HIST 125: Introduction to Global History

HIST 125-002: Introduction to World History
(Fall 2021)

12:00 PM to 01:15 PM MW

Innovation Hall 330

Section Information for Fall 2021

It is my hope that this course allows you to discover the major trends in global history that have created our modern world. From the Ancient World to present, we will take a look at varied societies in world history not as individual civilizations or nation-states, but as part of a larger global community–exploring sites of contact, mutual interaction, codependence, and conflict. Focusing on Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, the course will examine the cultural, technological, political, economic, religious and social transformations that shaped the societies of these geographic regions, as they became part of an interworking global system.

Since world history by its nature involves going over enormous amounts of information, I do not expect you to retain a detailed knowledge of everything. We will focus instead on developing an overall framework of what has happened in the world and what broad patterns and trends we can use to make sense of it (such as Communities, Networks, Production and Distribution, etc.) and then fitting the details into that framework. In doing so, we will pay attention both to interactions and encounters among the various societies, and to what sorts of useful comparisons we can draw between them. Finally, we will pay particular attention to sources and interpretations — so that you can see where the generalizations in your textbooks come from, and what they are based upon.

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Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

By focusing on historical experiences that reflect the diversity of Mason’s student body, students will be able to see how their families and communities fit within, and contribute to, global history from the pre-modern period to our present day. This course offers a long-term historical perspective on structural issues challenging our world today, including demographic and environmental changes, national and global inequalities, and the underrepresentation of marginalized groups. Students will gain an understanding of how interconnections and inter-dependencies have been forged through the global movement of people, pathogens, goods, and ideas. Limited to three attempts.
Mason Core: Global History
Schedule Type: Lecture, Recitation
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

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