HIST 510: Approaches to Modern World History

HIST 510-002: Approaches to Modern World History
(Fall 2010)

07:20 PM to 10:00 PM T

Section Information for Fall 2010

This course will introduce students to world history scholarship. More than a review of chronologies and events, the course will focus on some of the major theoretical and methodological issues raised by the attempt to write world history. For our purposes this project has two significant consequences. First, world history requires us to abandon Eurocentric perspectives on the past, to avoid seeing the world as "the West and the Rest." We will be exploring several novel approaches to the past generated by scholars seeking to apprehend the histories of regions outside the US and Europe. Second, world history often entails a focus on global interconnectedness: how have historical processes linked distant regions? Can the world be conceived of as a single system? What new perspectives are enabled if we move beyond the nation-state as our object of study? Along the way, we will be considering a series of historical issues of longstanding interest, including modernization, imperialism, slavery, globalization, nationalism, race, and memory, as well as some more surprising topics, such as the British sweet tooth and the weather.

Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Introduces historical study of world beyond Europe and United States. Students read major theoretical works and case studies of particular regions. Examines imperialism, national identity, and various forms of popular resistance; familiarizes students with range of scholarly approaches, including world systems theory and subaltern studies. May not be repeated for credit.
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to graduate program in history.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate 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.