighteenth century through the post-colonial period of the late twentieth century. Focus is on political, religious, and socio-economic developments such as the post-Mughal political order; the origins and nature of the British Raj; nationalism and the struggle for independence; religious revival and political identity; partition and its aftermath; and the post-colonial order in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. 300-level courses focus on particular themes and topics and devote more attention to historiography and writing than do 200-level courses. All 300-level courses have the prerequisite of any History course at the 100 or 200-level or permission of the instructor unless otherwise noted.

305. Selected Advanced Topics in History.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
Advanced study of selected periods and topics in history. Varies with instructor. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Not offered every year. Potential topics include Imagining Asia: Western Perceptions of the East, and The Power of the Poor in Latin America.

310. Women in Medieval Europe.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This course examines the lives of European women from approximately 400-1500 CE and explores how they both shaped and were shaped by religious, political, economic, and cultural forces in medieval society. In addition to looking at women’s lived experiences, we will study images and ideas about women, and the connections between the two. Throughout the semester we will also consider how historians write the history of medieval women, including what sources are available, what questions historians have chosen to ask, and how these affect what we can know about medieval women.

313. The Crusades.
Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
Covering the period between approximately 1050 and 1600, this course examines the conflicts between Western European Christians and others around them primarily, but not exclusively Muslims of the Middle East. While many of these conflicts were military in nature, only a small proportion of this course will discuss the details of military technology, tactics, and strategy. More attention will be paid to the broader political context in both Europe and the Middle East, the ideological underpinnings of the conflict for both Christians and Muslims, the nature of religious belief in the Middle Ages, and the impact that these conflicts had on the territories involved.

341. Native America and American History.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This course explores the history of selected Native American cultures and intertribal relations as well as relations with Euro-Americans in North America.  The evolution of United States Indian policy, as well as key shifts in native American strategies of survival form the chronological framework of the course.  Recent scholarship as well as Native American oral history, autobiography, fiction and film will shed light on issues of sovereignty, conquest, resistance, syncretism, and cultural identities.

342. Slavery in the United States.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
The purpose of this course is to attain a fundamental knowledge of one of the most complex and controversial experiences in United States history. This course will examine various social, economic, and political factors in an attempt to explain why slavery developed as it did. Also, because slavery remained in the United States over such a long period (approximately 240 years), we will discuss how it changed over time. (Course offered in alternate years; scheduled for 2009-2010.)

343. The Civil Rights Movement.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This course examines the social, political, and economic climate of the 1940s through the 1960s, and considers how both Blacks and Whites were affected. Specifically, the course will focus on various organizations and the strategies they implemented which resulted in events such as the Brown v. Board of Education case and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Additionally, the course will analyze the subtle and not-so-subtle reactions to initiatives that allowed African Americans to attain many of the rights and privileges that have become commonplace in today’s society.

349. Black and White Women in the History of the American South.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
Using a variety of genres including autobiography, demographics, fiction, court records, film, and women’s history, students will explore the many public and private roles that Southern women have filled from colonial days to the present. Emphasis will be placed on the distinctiveness of Southern society and its complex cultural diversity. (Scheduled for 2008-2009.)

350. Women in Nineteenth-Century America.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This course is a multicultural investigation of women in nineteenth-century America. Encounters between Native Americans and Euro-American colonizers, the expansion of market capitalism, the ideology of True Womanhood, and the growth of chattel slavery reverberated through women’s lives. So, too, the Civil War, industrialization, and urbanization transformed gender relations. The ways that women both shaped and were shaped by these developments will be examined. Popular magazines, sermons, songs, and American painting will reveal a discourse on gender that called forth American concerns about liberty and order, hierarchy and equality, individualism and community. (Course offered in alternate years; scheduled for 2009-2010.)

351. United States Constitutional History to 1865.
Fall, Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This course examines American constitutionalism from the colonial era through the Civil War. Topics include American revolutionary ideology, the Constitutional Convention, the early nineteenth-century Supreme Court’s exercise of judicial review, and the new republic’s attempts to deal with such issues as federalism, the separation of powers, the government’s role in an expanding economy, and the fate of slavery in new territories. In contrast to a constitutional law course, this class is more concerned with how American constitutionalism both shaped and responded to larger political and social developments, and less concerned with the evolution of constitutional doctrine in and of itself. (Course offered in alternate years; scheduled for 2008-2009.)

352. United States Constitutional History since 1865.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This course examines American constitutionalism from the Reconstruction period to the 1990s. In particular, the course focuses on the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the constitutional issues surrounding Reconstruction and civil rights, industrialization and economic expansion, the rise of national regulatory power, and the expansion of individual rights. In contrast to a constitutional law course, this class is more concerned with how American constitutionalism both shaped and responded to larger political and social developments, and less concerned with the evolution of constitutional doctrine in and of itself. (Course offered in alternate years, scheduled for 2009-2010.)

357. United States Intellectual History: The Twentieth Century.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This course examines the role that intellectuals have played in American society in the twentieth century. The course emphasizes the emergence of modernism between 1910 and 1930, changing patterns of American social thought from Progressivism to the present, and the reaction of intellectuals to major events of the twentieth century.

358. U.S. Foreign Affairs.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This course will survey the United States’ relationship with the world from 1895 to the present and will approach historical issues from a variety of perspectives: economic, political, social, and cultural. The class will examine the United States and the world through World War II; the Cold War and how it played out in different areas in the world, as well as in America; and post-Cold War issues in American foreign affairs.

363. History of U.S.-Latin American Relations.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This course provides an examination of the history of United States - Latin American relations, beginning with tensions created by the Latin American Wars for Independence (1810-1824). U.S. priorities, dating from the Monroe Doctrine of 1823, are studied in light of specific policies and actions taken by the U.S. in the region. Specifically, the Mexican-American War, the Spanish-American War, the Good Neighbor and The Alliance For Progress will be examined in depth. (Course offered in alternate years; scheduled for 2009-2010.)

364. History of Religion in Latin America.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This course examines the history of religion and religious tradition in Latin America, beginning with an analysis of pre-Columbian religious history and study of the imposition of Christianity with the arrival of the Spaniards and Portuguese. Syncretic identity, politics and religion and the recent growth of evangelical Protestantism in Latin America will be some of the major themes addressed.

385. Nomads of Inner Asia.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This course presents a survey of the history of the pastoral nomadic peoples who have inhabited the Eurasian steppe region since early times, with particular attention paid to the creation of nomadic empires and their relations with sedentary neighbors in China, Europe, and the Middle East. The course will focus on the histories of the Scythians, Xiongnu, Huns, Turks, and Mongols.

389. East Asia in the Modern World.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This course presents a survey of the modern experiences of five different Asian nations: China, Japan, Mongolia, Korea, and Vietnam. The emphasis will be on the period from World War II to the present, to examine these different countries’ experiences with nationalism, world war, civil war, revolution, and modernization along with the tenacity of tradition. The course also will examine the relationships among these nations and their significance in the modern world.

400-level seminars focus on the historical interpretation of a specific topic or period. Open to juniors and seniors.

405. Seminars on Special Topics. Spring, Fall. Credits: 4
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
Advanced seminars in selected topics in history. Varies with instructor. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Not offered every year.
Prerequisites: Any History course at the 100 or 200-level or permission of the instructor.

412. Medieval England.
Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This seminar examines the history of England in the Middle Ages, from the age of the Anglo-Saxons to the advent of the Tudors (900-1500). The class will focus particularly on political/constitutional and social history, addressing the following questions: How does the role of kingship change over the course of the Middle Ages? From where does the distinctive tradition of the English Common Law derive? How do administrative institutions develop? And finally, how (if at all) do these developments affect the way that ordinary people lived?
Prerequisites: Any History course at the 200-level or permission of the instructor.

426. Modern European Intellectual History.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This seminar examines some of the leading developments in European thought from the eighteenth century to the present. Some of the issues/intellectual trends to be discussed include the Enlightenment, the French Revolution and natural rights, political economy and liberalism, the Industrial Revolution and socialism, Darwin and Social Darwinism, the “irrational” in late nineteenth-century thought, the impact of the two world wars, feminism, the Cold War and existentialism, and student radicalism and the new left.
Prerequisites: Any History course at the 200-level or permission of the instructor.

428. Fascist Europe, 1918-1945.
Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This seminar investigates one of the most tumultuous eras in European history by exploring the political and cultural development known as “fascism.” Radicalized by World War and Depression, adherents of this new political philosophy gained control of several European countries and transformed them from liberal democracies to totalitarian states. Concentrating on culture and society, we will explore why and how such groups came to power in countries including Italy and Germany, what fascists believed, the elements of their programs, and the legacies they left behind. An original research or historiographical paper, oral presentations, and extensive class discussion are required.
Prerequisites: Any History course at the 100 or 200-level or permission of the instructor.

432. Colonial North America.
Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This seminar explores a variety of interpretations of the colonial experience in North America. Emphasis will be on the interaction of cultures and the evolution of political and social systems. Students will explore primary documents and autobiography, culminating in a research paper. (Course offered every third year; scheduled for 2009-2010.)
Prerequisites: Any History course at the 200-level or permission of the instructor.

435. The Civil War and Reconstruction Era.
Fall or Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This seminar will investigate the political, social, and constitutional developments surrounding the American Civil War. Topics include the development of antebellum society in the North and South, the rise of sectional political tensions, the social impact of the war on black and white Americans, and post-war attempts to reconstruct the social, political, and constitutional order. (Course offered alternate years; scheduled for 2008-2009.)
Prerequisites: Any History course at the 200-level or permission of the instructor.

436. The Origins of Modern America, 1877-1918.
Fall or Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This seminar deals with the social, economic, political, and constitutional development of the United States from the Reconstruction Era through the end of World War I. Topics include the rise of a corporate capitalist economic order, the creation of a post-Reconstruction southern identity, tensions between black and white Americans, the United States’ involvement in Europe’s Great War, and the rise of the national regulatory state.
Prerequisites: Any History course at the 200-level or permission of the instructor.

439. Recent History of the United States.
Fall or Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This seminar examines the evolution of American society since 1945. Special attention is given to the Cold War, political developments, and the cultural transformation of the 1960s and 1970s, and the resurgence of conservatism.
Prerequisites: Any History course at the 200-level or permission of the instructor.

441. Interpretive Issues in Native American History.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This seminar explores problematic issues in the history of Native people in North America, including both Canada and the United States.  Topics include Indians and race relations in the American South, tribal crises and revitalization movements, the intersections of tribalism and capitalism, changing gender relations, and powwow culture in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. (Course offered in alternate years, scheduled for 2009-2010.)
Prerequisites: History 341 or permission of the instructor.

445. Gender in the American West.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This seminar explores gender systems among different cultures, regions, and time periods in the trans-Mississippi West, from early contact between European and native peoples through twentieth-century industrial migrations. Major themes include human encounters with the natural environment, the convergence of cultures, conquest and colonization, the expansion of capitalism, and their impact on gender systems. Students will consider the nature of gender in historic “frontiers” of individual and community transformation. (Course offered in alternate years, scheduled for 2009-2010.)
Prerequisite: Any History course at the 200-level or permission of the instructor.

448. Law and Justice in the American South.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
 This seminar investigates the history of law and lawlessness in the American South from the early nineteenth century to the late twentieth century. Students will explore the developments of substantive law, constitutional thought, and legal institutions in the southern states, as well as white and black southerners’ attitudes about law and justice. Specific topics will include honor and violence in the Old South, the law of slavery, communal justice and lynching, and the effect of religious values on substantive law and constitutional ideals. (Course offered in alternate years, scheduled for 2009-2010.)
Prerequisite: Any History course at the 200-level or permission of the instructor.

456. Cold War America.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities
This course will survey the United States’ involvement in the Cold War and how conflict with the Soviet Union shaped postwar international affairs, domestic politics, and American culture society. Students will learn about the rise of the Soviet-American global rivalry and how this competition played itself out in different theatres. Readings will cover the growth of tensions over issues like the Truman Doctrine or Communist control of Vietnam, as well as Cold War nuclear politics. Further, the course will examine Cold War culture in the United States and discuss issues of consensus and dissent in American society. (Course offered in alternative years; scheduled for 2009-2010.)

460. Internship.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 1- 4.
Degree Requirements: F11.
This is a directed internship in which students apply analytical and writing skills in a variety of off-campus workplaces. Possibilities include historical archives and museums as well as opportunities in non-profit organizations and law firms. To enroll, students must be approved in advance by the instructor and the Office of Career Services. (Does not count toward the major or minor. Taken pass-fail only.)

482. Modern China.
Fall. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This seminar examines China’s transformation from a traditional society to a revolutionary one. Beginning with the intrusion of Western powers and the collapse of China’s imperial system, the course will then explore the nation’s attempts at integration and stabilization in the face of warlordism and invasion. Finally, an important focus will be China’s civil war and the history of the People’s Republic to the present day.
Prerequisites: Any History course at the 200-level or permission of the instructor.

485. Senior Seminar.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4.
The senior seminar is an examination of important themes and issues in the study and writing of history, as seen through selected representative works drawn from diverse fields of historical investigation. Emphasis will be on reading and discussion, with both written analyses and oral presentations required. (Open only to senior History majors.)

488. Modern Japan.
Spring. Credits: 4.
Degree Requirements: Humanities.
This seminar examines Japan’s transition from a closed, traditional society through the processes of modernization, imperial expansion, defeat and occupation to its postwar recovery and emergence as a global economic power. Particular emphasis will be placed on Japan’s efforts to become an integral part of the modern world and yet retain its traditional social structures and values.
Prerequisites: Any History course at the 200-level or permission of the instructor.

495-496. Honors Tutorial.
Fall, Spring. Credits: 4-4.
Maximum of 8 hours credit. Must have departmental approval before undertaking Honors. (Does not count toward the major.)