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HISTORY

 

G R A D U A T E   C O U R S E   O F F E R I N G S

 

Spring 2010

 

The History Department will offer the following 6000 and 7000/8000-level courses in the Spring 2010 semester. The attached descriptions are designed to provide a clear conception of course content.  It should be noted that while 6000 courses also include undergraduate students (4000 level), a distinct set of reading, writing, and grading expectations is maintained for graduate students.

 

HIST 6052-001

THE HISTORY OF RELIGION – Robert A. Yelle

TR – 2:40-4:05                    MI 205

This course aims to provide students with a knowledge of the broad outlines of and major developments in the history of religion. Some of the topics to be given special attention are ritual and myth; the nature of the religious quest; the relationship between magic and science or rationality; and secularization, or the idea that religion is in decline in the modern world. We will examine the different ways that human beings have struggled to understand the phenomenon of human religiosity, from the earliest attempts by Greek philosophers to explain myths, to contemporary debates over whether “religion” refers to something specific that constitutes a valid object of study. Theories covered include anthropological, sociological, and psychological theories of religion; phenomenology and the History of Religions school; and contemporary postcolonial, feminist, and other critical theories of religion. We will also consider the historical and ethical implications of the fact that the study of religion is largely a modern endeavor, bound up with the self-definition of European cultures as against other cultures.

 

History 6126-001

VICTORIAN AND EDWARDIAN ENGLAND - Abraham D. Kriegel

MWF - 9:10-10:05              MI 205

This course focuses on the dominant world power in the nineteenth century.  It involves a study of numerous historical problems with relevance to contemporary subjects.  Among these: the first experience of industrialization (providing a model for social scientists who wish to see industrialization spread to the third world); the transition from a traditionally hierarchical to a class-structured society; the development of parliamentary democracy; the refinement of modern liberalism and conservatism in response to industrialization; Darwinism and its application to social and political relationships; the accelerated expansion of empire and the consequent extension to all continents of English institutions; imperialism and the Irish question; and the transformation of the family and the role of women in modern society

 

HIST 6162-001

HISTORY OF THE SOVIET UNION - Andrei Znamenski

TR – 5:30-6:55                    MI 203

This course will explore the history of Russia from 1917 to the present day. We will start with the 1917 Bolshevik revolution and then examine the rise, development, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union/Soviet Communism in 1991.  We will also discuss the recent history of Russia, including the rise of Russian nationalism.  Soviet Union/Russia was/is a country populated by numerous ethnic groups and nationalities.  For this reason, the course places much emphasis on the development of Russia as a multinational state - the mosaic of vastly different Eurasian nationalities and cultures.  The classes are conducted in a lecture-discussion format.  The instructor lectures to introduce the material.  At the same time, students are expected to participate in class discussions, using the materials from their home readings: textbook chapters and documents/essays from the reader.  Exams (two tests) and quizzes (six quizzes) will be based on our class discussions and the materials from your textbook and the reader.  In addition to the textbook and the reader, in this course undergraduate students are assigned to read three books (these are usually books of memoirs and a novel) and to write three short book reviews based on these texts (five pages each). To enhance learning the course integrates the use of power point presentations along with video clips, films, and music.

 

History 6221-001

TWENTIETH-CENTURY LATIN AMERICAN REVOLUTIONS – Guiomar Duenas-Vargas

TR – 5:30-6:55                    MI 205

                This course is a critical comparative examination of twentieth-century revolutionary movements in Latin America focusing on Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Chile.  We will consider the historical conditions in each country that led to revolution.  Particular attention will be given to the socio-political developments and the international conditions that triggered the uprisings in the selected countries; the nature and extent of the United States’ foreign policy toward the revolutionary movements; and the consequences of the revolutions for politics, economics, and society.  In exploring these issues, we will emphasize the themes of exclusion of large segments of the population from economic rewards and political participation, the ineffectiveness of agrarian reforms, the increasing hostility towards foreign intervention in local affairs, economic imperialism, nationalism, and internal relocation of political power.

               

HIST 6260-001  

THE WORLD SINCE 1945 - Supriya Mukherjee

MWF - 11:30-12:25                            MI 209

                This course examines the recent history of the world through lectures and discussions of such topics as the Cold War, the end of the colonial empires, and the collapse of communism.  The conceptual problems of dealing with such a recent period will be considered.  Additionally, the global (although not necessarily homogeneous) character of the contemporary period raises issues of approach and perspective.  Recent historiographic debates concerning the various narratives of history will be discussed.  This course does not include material on U.S. history, other than as necessary for understanding world history, since the History Department's curriculum includes a separate course on the subject for the same time frame.

 

History 6323-001

EGYPT OF THE PHARAOHS – Suzanne Onstine

MW – 12:40-2:05                               MI 209

          In this class, we will be exploring the development and achievements of ancient Egypt.  While our work will be organized around a number of historical themes; these include the rise of civilization and the state, royal ideology, religious practices and Egypt’s religion and world view.  What I would like to do is to “demystify” the Egyptians for a modern audience whose world is very different from theirs – to give you a sense of how they perceived the universe and their situation in it, and thus why they developed ways of dealing with it that are so characteristic, but enigmatic to us.  The course will cover the time period from prehistory down to the Hyksos domination (ca. 1600 BC).  All lectures will be in PowerPoint format and richly illustrated.  Students will be exposed to both primary and secondary sources.

 

History 6390-001

EUROPE IN THE AGE OF THE REFORMATION - Robert J. Frankle

MWF – 10:20-11:15                           MI 203

This course will attempt to survey all major aspects of sixteenth-century European history, but like the century itself, it will focus on the religious reformation initiated by Luther, continued by Zwingli, Calvin, and the Anabaptists, and others and responded to by the Catholic Church.  We will explore the relationship between the religious reformation and political, economic, social, cultural, and intellectual developments.  We also will read some of the writings of the leading figures of the Reformation.  There will be two one-hour exams in addition to the Final.

 

History 6401-001

EUROPE IN THE AGE OF THE BAROQUE - Walter R. Brown

MWF - 11:30-12:25                            MI 205

This course will examine Europe in the period 1590-1715, a turning point in the creation of the modern world.  The first part of the term will focus on 1590-1660, an era of struggle between aspiring absolute monarchs and the proponents of shared constitutional power in Spain, England, and France; between Catholics and Protestants;and between the new science and traditional Christian world views.  We will consider the Thirty Years War, Europe’s first ‘world’ war; and problems resulting from plague, climatic change, and famine. The second part will examine Europe in the ‘golden age’ of Louis XIV.  Throughout, we will look at the ways in which baroque art and literature reflect the distinctive character and evolution of European life during this crucial era. 

 

History 6670-501

CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION, 1850-1877 – Douglas Cupples

Four weekends on F - 5:30-8:30 and S - 8:30-4:30                     Millington Campus

The Civil War and period afterwards, called Reconstruction, are defining moments in American and world history.  The 1830-1876 (war years 1861-1865) era was marked by dramatic changes in the social, political, military, and technological environment of the young republic.  Additionally, the international status of the United States was greatly impacted by this deadly conflict.  For this course the student is expected to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the causes, progress, and effects of these events through classroom participation, written examinations, and a research paper.  One Saturday class will consist of a field trip to Shiloh National Military.  The battlefield at Shiloh is one of the best preserved in the United States and presents visitors with a visual example of the tactical elements faced by Civil War soldiers and their commanders.

 

 

 

HIST 6702-M50

U.S. SINCE WORLD WAR II  - Janann Sherman

THIS COURSE WILL BE TAUGHT ONLINE

            This course explores the second half of twentieth-century america (and a bit of the twenty-first), using the lenses of social, economic, political, and diplomatic history.  Topics include three major wars:  The Cold War, Korean War, and Vietnam; social movements for full inclusion in American society for African Americans, women, and gays; the cultural cataclysm of the 1960s; the conservative resurgence of the 1980s; and the historical roots of contemporary issues.  The course will involve extensive reading, weekly essays, and discussion participation.

 

History 6851-001

HISTORY OF WOMEN IN AMERICA – Margaret M. Caffrey

MW – 5:30-6:55                  MI 305

This course deals with women’s experience in and contribution to American culture from Colonial times to the present.  We will study both uncommon women of the past and also the daily life of the vast number of women who left few records of their passing but had a significant impact on American culture as they lived through it.  We will look at how these women dealt with families, work, sexuality, creativity, and the roles expected of them in society.  We will also look at how some women rebelled against certain social roles and expectations and founded the Woman’s Right Movement.

 

History 6853-001

AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN - Beverly Bond

TR – 11:20-12:45                               MI 307

        Since their arrival in the New World colonies in the 1500s and 1600s, black women have exited at the intersections of ideology and actions relating to race, class, gender and sexuality. In this course we will examine what this has meant for black women, for African Americans, for all women, and for American society. We will focus on the impact of slavery and segregation; on women’s economic and political activities; on the migrations to the American West and to urban communities in the South, North, and Midwest; on the role of women in the development of African American religious, educational, social,  and fraternal institutions; and on wmen’s activism from abolition and women’s rights to birth control, civil rights, women’s liberation, welfare rights and other movements. These topics will be examined in a chronological sursvey of events from the 17th through the 20th centuries; however, our periodization and interpretations will center on the experiences of African American women.

 

History 6879-001

FROM AFRICA TO THE AMERICAS: AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY TO 1820 – Arwin Smallwood

TR – 9:40-11:05                  MI 307

        This course will cover the period from the arrival of the Africans in the western hemisphere to the expansion of ante-bellum slavery into the U.S. Lower South by 1820.  It will examine the African Diaspora, colonial slavery, the impact of slavery on the formation of the United States, and the development of African American culture.  The course also explores relationships between enslaved and free Blacks, Europeans, and Native Americans during the colonial and early national periods.

Prerequisites: HIST 3881, AAAS 2100, or a comparable survey in African American history or the African Diaspora.

 

HIST 7021/8021-001

COLLOQUIUM FOR GRADUATE ASSISTANTS – James Blythe

F – 12:30 – 3:30                  MI 223

This colloquium will be a forum for discussion of selected problems of interest to the participants, principally dealing with research and publication in the historian’s profession.  Each meeting (to be scheduled early in the semester by the Graduate Coordinator and those enrolled) will feature discussions based on practical experiences of the participants themselves together with input from guests chosen for their expertise in the topic under discussion.  Open for credit only to History Department graduate assistants.  Other graduate students may audit, with the consent of the Graduate Coordinator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HIST 7070/8070-01

RESEARCH SEMINAR - Aram Goudsouzian

R – 2:30-5:30                       MI 223

This course is designed for its participants to produce a scholarly article on a specific topic of twentieth-century United States history.  Students will produce a review of the relevant historiography, perform substantial primary source research, give a presentation, and write a polished essay suitable for publication in an academic journal.

 

HIST 7070/8070-002
RESEARCH SEMINAR – Sarah Potter
M – 5:30-8:30                      MI 223

         This seminar will build on the reading and research students conducted
in “HIST 7980/8980: The Reproductive Rights Movement in the US.”
Students will produce article-length original research papers on some
aspect of the history of sexuality and reproductive rights in the
United States. They will workshop and present their scholarship in
class.

 

HIST 7070/8070-003

RESEARCH SEMINAR - Kent Schull
M – 2:30-5:30                      MI 223

         This research seminar covers the Middle East writ large and can deal with any facet or approach to history dealing with the Middle East in some way.  Knowledge of a Middle Eastern language is useful, but not necessary. There are plenty of topics that deal with the Middle East that do not require an in-depth knowledge of the Middle East proper, such as diaspora communities in Europe or the Americas, interfaith dialogue efforts, Muslims in the West, or U.S. foreign relations with another country. Sources for original research can come from media, oral histories, state documents, personal papers, literature, religious texts, etc.  The end result of this seminar is a publishable article-length document based on primary sources and constitutes original research that makes a contribution to the field of history.   

 

HIST 7100/8100-001

GLOBAL HISTORIOGRAPHY– James Blythe

W – 2:30-5:30                      MI 223

          This course is intended to supplement specific areas of study with a global perspective and introduce a rising field of history in its own right. Emphasis will be on the factors that favor or hinder the formation and development of various kinds of society, as well as the interactions of societies, including biological, geographical, cultural, linguistic, intellectual, political, social, and economic elements, and on the formation, development, disintegration, and importance of global and subglobal systems. Readings will cover the entire range of human society from prehistory to the present and concern such topics of current scholarly debate as: Why did technological societies arise only in certain areas? Why did the West emerge as the dominant world power of the modern era? What is the nature and significance of the great human genetic and linguistic diasporas?

 

HIST 7320/8320-001

STUDIES IN ANCIENT HISTORY: Gender in the Ancient World – Suzanne Onstine

T – 5:30-8:30                       MI 209
          This class will focus on the gendered experience in ancient Egypt, with comparative material from the Near Eastern and Classical worlds.  Through readings and seminar presentations, students will explore various aspects of ancient Egyptian life, from the home to politics, and the role played by gender in the experience of Egyptians from all social groups.

 

HIST 7320/8320-002

STUDIES IN ANCIENT HISTORY: Egyptian Imperialism in the 18th Dynasty - Peter Brand

R – 5:30-8:30                       MI 209

This seminar will explore the development of Ancient Egypt’s foreign relations with Nubia and Western Asia during the New Kingdom— often dubbed Egypt’s imperial age.  From the expulsion of the foreign Hyksos rulers and the re-conquest of Nubia in the reign of Ahmose to the beginning of the long conflict with the Hittite empire at the end of the 18th Dynasty, the pace and depth of Egypt’s contacts with the outside world reached unprecedented levels during this era. What events and ideas drove Egypt’s ambitious expansion beyond its borders? How did the pharaohs interact with other civilizations, both militarily and diplomatically? Did these pharaohs create a true empire? We will examine the key primary sources and major secondary literature touching on these issues. Primary sources will be available in English translation; however, more advanced students will also translate some key hieroglyphic texts documenting 18th Dynasty foreign relations including the War Annals of Thutmose III and the autobiography of military officials like Ahmose-son of Ibana. 

 

HIST 7400/8400-001

STUDIES IN EARLY MODERN EUROPEAN HISTORY – Walter R. Brown

W – 5:30-8:30                      MI 223

This course will look at early modern Europe through an examination of the lives of a number of individual men and women who lived during the period 1500-1800.  We will look at important and highly influuential figures such as Erasmus, Elizabeth I, and Voltaire.  We will also consider individuals from the lower social orders such as the 16th-century French villager Martin Guerre, the Italian miller and heretic Menocchio, and the Parisian craftsman Jacques-Louis Ménétra caught up in the maelstrom of the French Revolution, whose lives give us access to the world of the ‘common’ man or woman.  In the course of considering the lives and roles of these individuals, we will also examine the ‘great man’ theory of history, the nature of biography, and the groundbreaking study of mentalités pioneered by historians of early modern Europe.

 

HIST 7430/8430-001

STUDIES IN MODERN EUROPEAN HISTORIOGRAPHY – Daniel Unowsky

T – 2:30-5:30                       MI 223

This course introduces some of the major themes and methodologies in modern European historiography. The course will consider significant scholars and texts animating the debates that define the field. Discussions will focus on a series of interrelated themes—race, class, gender, nationalism, etc—that are of vital interest to scholars of modern European history. As we read a selection of both well known and lesser known scholarship, we will consider “What is modern?,” “What is European?,” and “What is history?”.

 

HIST 7601/8601-001

U.S. HISTORIOGRAPHY TO 1877 – Scott Marler

T – 5:30-8:30                       MI 223

                This course will introduce graduate students to significant scholarship in American history about the four centuries between European contact and Reconstruction, with an emphasis on how such works are produced as part of an ongoing ‘conversation’ among historians.  A major theme of the course will be the role of transnational and crosscultural exchanges of goods, ideas, and peoples (forced and free) in the Americas.  The comparativew approach embedded in this theme will also be reflected in topically focused weekly readings that stress the diverse developmental paths (social, political, economic) of different U.S. regions, which should help illuminate the growing conflicts over slavery that culminated in the Civil War.

 

HIST 7880/8880-001

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORIOGRAPHY – Arwin Smallwood

R – 5:30-8:30                       MI 223

History 7880/8880 is designed to introduce students beginning their graduate work in African-American history to the basic philosophical problems of recreating and understanding the African-American past, to the history of historical writing and both African-American and non African-American scholars, and to the practical skills needed by a professional historian in the field of African-American History. The course will be divided into four parts. (1) During the first four weeks we shall explore four basic issues: a) how, or if, the historian can establish what happened in the past; b) the extent to which history helps to discover uniformities in human behavior, or render judgment upon human conduct; c) how we know why historical events occurred: and d) whether the lessons of the past tell us anything about our direction in the future.  (2) For the next four weeks of the semester, we shall see how historians from the beginning of African-American history—writing to the present have attempted to answer these questions.  (3) In the next four weeks, we shall reexamine the basic issues of African-American historiography in the light of the continuing debate over the “facts,” singularity, immorality, causes, and significance of the African Diaspora, colonial slavery, antebellum slavery, Jim Crow, and the Civil Rights movement.  In this study we shall have the help of members of the Department of History, who will be present to instruct us upon the historiography of the periods and places they know best.   (4) Finally in the last four weeks we will examine the fundamental tools and skills necessary for researching, writing and teaching in the field of African-American History such as a) Bibliographical Guides to the field, b) how to use and do annotated bibliographies in the field, c) how to do a literature search in the field, d) major historical journals in the field, e) major professional organizations and conferences for the field, f) major fellowship opportunities in the field, and g) a guide to finding a job in the field.