Class Schedule - Fall 2019
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.
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 for both HIST 120 and EALC 135.
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.
Fundamental developments in the history of Western societies from antiquity to early modern Europe; includes the Greek and Roman worlds, the influence of Christianity and Islam, the emergence of medieval monarchies, the rise of cities, the commercial and intellectual revolutions of the Middle Ages, the birth of the university, the conquest and colonization of the Atlantic world, the Renaissance and Reformation, the political and religious upheavals of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Credit is not given for both HIST 141 and HIST 140.
Fundamental developments - social, economic, cultural, intellectual, and political - in the history of mankind and Western society since 1660; includes the rise of modern science, the French and Industrial revolutions, the Romantic movement, the growth of nationalism and socialism, imperialism, urbanization, the Russian Revolution, Nazi Germany, the world wars, and the West and the developing world. Credit is not given for both HIST 142 and HIST 143.
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.
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 for both HIST 171 and HIST 170.
Survey of U.S. history from the end of the Civil War to the present, focusing on struggles to achieve a multiracial democracy, the evolution of an industrial, urbanized, and pluralistic society, the intersections between domestic and global affairs, and the practice of historical interpretation. Epoch-making events and elites are considered in light of their relation to the activities and lives of ordinary people, including people of color, immigrants, women, and the working and middle classes. Credit is not given for both HIST 172 and HIST 173.
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.
An introduction to history through participation in role-playing games set in the past. Topics will vary each time the course is taught. Students will take on the roles of historical figures (famous or obscure) engaged in difficult and complicated situations, and will be obliged to adhere to the beliefs and circumstances of those figures while attempting to pursue a course of action that will help them win the game -- and possibly alter the course of history.
The history of ancient Greece and neighboring civilizations from the Archaic Period to the conquests of Alexander.
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.
Explores the history of terrorism, its goals and practices. We recognize that it is not specific to any one ideology, religion, or people. Terrorism is political violence, psychological warfare meant to manipulate a large target audience. Same as GLBL 228.
Economic, social, political, and cultural developments in twentieth-century world history from late nineteenth-century to Second World War era.
Economic, social, political, and cultural developments in twentieth-century world history from Second World War era to the present.
The ideas of Charles Darwin initiated one of the most profound and provocative transformation in human thought, science, and culture. This course examines the intellectual origins, scientific content, and social, cultural, and religious impacts of Darwinian evolutionary theory in the 19th and 20th centuries, provides students with a historical case study in the development and diffusion of radical scientific ideas, and explores the origins of the most successful and comprehensive theory in the modern life sciences.
Explores how life was lived by Jewish women and men through the past three centuries. Will also focus on wider place of the Jews in European society, and the achievements and tragedies of the modern Jewish-non-Jewish relationship. Same as JS 269 and REL 269.
History of Afro-Americans in the age of white supremacy; the rise of modern protest organizations; the era of integration; and the black power movement. Same as AFRO 276.
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.
Study of the economic, political, and social forces which shaped migration, settlement, and community formation of Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Dominicans living in the United States. Same as LLS 280.
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.
Exploration of the migrations of peoples from the Asian continent into the United States, their attempts to build family and community, and their subsequent impact on American history. Same as AAS 283.
This course examines the historical construction of gender in the United States since 1877 with particular attention to women’s history. It considers how ideas about proper roles for men and women intersected with social categories such as class, race, (dis)ability, and ethnicity to shape lives, bodies, opportunities, politics, and power. Topics include work, family roles, leisure, political participation, health, sexuality, religion, popular culture, and struggles for influence, equality, self-expression, and rights. Same as GWS 286.
Explores the historical relations between multinational corporations and host countries focusing on political and economic issues.
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.
Examines the twentieth-century history of Egypt, emphasizing the internal social, political, economic, and ideological developments, with attention to Egypt's role in regional and international politics. Readings include novels and short stories to introduce students to modern Egyptian culture. Same as AFST 338.
New sources of secular power and spiritual authority define the age of the Protestant and Catholic Reformations. In this advanced European history course students expand their knowledge of the people, events, and ideas of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries while deepening their understanding of a wide range of primary sources created by theologians and peasants, nuns and monarchs, and artists and rebels. Key works by Luther, Calvin, and Loyola are placed in their intellectual and social contexts. Same as REL 347.
Survey of European society from 1918 to 1939, with emphasis on the impact of World War I, the Russian Revolution, fascism, and the intellectual trends of the twenties and thirties.
Cultural history of Europe in an age of global warfare and political, social, and economic upheaval.
Students work with instructor and community collaborators to host a "History Harvest," an event during which community members share personal stories about and artifacts related to a particular event, historical development, and/or place. The class will catalog the images and recordings gathered and use them to present digital exhibits. Readings include relevant historical works for context and methodological works on public and digital history skills needed for the project. Students will develop hands-on experience with these skills. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 undergraduate hours, if topics vary.
Explores the relationship between history and fiction by focusing on specific cultural locations.
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.
Disintegration of traditional social and economic systems during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and the political effects of that disintegration; examines changes in the agricultural economy, changing rural elites, urbanization, and emergence of new social classes. It is recommended that students take HIST 420 before registration in HIST 422. Same as EALC 421. 3 undergraduate hours. 2 or 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 upheavals of twentieth-century Germany; topics include the First World War's impact on German society, the war's revolutionary aftermath, the political struggles and cultural achievements of the Weimar Republic, the rise of Hitler, the Third Reich, the Holocaust, the Second World War, and the divided postwar Germanies; novels and films complement readings. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
What ideas does "American Culture" include? How does it incorporate diverse religious traditions as well as new scientific perspectives? How are ethnicity, gender and race important? Topics of current "cultural wars", these and other questions about cultural conflict in the US have been hotly debated for over a century. This course explores such culture wars in the 20th century US and helps students evaluate contested cultural concepts they have produced, including pragmatism, pluralism, religious diversity, scientific objectivity, economic equality, as well as "popular," "high" and "democratic" culture. Same as REL 479. 3 undergraduate hours. 2 or 4 graduate hours.
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.
Advanced projects in Digital History undertaken with a faculty supervisor. 1 to 3 undergraduate hours. 1 to 4 graduate hours. Approved for Letter and S/U grading. May be repeated in separate terms to a maximum of 6 undergraduate hours or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Consent of sponsoring faculty supervisor and Director of Undergraduate Studies or Director of Graduate Studies required for all students.
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.
Intensive comparative examinations of particular issues in the histories of multiple countries, cultures or periods; emphasizes methodology, the discipline of comparative history, and the nature of historiography in a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary context. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours.
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.
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.
Individual direction in research and guidance in writing theses for advanced degrees. Approved for S/U grading only. May be repeated.
