HIST 499: RS: Senior Seminar in History

HIST 499-001: Apartheid
(Fall 2012)

04:30 PM to 07:10 PM T

Innovation Hall 208

Section Information for Fall 2012

When we hear the word Apartheid, we sometimes think of Nelson Mandela’s triumphs: his Nobel Peace Prize and long struggle to transform South Africa into a democracy. Our course examines Apartheid itself. This modern system of legalized racial and “tribal” segregation dominated South Africa from 1948 to the early 1990s. We will trace the historical processes that led to Apartheid rule and its forms of economic, political and social control; identify the global ideologies, rooted in Social Darwinism and eugenics, that influenced Apartheid laws and mentalities; and study the rise of nationalisms (both “ethnic” and “black”), which determined the course of white supremacy in twentieth-century South Africa. Finally, we will explore the leaders, Mandela among them, and movements that resisted Apartheid, thereby making the cause of anti-racism a pivotal goal of international human rights campaigns during the Cold War.

View 3 Other Sections of this Course in this Semester »

Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Research on specialized historical topic culminating in seminar paper and oral presentation. Synthesis course; students expected to integrate knowledge and skills acquired in Mason Core courses. Notes: Subject determined by instructor. Student may present no more than 3 credits for graduation credit. Must receive passing grade to graduate with BA in history. Limited to three attempts.
Mason Core: Synthesis
Specialized Designation: Research/Scholarship Intensive, Topic Varies, Writing Intensive in Major
Recommended Prerequisite: History majors with 90 credits
Registration Restrictions:

Required Prerequisites: (HIST 300C or 300XS) and (ENGH 302C, ENGL 302C, ENGH 302XS, HNRS 110C, 110XS, 210C, 302C or 302XS).
C Requires minimum grade of C.
XS Requires minimum grade of XS.

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in History.

Schedule Type: Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.