151 History of the West and the World I (4). F and S. This course examines the history of early human societies. The course begins with Paleolithic and Neolithic cultures and their transformation into ancient urban civilizations. It continues with the development of the classical civilizations and the major world religions, and the interaction of impulses from these, down to the European transoceanic voyages around the year 1500 A.D. Secondary themes include evolution of societies around the world, the contrast of urban and sedentary and nomadic strategies for societies, and the development of technology.

151 H World Civilization: The State of the World at the Turn of the First Millennium, A. D. 1000 (4). F. Half of the course will be comprehensive coverage of world history from early hunting-gathering societies to the medieval mercantile empires before A. D. 1500, followed by a mid-semester examination on reading assignments and lectures. The other half will be a research and writing project leading to each student’s contribution of a chapter in the class book entitled A Global Moment: The State of the World at the Turn of the First Millennium, A. D. 1000. This class research project will be a comparative study of historic developments in civilizations around the globe from A. D. 900 to 1100. A key question will be whether similar historical trends occurred independently, through interconnections or in response to globe-wide causes. The writing process includes planning of the book, the research and writing of individual chapters and preparation of the manuscript for in-house publication. This process will culminate in a book-signing party in lieu of a final examination.The course fulfills core credit. Enrollment is limited to 20 students, and is restricted to those who qualify for honors enrollment.

152History of the West and the World II (4). F and S. The history of modern human societies is studied. The course includes coverage of the scientific revolution and the European Enlightenment tradition; key political, economic, social, and religious developments in the West, including the non-Western world’s contribution and reaction to them; and events of global significance through the latter half of the twentieth century, such as the industrial revolution, the world wars, and decolonization.

152 H Honors West and the World (4). S. An intensive study of world history since 1500. The first part of the course will offer an overview of the entire period, focusing on broad patterns of historical development in a global context. In the second half of the semester the focus will shift to an in-depth collaborative and comparative analysis of major events in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas during a single year, 1947. Each student will define a research project exploring some aspect of this theme and contribute a chapter to a self-published volume of essays, A Year in the Life of the World: 1947 in Historical Perspective. A book-signing party will take the place of the final exam. This course meets a core requirement in the History of the West and the World. Enrollment is limited to 20 students and is restricted to those who qualify for honors enrollment.

All 200-level courses presuppose History 151 or 152 or permission of the instructor.

World Regions

231 Ancient Near East (3). F. A cultural history of the ancient Near East from prehistory to Alexander, based on evidence from archaeology and cultural anthropology, as well as on ancient texts in translation, biblical accounts, and contemporary historical records. Special consideration is given to geographical setting, artistic and linguistic traditions, and cultural contacts with European civilizations.

232 Hellenistic and Late Antique Near East (3). A study of Near Eastern civilization from the conquests of Alexander to the early Islamic Caliphates, that is, from 350 B.C. to A.D. 900. Particular emphasis is placed on the cultural syncretism of the age, which saw the development of Judaism and the emergence of Christianity and Islam. Scientific, technical, artistic, social, religious, and political developments will all receive attention. Not offered 2008-2009.

233 Modern Middle East (3). S. A study of Middle Eastern history from the middle ages to the twentieth century, emphasizing the Ottoman Empire and its modern successor states after World War I and Iran. Topics include orientalism, colonialism, nationalism, the rise of Israel, and secularism and Islamic revivalism.

235 India and Its World (3). A cultural history of South Asia from the earliest times to the twentieth century. Primary emphasis will be placed on the civilization of Hindustan and the interplay of Hindu and Islamic religious and cultural forces there. Themes include the rise of the major Indian religions; the cultural synthesis of the Mughal Empire; the impact of British rule; and the rise of the modern nations of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Economic, social, political, religious and intellectual themes receive consideration. Not offered 2008-2009.

238 Latin American History (4). S. A study of continuity and change in Latin America from pre-Columbian times to the present. Topics covered include the mingling of races and cultures in the conquest era, the long-term influence of colonial institutions, the paradox of economic development and continued poverty, the Cold War struggle between forces of the Left and the Right, and the growth of Protestantism in a traditional Catholic society.

241 Africa from Antiquity to 1800 (3). F. A wide-ranging survey of prominent themes encompassing several centuries of African history. The principal aim is to introduce students to some of the main currents of African history and to provide insights into its society and culture. Themes include p re-colonial culture, commerce, and state building; the trans-Saharan and Atlantic trade; Islam and the sociopolitical changes it brought; and the Atlantic slave trade.

242 Modern Africa 1800 to the Present (3). An examination of the historical, political, and economic development of West Africa since 1800. The course examines European imperialism in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the development of African nationalism, resistance and struggle for independence, neo-colonialism, and the origins of contemporary social, economic, and political problems in the new states of the area. Not offered 2008-2009.

245 East Asia to 1800 (3). F. This course is a history of East Asian civilizations from early times until the early modern period. Emphasis is on the history of China and Japan, but the history of Korea is also included. Primary objectives are for students to grasp the essential patterns of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean social structures, political systems, cultural values, and religious and ethical norms as they developed from the late traditional period through to 1800, and also to appreciate the similarities and differences among these civilizations.

246 East Asia since 1800 (3). S. A history of East Asia from 1800 to the present, this course emphasizes the history of China and Japan, but the history of Korea is also included. Primary objectives are for students to grasp the essentials of the patterns of East Asian societies on the eve of the modern period, then to gain an appreciation of the travails of modernity in all three countries as they were transformed from traditional societies to modern nation-states. Another objective is to gain an appreciation of the inter-relatedness of the East Asian nations’ histories in the past 100 to 150 years.

North America

229 U.S.A. (4). F. Selected themes in American history from colonial times to the present. This course is not intended for those who plan to take period courses in American history.

251 Colonial America, 1500-1763 (3). S. A historical study of the British North America from the first European settlements to the eve of the American Revolution. After examining the European background of and Native American responses to colonization, the course will trace the development of the different social systems and regional cultures that emerged along the Atlantic: Puritan New England, plantation Virginia, commercial mid-Atlantic, Caribbean Carolina, and Scots-Irish backcountry. Special emphasis is given to the role of religion and politics in launching and steering this process.

252 The American Republic, 1763-1877 (3). S. An examination of the emergence of the United States from the revolutionary era through Reconstruction, tracing the challenges that faced its citizens in building and preserving a national union. The course will study the period of Independence and Federalism, Jeffersonian and Jacksonian politics, westward expansion, slavery and sectionalism, the Civil War and Reconstruction, and post-War expansion.

253 Industrial America, 1877-1945 (3). A historical study of the United States from the end of Reconstruction through World War II, treating political and cultural developments against the background of the nation’s turn toward an industrial economy, urban society, and global empire. Particular attention will be paid to religious currents, increasing racial/ethnic complexity, and the changing fortunes of the liberal political-economy in war, peace, prosperity, and depression. Not offered 2008-2009.

254 Recent America, 1945-present (3). A study of American history since World War II, focusing on the national impact of the United States’ unprecedented international role and power. Particular attention will be paid to the civil rights movement, culture and politics during the Cold War, the 1960’s “youth revolution” and renewal of American feminism, the emergence of postmodern culture, and the transition to a postindustrial economy. Not offered 2008-2009.

255 African-American History (3). S. An intensive inquiry into the role of the Afro-American in the history of the United States, including an evaluation of past and present assumptions of the place of the Afro-American in American life, and an acquaintance with the historiography on this subject.

256 Women and Gender in U.S. History (3). An introduction to topics in the history of women in North America and to the use of gender as a historical category of analysis. This course examines experiences unique to women as well as the changing perceptions of masculinity and femininity evident in different historical epochs. Not offered 2008-2009.

257 History of the North American West (3). S. A study of the American West from the pre-Columbian plains to present-day California, and as a landscape of the mind as well as a real place. The course will plumb the historical significance of the myths made about the West as well as events that actually transpired there, and students will be encouraged to reflect on what the existence of the two “Wests” tells them about America as a whole.

Europe

223 Russia (3) A survey of the political, social, and cultural history of Russia from its medieval origins as Muscovy through the Romanov Empire and Soviet Communism. The course will address the importance of Orthodox Christianity, the expansion of Russian rule across Eurasia, the interactions between ethnic Russians and their subject peoples, the attempts to modernize Russia along Western lines, and the history of the Soviet regime and its legacies for Russia today. Not offered 2008-2009.

225 England (3). S. A survey of English history including the Anglo-Saxon background; the medieval intellectual, religious, and constitutional developments; the Tudor and Stuart religious and political revolutions; the emergence of Great Britain as a world power; and the growth of social, economic, and political institutions in the modern period.

228 Spain (3). A selective survey of Spanish political, social, and religious history from the Middle Ages through the 1980s, with particular emphasis on the medieval Christian-Jewish-Muslim era and the imperial or “Golden Age” period of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Topics will include the medieval Reconquest, convivencia, the formation of “Spain” out of disparate medieval kingdoms, the unique role of the Catholic Church and the Inquisition in Spanish society, the colonization of Latin America, the flowering of “Golden Age” art and literature, and the political and economic “decline” of the seventeenth century. NOTE: Qualified participants are encouraged to enroll simultaneously in Spanish 306, a one-hour Spanish-language discussion lab open only to students enrolled in History 228. Not offered 2008-2009.

261 Ancient Greece and Rome (3). F and S. A study of the history of Greece and Rome from the Minoan Age through the reign of the Emperor Theodosius. The emphasis is on the political and economic changes, which were the background for the shifts in intellectual style. Particular problems are studied in depth: t he emergence of the city-state; the Periclean age of Athens; the age of Alexander; the crisis of the Roman Republic; and the Decline.

262 Europe in Late Antiquity and the Early-Middle Ages (3). A study of the emergence of Europe out of the Roman Empire alongside the Byzantine Empire and Islamic commonwealth. Special attention is given to the Christianization of the Roman Empire, Christian missions to Western Europe, the role of monasticism, and the way that early medieval Europe, like its neighboring cultures, integrated its Roman-Hellenistic heritage into its new forms. Not offered 2008-2009.

263 Europe in the High- and Late-Middle Ages, 900-1450 (3). This course includes a treatment of one of the most formative periods in the development of European culture and institutions, when strong monarchies emerged out of feudalism, and a new religious vitality transformed Christian spirituality. These impulses are traced through the rise of schools and universities, the Crusades, and the role of the papacy as a unifying political force in Western Christendom, concluding with the late-medieval economic and demographic crisis and the break-up of the medieval worldview in Renaissance Italy. Not offered 2008-2009.

264 Reformation and Early Modern Europe (3). F. A survey of European political and social history from the early 16th century to the late 18th century, with particular emphasis on the Protestant Reformation, its social and intellectual origins, and its political and social contexts and consequences, and on selected “revolutionary” political and intellectual movements, such as the Thirty Years’ War, the English Revolution, the emergence of modern science, the Enlightenment, and the French Revolution.

266 Nineteenth-Century Europe (3). F. The history of Europe from the French Revolution to World War I. Special attention is paid to social and cultural developments, including the rise of industrial society, ideologies and protest movements, nation-building, mass politics, materialism, and the fin de siecle revolution in art and thought.

267 Twentieth-Century Europe (3). S. The history of Europe from World War I to the present. This course examines the social, cultural, and political implications of the century’s major events such as the two World Wars, the rise of totalitarianism, the Holocaust, the emergence of the Cold War, the founding of the European Union, and the fall of the Berlin Wall. Special attention is given to the enduring tension between European unity and national particularism as well as to the burden of the European past.

268 Women and Gender in European History (3). An introduction to topics in the history of women in Europe and to the use of gender as a historical category of analysis. This course examines experiences unique to women as well as the changing perceptions of masculinity and femininity throughout European history. Not offered 2008-2009.

Global Histories

271 War and Society (3). F. A survey of key episodes in world history from the perspective of the social history of war. The course emphasizes the social, economic, cultural, and religious contexts and consequences of warfare. Case studies drawn from various civilizations and from the ancient, medieval, and modern eras explore the thesis that armed conflict has been a significant variable affecting the processes of world historical development.

272 Contemporary World (3). A topical analysis of twentieth-century history, using the Korean War as a point of entry for the study of post-World War II global dynamics. The course will consider the antecedents and consequences of the war, but especially the meanings it held in the eyes of the different nations affected by the conflict, and the policies and behavior they generated in response. Not offered 2008-2009.

273 The Communist World (3). S. A survey of the history of Communism and the legacies of communist rule. The course will address the variations in Marxist thought, the totalitarian model of Stalinism, the rise of communist movements in the developing world, dissident resistance, Communism and the church, the failures of the regimes in Eastern Europe and Russia, and the reforms and repression of Deng Xiaoping in China.

294 Research Methods of History (2). F, I, and S. An introduction to historical sources, bibliography, and research techniques, giving particular attention to the different genres of history writing, the mechanics of professional notation, and critical use of print and electronic research data bases. Intended as preparation for 300-level courses.

Enrollment in all 300-level courses presupposes two courses in History or permission of the instructor.

World Regions

331 Studies in Middle Eastern History (3). A study of the relationship between the United States and the Middle East in the twentieth century. With the collapse of European colonial empires and the onset of the C old W ar after World War II, the United States became increasingly involved in Turkey, Iran, Israel, Egypt, and the other Arab states. The course examines political, economic, social, and religious aspects of this environment. Issues taken up include military alliance systems, economic liberalism, politicized Islam, Christian Zionism, cultural exchanges, and popular images and the academic critique of Orientalism. Discussion of readings is emphasized. Not offered 2008-2009.

338 Mexico and the Americas (3). This course examines the history of Mexico from its pre-Columbian and Iberian origins through its recent embrace of neoliberal economics and democratic politics. Topics that receive substantial emphasis include the fusion of Old and New World cultures during the colonial era, struggles between conservatives and liberals in the 19th century, the 1910 Revolution and its aftermath, and the search for a path to modernity in the 20th century. Attention is paid to the role of religion—pre-Columbian, Catholic, and Protestant-Pentecostal—in each of these episodes. The course concludes with an examination of the experience of Mexican-Americans. Not offered 2008-2009.

346 Modern China (3). An in depth, comprehensive treatment of Chinese history from the Qing Dynasty, about 1650, to the present. In addition to the basics of political, social, and economic history, the course will stress intellectual and religious currents, including the role of Christianity. Not offered 2008-2009.

354 American Religious History (3). A study of religion in modern America, tracing a theme or problem that connects the different phases of development, confessional traditions, and sociocultural contexts pertinent to Americans’ religious experience in this era. Topics might include religion and the city, religion and race, religion in popular culture, faith and skepticism, etc. Not offered 2008-2009.

355 American Intellectual History (3). F. This course will trace American understandings of “liberty” and “slavery” from 1750 to 1875, that is, from the time when the Enlightenment and religious awakenings gave these concepts new meanings through the end of Reconstruction when the re-definitions accorded them by the Civil War were fixed in place. We will examine in particular the development of religious and political ideas, the varieties of abolitionist and pro-slavery thought, and the interplay of all of these against the background of the nation’s rapid economic development and growing sectional discord. This course is eligible for concurrent registration with History 394.

356 American Social and Cultural History (3). S. A study of the development of American society from 1776 to the present with reference to developments other than those primarily political or intellectual, such as social reform movements, popular culture, art and architecture, educational developments, the labor movement, immigration, nativism and racism, and urban problems. This course is eligible for concurrent registration with History 394.

357 American Economic History (4). A study of United States economic history from colonial times to the present, emphasizing the foundations of the American economy, the dynamics behind American economic expansion, the history of American business, and the costs and benefits of industrialization and modernization. Not offered 2008-2009.

358 Studies in the North American West (3). F. Violence in the American West, from the Spanish colonial era to the present. This course is about conquistadors, gunslingers, anarchist saboteurs, vigilante lynchings, cowboys fighting in saloons, enslaved Chinese prostitutes, Indian warriors, Mormon ambushes, riots in post-industrial LA, and more. It uses these striking figures, and events such as the Ludlow Massacre and Custer’s Last Stand, to examine the function of violence in the political, social, and economic evolution of the region. The course also examines the popular culture of violence in Western fiction and film. This violence has been about class conflict, racial and cultural antagonism, competing political visions, and ideals of manhood. The course focuses on the American West, but it makes brief comparisons to other regions of the U.S. and similar frontiers in Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Latin America, and Australia.

This course is eligible for concurrent registration in History 394. Students who take the History 394 seminar in connection with History 358 are encouraged to do papers on a topic related to violence, but may choose other topics set in the American West during any period. They may also do papers on other frontiers during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Europe

362 Studies in Medieval Europe (3). F. Focuses on a particular topic or period within the Middle Ages for advanced historical study. For Fall 2008, this course will examine the history of the Crusades, from their inception with the First Crusade in the eleventh century to the fall of the mainland Kingdom of Jerusalem in 1292. Special attention will be given to the religious, political, and social contexts of the Crusades, the motivations of the crusaders, and medieval Christian attitudes towards Muslims and Jews. Not only Crusades in the Middle East will be examined but also the Reconquista in Spain and the Crusades against the Cathars and in the Baltic. Substantial attention will be given to historical interpretations and historiographical debates about the significance of the Crusades.This course is eligible for concurrent registration with History 394.

363 Studies in Early Modern Europe (3). This course will look in detail at Calvinism, one of the leading Protestant movements that began in early modern Europe and reshaped the religious and political landscape in Europe and in the American colonies in the 16th and early 17th centuries. Beginning with Geneva, the course will examine the ways in which Calvinism spread, changed and developed in different political, social and cultural contexts. We will focus on the connections between religious change and social and political transformations. We will examine the aims of the Calvinist clergy versus those of lay people, and the approach taken by Calvinism on key concepts such as church discipline, the right of resistance and the appropriate sphere of action of church and state. This course will seek to bring to light the variety of experiences of leading Calvinist pastors, but also those of ordinary people. We will read a range of primary sources in English as well as a number of articles by leading scholars of the Reformation. Not offered 2008-2009.

364 Studies in Modern Europe (3). S. Exploring the changing roles of individuals in post-1789 European society, this course examines major trends and events through the perspective of their impact on the self-perception of individuals. The course proceeds through such topics as the development of working-class consciousness, the rise of the respectable middle class, the Nazification of “ordinary Germans,” and the meaning of religious identity in modern society. This course is eligible for concurrent registration in History 394.

371 Asia and the Pacific since 1850 (3). S This course will examine the experience and impact of Westerners in East Asia, principally between 1850 and 1950. It will take a sampling from each category of Western residents (many of whom were Americans) who played interesting roles in the modern history of China, Japan, and Korea: foreign missionaries, merchants, diplomats, and academics. In addition to other course work, each student will select a case study of an individual, family, or small group as the subject of a paper. This course is eligible for concurrent registration with History 394.

372 Europe’s Global Empires (3). Examines dimensions of European imperialism from its inception in the fifteenth century to its demise in the twentieth. The course may focus on the empire of a single European nation (e.g., Britain or Spain) or may conduct a comparative study of several nations’ empires from a particular analytical perspective. Not offered 2008-2009.

IDIS 359 Seminar in the Teaching of History at the Secondary Level (3). F and S. This course is designed to assist student teachers in developing appropriate goals and effective methods of teaching history and social studies at the middle and high school level. The seminar also provides a forum for the discussion of problems that develop during student teaching. Prerequisites: History 375, concurrent enrollment in Education 346, and an approved history major.

IDIS 375 Methods and Pedagogies for Secondary Social Studies (3). A course in perspectives on, principles of, and practices in teaching of history, government, geography, and economics at the secondary level. Included are teaching strategies, curriculum studies, readings regarding new developments in social studies education, and an examination of these topics as they relate to a Christian view of human nature. Prerequisites: Education 302-303 or permission of the instructor.

380 Field Work in Middle East Archaeology
(5). See Archaeology IDIS 340.

390 Independent Study. F, I, S.

390H Honors Tutorial In History (3). F.

391H Honors Senior Thesis (3). A two-semester sequence designed to lead students to the writing of a more substantial seminar paper than is possible in History 394. Students spend fall term in History 390H conducting a thorough investigation of the secondary literature on and around a topic which they choose in close consultation with their advisor. They proceed in spring term to write a senior thesis upon that topic. Required for students in the department’s honors track and highly recommended for those planning to pursue graduate studies in history.

393 Museum Studies (3).

394 Research Seminar (2). F and S. An intensive study of a specific question or topic to the end of producing an article-length (20-25 pages ) paper based on original sources and addressing a well-defined historiographical problem in the field. Not open to first- or second-year students.

395 Historiographical Perspectives (3). F and S. The capstone in the history major, this course examines the history of history writing in the Western tradition with a view toward articulating a critical Christian perspective on the discipline. Emphasis is on reading and discussion of significant monuments of Western historiography. By means of persistent critical reflection throughout the course on the texts and on current epistemological and methodological issues, a variety of Christian perspectives are engaged and evaluated, and the students challenged to articulate their own.