Skip to main content
This course is an examination of the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and the rise of the modem nation-state. Particular emphasis is placed on the political, economic, and social upheaval resulting from the impact of liberalism and nationalism.
This course examines the collapse of European global domination in the wake of two world wars and the division of Europe during the Cold War. Topics include the disaster of the First World War, the rise of Communism and Fascism, the Second World War, the recovery of Europe, the collapse of the Soviet Empire, and the rise of the European Union.
This course surveys the history of Russia from the late Middle Ages to the Russian Revolution. Specific topics include the growth of Russian power, the emergence of Russia as a major player in the European state system, and the collapse of Tsarist autocracy.
This course is an examination of the rise of Soviet totalitarianism, the Great Patriotic War, the impact of the Soviet Union’s role as superpower, both internal and external, the collapse of Soviet society, the first halting attempts to rebuild Russia, and the re-emergence of Russia on the international stage as a regional power and an economic force.
This course provides a brief survey of British society to the Elizabethan period, followed by a more detailed study of the Elizabethan period through World War II. Topics such as the nature of the 18th century politics, the Industrial Revolution, liberal and Victorian England, the impact of the World Wars on British society, and the “Irish Question” are examined.
This course is a survey of Mexican history that emphasizes the variety of forces that shaped the formation of modem Mexico. Beginning with the settlement of Mesoamerica, the first half of the course examines the classical, pre-Columbian civilizations, the Spanish conquest, and the development of a diverse, multi-racial society from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. The second half of the course discusses the causes and consequences of Mexican independence, the roots of the Mexican Revolution, its social, cultural and political consequences, and the breakdown of the PRI system in the late twentieth century.
This course is a survey of the emergence of Islam during late Roman antiquity and the middle ages, highlighting the life of the prophet Mohammed and the development of Islamic religion, philosophy, and literature in the early Islamic empires. Also considered is the development of Islamic fundamentalism in the modem world and institutional, operational, and environmental factors which demonstrate differences between the Islamic and Western worlds. (This course may be taken for credit as RELS 352.)
This course is a basic survey of modem China. Following an introduction to the geography and history of the country, the course focuses on the art, modem literature, cinema, culture, sociology, politics, foreign relations, economy, and current conditions in the People’s Republic of China.
This course is a basic survey of modem Japan. Following an introduction to geography and history, the course focuses on art, modem literature, cinema, culture, sociology, politics, economy, and current conditions in Japan. (This course may be taken for credit as JAPN 321.)
This class explores the historical development of Japanese culture through the viewing of a series of 16 to 18 Japanese movies which portray, in one way or another, key concepts that are central to understanding Japanese society. Combines with readings and lectures which place the films in their historical context, students should gain an understanding of the wrenching social changes that buffeted Japan over the course of the twentieth and into the twenty-first century.
