Course Catalog

Broad introduction to global history, by exploring the global structures and transnational forces that have shaped human history, from the emergence of agriculture and urban centers to our contemporary global village.

This introductory survey in "Big History" explores different scales of time as it places human history in larger geological, ecological, and cosmic contexts. Topics include the big bang, planet formation, the origin and development of life, mass extinctions, the emergence of Homo sapiens, the development of agriculture and cities, wars, plagues, and natural disasters, the advent of religion and science, political revolutions, industrialization and globalization, and human impact on the environment.

What is black music, and how do we know what we think we know about it? Together, we will examine musical creations pioneered by Africans and individuals of African descent over several centuries and across hemispheres. Doing so will allow us to consider the unity of the African Diaspora and its music, and also examine internal differences and diversity. Special focus is given to Latin America and the U.S., but, depending on the semester, we will also read about, listen to, and talk about music and musicians in Asia, Africa, and Europe.

[IAI Code: H2903N] Survey of Latin American history from the discovery of America to 1824.

Survey of African history to 1800, or rather African "histories." Along with historical knowledge, it seeks to give students a basic familiarity with the geography of the continent, as well as to provide an overview of African languages. Through the analysis of secondary as well as of primary sources, students will be introduced to and further examine the development of pre-colonial African societies. Same as AFST 111.

[IAI Code: H2903N] Surveys the three major East Asian civilizations from ancient and classical times, through the period of Western influence, political revolution, and modernization, to the contemporary age and the emergence of East Asian superpowers. Same as EALC 120. Credit is not given toward graduation for: Credit is not given for both HIST 120 and EALC 135.

[IAI Code: H2903N] Multidisciplinary introduction to the history of modern South Asia from the consolidation of early modern state formations, the negotiation of religious, cultural and linguistic formations, European colonial interactions, and the rise of the modern nation states of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Same as ANTH 130.

[IAI Code: H2903N] Introduction to fourteen centuries of Middle East history from the rise of Islam to modern times. Examines the development of Islamic thought, and of religious, social, and political institutions; as well as the transformations of the 19th and 20th centuries in the area consisting of Egypt, the Fertile Crescent, Arabia, Turkey, and Iran.

Course is identical to HIST 141 except for the additional writing component. See HIST 141. Credit is not given for both HIST 140 and HIST 141. Prerequisite: Completion of campus Composition I General Education requirement.

[IAI Code: H2901] Western societies from antiquity to the early modern age in western Asia, North Africa, and Europe; with an emphasis on cultural exchange, migration, and the transmission of knowledge, ideas, technologies, and arts. Topics include the formation of the earliest civilizations; political and intellectual experiments of the Greek and Roman worlds; emergence of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; military, commercial, social, and educational revolutions of the Middle Ages; rise of independent cities and territorial monarchies; religious upheavals and violent aftermaths. Credit is not given toward graduation for: Credit is not given for both HIST 141 and HIST 140.

Same as JS 120 and REL 120. See REL 120.

Course is identical to HIST 171 except for the additional writing component. Credit is not given for both HIST 170 and HIST 171. Prerequisite: Completion of campus Composition I General Education requirement.

[IAI Code: H2904] U.S. history survey beginning with the diverse peoples who have populated North America since before the age of contact with Europeans and extending forward through the advent of European colonialism, the movement for independence, the foundation of the republic, the Civil War, and Reconstruction, ending in 1877. The course provides an introduction to historical interpretation, with particular attention to racialized and other forms of social, political, and economic inequality and struggles for freedom and democracy. Credit is not given toward graduation for: Credit is not given for both HIST 171 and HIST 170.

Same as AFRO 101. See AFRO 101.

May be repeated.

Through the careful examination of a specific topic or theme, this course provides a thorough introduction to historical interpretation. Particular attention will be devoted to research strategies, writing practices, handling primary and secondary sources, and the analysis of historiography. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours with permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Introduction to the historical study of Americans' relationship with the natural world. Examination of the ways that "natural" forces have helped to shape American history; the ways that human beings have shaped, altered, and interacted with nature over time; and the ways that cultural, philosophical, scientific, and political attitudes toward the environment have changed from pre-history to the present. Same as ESE 202 and NRES 202.

Introduction to the craft of publishing historical materials, with a special focus on how to publish the past in the digital age. Assignments will include historical and methodological readings, as well as hands-on instruction in digital publishing techniques. Skills taught include historical research, content development, project management, and copyright analysis.

Introduction to the history of the Japanese people, their social and cultural systems, politics, and economy, from the mid-sixteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. Same as EALC 227.

Survey of the political, social, economic, military, institutional, religious and cultural development of Rome from 753 BCE until 480 CE.

Exploration of the Holocaust in historical perspective by examining European anti-Semitism, political developments in Germany, the rise to power of the Nazis, and the origins of the Holocaust with first-hand accounts, films, and historical texts, concluding with the legacy of the Holocaust in the contemporary world. Same as JS 252.

Economic, social, political, and cultural developments in twentieth-century world history from late nineteenth-century to Second World War era.

Main themes and problems of Russian history from earliest times to the present.

The ideas of Charles Darwin initiated a profound transformation in human thought, science, and culture. This course examines the intellectual origins, scientific content, and social, cultural, and religious context and impacts of Darwinian evolutionary theory. Topics include the conflict between science and religion, the eugenics movement and Social Darwinism, the biology of race and gender, and the rise of modern genetics and genomics.

An examination of pivotal events in the history of Native peoples in North America. Students will explore the complexity of encounters between American Indians and others through a focus on key moments. These will include religious encounters, military confrontations, and legal struggles as well as social and artistic interactions. Same as AIS 277.

Same as LLS 279. See LLS 279.

Interdisciplinary examination of the historical, cultural, and social dimensions of race and ethnicity in the United States. Explores the complex and intricate pursuit of multiracial and multicultural democracy. Same as AAS 281, AFRO 281, and LLS 281.

Same as ANTH 288 and AIS 288. See ANTH 288.

A chronological survey of the American presidency that examines individual presidents and the times in which they lived. Major themes include: The creation and development of the office of the president; the nature of presidential power; Americans' evolving relationship with presidents; the impact of party politics, campaigning, and the media on the office.

Examines films as a significant medium of commentary on society and history. Explores the motives and careers of moviemakers, the ways in which films are influenced by their audiences, and how audiences' perception of historical processes are affected by films. Topics will vary. Same as MACS 300. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours if topics vary. Students may register in more than one section per term. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours.

Development of Mexico from the conquest to the postrevolutionary present.

Examines the role of both diplomatic and military intelligence in the political history of major global events and developments from the nineteenth century to the present day. Studies the histories of several major intelligence organizations, as well as the roles played by smaller and non-institutional actors in the global production of intelligence. Focuses on the interplay between intelligence, state policy, and information environments to understand not only the role intelligence played in major events, but also how intelligence practices shaped and reflected political cultures across the world.

Introduction to comparative and global perspectives on gender and an investigation into the political and economic processes that affect gender systems across a wide range of societies. Gender non-conforming practices in U.S. history are highlighted. Attention is paid to the ways in which women in different parts of the world have defined and redefined the boundaries of "woman" and mobilized around that identity. Same as GWS 316.

Same as EALC 367. See EALC 367.

Political-economic, social and ideological developments in Egypt, Arabia, and Fertile Crescent (including Israel), Iran and Turkey since 1918 to the present, including U.S. involvement.

Among the topics of this course will be Romanticism, which is still the basic form of modern culture today, with its emphasis on feeling, imagination, and self-expression; the nation-state, a new form of political organization; and the creation of a globalized world for the first time in human history.

An examination of how Jewish life and culture contributed to the creation of the world's first socialist society. Makes use of primary sources, scholarly essays and monographs, archival documents, literature, memoirs, film, and visual culture as a way of introducing students to Soviet Jewish History, from the reign of the last tsar, Nicholas II, to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Special topics to be examined include: the breakup of the Pale of Settlement during the Great War; the role of Jews in revolution and revolutionary culture; Soviet nationality policy; shtetl culture; antisemitism; everyday life; the purges of the 1930s; the Jewish experience in World War II; the Holocaust; and mass emigration. Same as JS 355.

The development of modern France, with special attention to social and cultural phenomena.

Explores the relationship between history and fiction by focusing on specific cultural locations. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours if topics vary.

Examines the momentous founding age of United States history. Explores the growing estrangement of the American colonies from Great Britain and the culmination of this process in the Declaration of Independence. It then examines the controversial process of creating a new nation, and the government of the United States. Intense focus on primary source materials from the period.

Examination of changes in economic, social, cultural, and political life in the United State that ultimately plunged the national into the bloodiest and most important war in its history. Particular attention is paid to the way in which diverse segments of the country's population - North and South, urban and rural, rich and poor, slave and free, black and white, male and female - affected and were affected by these changes.

Examines the history of urban centers, paying special attention to the relationship between the city and its surrounding territory, the impact of migration and immigration, the delineation of space and the transformation of the built environment, and the role of a city's inhabitants in creating social networks, political structures, and cultural institutions. May be repeated in separate terms to a maximum of 6 hours if topics vary.

Same as AFRO 383 and GWS 383. See AFRO 383.

With a faculty sponsor, a qualified students will develop a program of study or research related to an internship or other relevant employment opportunity. Consult departmental undergraduate advisor or Director of Undergraduate Studies. Approved for letter and S/U grading. May be repeated in separate terms to a maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisite: Consent of faculty sponsor and Director of Undergraduate Studies required.

Readings in selected fields in consultation with the instructor resulting in a 20-30 page paper. May be repeated with permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing pursuing a History major; written consent of instructor and History undergraduate advisor required.

Almost all African countries fell under European colonial rule by the beginning of the 20th century, but formal colonialism did not last the century. Surveys the crucial ideological, political, social, and military strategies enlisted by African people and movements to shed colonial rule. Also examines the paradox of the coupling of "flag independence" with continuing economic dependence on Europe. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.

Economy, society, law, and government; the Ottomans and Mediterranean society; Ottoman culture and Islamic tradition; minorities; trade, diplomacy, and capitulations; "decline" and dismemberment; and traditional and westernizing attempts at revival. 3 undergraduate hours. 2 or 4 graduate hours.

Political, social, and economic development of the USSR since the 1917 revolutions that brought the Bolsheviks to power; social change and social engineering; political struggles among Stalin and his rivals; the "Stalin revolution" from above and economic modernization; the USSR's emergence through World War II and the Cold War as a world power; "developed socialist" society. 3 undergraduate hours. 2 or 4 graduate hours. Graduate students will write an additional substantial paper and engage in special discussion sections.

Examines the changing image of the American West by focusing on the process of conquest and resistance present within the region's history. Same as LLS 475. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.

Same as AFRO 474. See AFRO 474.

Same as AFRO 460. See AFRO 460.

Independent reading, research, and writing under the supervision of an individual instructor. Seniors in the History Honors Program taking this course in place of the Honors Senior Thesis must complete a substantive research paper (25-30 pages). No graduate credit. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours. Each 3-hour class must be taken with a different instructor. Prerequisite: Admission to the History Honors Program; or junior or senior of high standing with the consent of the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Two-term independent research and writing project under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Students enrolled in this course must submit a completed Honors Senior Thesis at the end of the second term, for evaluation by the faculty advisor and a second reader. 3 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Must be repeated for a total of 6 hours. Students will receive separate grades for each semester's work. Prerequisite: Admission to the History Honors Program and consent of supervising professor; HIST 492 and HIST 495; concurrent enrollment in HIST 499 is required.

Capstone course required of all majors. Students will make history by researching and writing a work of original scholarship. Several of these seminars are offered each term and each focuses on a special topic, thus allowing students with similar interests to work through the process of gathering, interpreting, and organizing historical evidence under the direction of an expert in the field. The topics on offer each semester will be listed in the Class Schedule and described in the department's course guide at http://www.history.illinois.edu. 3 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours.

A required seminar for all seniors writing Honor Theses in history, this course will meet throughout the year and will supplement individual students' meetings with their primary advisors. Provides an intellectually supportive environment in which students work together on common methodological problems, share the results of their research, and critique developing projects. 1 to 2 undergraduate hours. 1 to 2 graduate hours. Approved for S/U grading only. May be repeated in separate terms to a maximum of 3 hours. Prerequisite: Admission to the History Honors Program; HIST 492; and HIST 495. Concurrent enrollment in HIST 493 is required.

Examines major works in global women's history from about 1700 to 1950. Introduces students to major themes in women's history as well as major historiographical debates. Topics will be listed in the department's course guide at http://www.history.illinois.edu. Same as GWS 501. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours if topics vary.

Topics will be listed in the department's course guide at https://www.history.illinois.edu. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours if topics vary. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

Topics will be listed in the department's course guide at http://www.history.illinois.edu. Same as AFST 510. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours if topics vary.

Topics will be listed in the department's course guide at http://www.history.illinois.edu. Same as MDVL 542. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours if topics vary.

Topics will be listed in the department's course guide at http://www.history.illinois.edu. May be repeated in the same or subsequent terms as topics vary.

Same as REL 535. See REL 535.

Required course for entering history graduate students offering in initial foray into historiography, methods, and conceptual approaches for students in all fields. Provides experience dealing with three challenges that face all practitioners of the discipline: identifying the historical problem to be tackled, deciding what methodologies are best suited to that problem, and locating and then making use of the primary sources necessary for analyzing the subject at hand. Assigned materials, class discussions, and assignments will prepare students for the second semester required research seminar. Restricted to first-year graduate students in history.

Directed research in special fields; may be taken in lieu of seminars in fields in which seminars are seldom offered. Topics will be listed in the department's course guide at http://www.history.illinois.edu. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours if topics vary.

Directed readings in special fields. Primarily, but not exclusively, for students with a master's degree or equivalent, who are preparing for the preliminary examination in history and who need instruction in areas not provided by current course offerings. Approved for letter and S/U grading. May be repeated in the same or subsequent terms as topics vary. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

Approved for S/U grading only. May be repeated. Prerequisite: Candidate for Ph.D. degree in history.