Courses
Please note that not every course listed is offered each year and students should consult STU Self Service for current course offerings.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
HIST-1006. World History
World History
HIST-1013. World History to 1400 1500 CE
This 3-credit course is half of the world history survey. It gives an overview of world history events, issues, themes and approaches to about 1400 of the Common Era (CE). It covers topics such as the origins of the universe (the Big Bang & Cosmic History), Paleolithic societies, the transition to agricultural societies, the rise of major states, empires and cultural traditions, the Silk Roads, and networks of cross-cultural interaction. Note: Students who take this course cannot receive credit for HIST 1006.
HIST-1023. World History Since 1400
This 3-credit course is part of the world history survey. It offers an overview of world history events, issues, themes and approaches from roughly 1400 of the Common Era (CE) to the present. It will cover topics such as the emergence of long-distance exploration, cross-cultural interaction, the early modern and modern worlds, the Columbian Exchange, industrialization, modern imperialism, world wars, networks and globalization from circa 1400 onward. Note: Students who take this course cannot receive credit for HIST 1006. Students may take HIST 1023 before HIST 1013.
HIST-1123. Introduction to Food in World History
This course explores how food was made, consumed, and understood in the past. What did food and eating mean to different people at different times, in different places? How did everyday foods, like sugar or potatoes, travel around the world? What impacts did human-made and natural disasters have on eating habits and food supplies, and how did the presence and absence of food influence people's behaviour? In this course, students learn to connect local and global interactions, past events, and the present through food. (formerly HIST 2123). Students who have taken HIST 2123 cannot take this course for credit.
HIST-1133. Pre-Colonial Africa
Precolonial Africa explores the history of Africa up to the nineteenth century. Topics covered include Africa's place in hominid evolution, Africa's contribution to the Neolithic revolution, rise of the states versus stateless societies, traditional religion versus world religions, coastal societies versus inland societies, long-distance trade and the rise of empires, and domestic slavery versus transoceanic slavery and their effects on development. The objective is to challenge stereotypic notions about precolonial African societies, to contribute to students' understanding of Africa's place in early world history, and to introduce students to some of the key historiographical debates on precolonial African history. (formerly HIST 2133). Students who have taken HIST 2133 cannot take this course for credit.
HIST-1143. Modern Africa
Modern Africa surveys the history of Africa from the nineteenth century to the present. The course focuses on three major topics: the scramble for Africa and the partition, European colonial rule, and the assessment of the post-independence era. Subtopics include missionaries and explorers, occupation and forms of resistance, settler colonies versus non-settler colonies, nationalism and wars of independence, post-independence successes and challenges, the Cold War and the War on Terror, and globalization and the fading significance of the nation state. The objectives for this course are to challenge stereotypic notions about contemporary Africa, to contribute to students' understanding of Africa's place in the modern world, and to introduce students to some of the major historiographical debates on modern African history. (formerly HIST 2143). Students who have taken HIST 2143 cannot take this course for credit.
HIST-1153. A History of Magic and Demons
What is magic? What are demons? How have constantly evolving beliefs about the supernatural impacted the course of human history (and vice versa)? This introductory survey explores how various cultures have sought to understand their world through appeal to supernatural forces-around the globe and throughout the ages.
HIST-1173. Cars in World History
Cars have shaped our world more than any other technology over the past century. Mass motorization created new opportunities for travel and consumption, changed the way people worked, transformed cities, and contributed to rising pollution and climate change. In this course we will explore the car's social, cultural, and environmental impacts on a global scale. (formerly HIST 3173). Students who took HIST 3173 cannot take this course for credit.
HIST-1413. Citizens and Citizenship in World History
This course will explore the history of citizenship on a global scale since about 1800. How have ideas and practices related to citizenship changed over time? How did new nation-states try to define citizenship? How did people try to secure recognition, rights, and human rights? How do themes of age, gender, race, class, and ethnicity relate to the question of citizenship in the modern era? These are a few of the questions and themes that the class will investigate by looking at some interesting case studies. (formerly HIST 3413) Students who have taken HIST 3413 cannot take this course for credit.
HIST-1763. Sport in World History
This discussion-based course explores the global impact of modern sport from c. 1850 to the present. It focuses upon the global spread of sports such as track and field, soccer, cricket, hockey, and baseball and the manner in which such sports were resisted or appropriated by communities throughout the world. Course content examines the political, social, and cultural significance of modern sport rather than the intricate details of individual athletes or teams. (formerly HIST 3763). Students who have taken HIST 3763 cannot take this course for credit.
HIST-1783. Screening History
Most of us get our most vivid impressions of history from images, video, and film. This course explores what's behind the screens we watch, so we can consider how visual media presents history in particular ways, and also how we can use visual media to analyze the past. You will get an introduction to some of the challenges and benefits of Screening History. (formerly HIST 3783) Students who have taken HIST 3783 cannot take this course for credit.
HIST-2003. Exploring History: Critical Approaches to Historical Methods and Theories
This mandatory course for History Majors and Honours students provides an introduction to the discipline of History. The course examines a variety of historiographical and method- ological approaches to History, as well as the history of History. It encourages students to re-examine their assumptions about History, but it will also help students develop their basic historical research and writing skills. Exploring History provides a foundation for upper-year History courses and students are strongly encouraged to take it before their third year. Prerequisite: At least 6 credit hours in History courses at St. Thomas University.
HIST-2013. World History to 1400
This 3-credit course is half of the world history survey. It gives an overview of world history events, issues, themes, and approaches until about 1400 of the Common Era (CE). It covers topics such as the origins of the universe (the Big Bang & Cosmic History), Paleolithic societies, the transition to agricultural societies, the rise of major states, empires and cultural traditions, the Silk Roads, and networks of cross-cultural interaction. NOTE: Students who have taken HIST 1013 or HIST 1006 cannot take this course for credit.
HIST-2023. World History Since 1400
This 3-credit course is part of the world history survey. It offers an overview of world history events, issues, themes, and approaches from roughly 1400 of the Common Era (CE) to the present. It covers topics such as the emergence of long-distance exploration, cross-cultural interaction, the early modern and modern worlds, the Columbian Exchange, industrialization, modern imperialism, world wars, networks, and globalization from circa 1400 onward. (formerly HIST 1023) This course counts toward the World History survey requirement for students pursuing a Major or Honours in History. NOTE: Students who have taken HIST 1023 or HIST 1006 cannot take this course for credit.
HIST-2033. Early Modern Europe
This course provides an introduction to early modern European history from the end of the so-called Middle Ages to the era of the French Revolution (more or less the 15th to the 18th centuries). Students will study social, cultural, political, economic and other developments in order to better understand how the societies we recognize today evolved from the rather different world of the late Middle Ages. The course traces themes and topics such as religious belief, absolutist politics, interactions between majorities and minorities, the changing status of women, and Europe's place in an increasingly global setting.
HIST-2043. Modern Europe
Beginning with industrialization and a wave of revolutions that started in the late 1700s, this course traces the history of Europe to today. Who governed and whose labour made economies run? Who held power and who did not? While studying how Europeans interacted with each other and the world, students will analyse historical changes and explore issues of inclusion, exclusion and diversity. The course follows History 2033 chronologically but has no prerequisite.
HIST-2053. World History Since the Second World War
This course examines developments in world history since the Second World War, such as the emergence of the Cold War, decolonization, the growth of American power and struggles for human rights. It also explores the consequences of urbanization, demographic growth, technological change, and environmental degradation.
HIST-2103. The Material World: History Through Things
This course examines themes in world history through the use and study of material objects. Histories of everyday materials and objects allow us to examine diverse issues such as the environment, history, technology, and culture. In general, historians have relied primarily on text-based sources and this course will explore the role and use of material objects in doing history. We will examine theoretical approaches to material history as well as survey the historical literature of this branch of study.
HIST-2113. War and Famine in the Horn of Africa
This is a course on the history of Northeastern Africa, with a focus on Ethiopia, the most populous country in the region. Northeastern Africa, commonly known as the Horn of Africa, consists of Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Sudan. Designed with history and non- history Majors in mind, the course will explore major landmark events in the history of this region from antiquity to the present.
HIST-2123. Introduction to Food in World History
This course explores how food was made, consumed and understood in the past. What were the social and cultural meanings of food and eating in human societies? How did foods travel from place to place? What impacts did man-made and natural disasters have on eating habits and food supplies, and how did the presence and absence of food influence behaviour? This course connects local and global interactions, past events and the present day through food.
HIST-2133. Precolonial Africa
Precolonial Africa explores the history of Africa up to the nineteenth century. Topics covered include Africa's place in hominid evolution, Africa's contribution to the Neolithic revolution, rise of the states versus stateless societies, traditional religion versus world religions, coastal societies versus inland societies, long-distance trade and the rise of empires, and domestic slavery versus transoceanic slavery and their effects on development. The objective is to challenge stereotypic notions about precolonial African societies, to contribute to students' understanding of Africa's place in early world history, and to introduce students to some of the key historiographical debates on precolonial African history.
HIST-2136. Introduction to African History
This course introduces students to the dynamics of African history and cultures, while challenging pervasive stereotypes and misperceptions about Africa. The class is designed to appeal to history and non-history majors alike.
HIST-2143. Modern Africa
Modern Africa surveys the history of Africa from the nineteenth century to the present. The course focuses on three major topics: the scramble for Africa and the partition, European colonial rule, and the assessment of the post-independence era. Subtopics include missionaries and explorers, occupation and forms of resistance, settler colonies versus non-settler colonies, nationalism and wars of independence, post-independence successes and challenges, the Cold War and the War on Terror, and globalization and the fading significance of the nation state. The objectives for this course are to challenge stereotypic notions about contemporary Africa, to contribute to students' understanding of Africa's place in the modern world, and to introduce students to some of the major historiographical debates on modern African history.
HIST-2173. Modern East Asia
This course surveys the history of East Asia from ca. 1500 to the present. It examines the richness and complexity of societies in Japan, Korea and China, and East Asia's engagement in the making of the modern world.
HIST-2183. History of Modern India
The course explores the history of the Indian subcontinent from c. 1500 onward. It considers the Mughals, the 18th-century successor states, British colonialism, Indian nationalism and postcolonial India to the present day.
HIST-2206. History of the Middle Ages
A survey of the imagined historical period between the fall of the classical Roman and Persian Empires and the emergence of an early modern state system. This course will range widely in its coverage, including glimpses of experience in parts of Africa and Asia as well as Europe. Special emphasis will be placed on social history and the use of primary sources to probe beyond simplified political narratives.
HIST-2233. Pirates, Piracy and World History
This course traces the history of pirates and piracy from pre-modern societies to the present day. Topics include piracy in the Greco-Roman world, the Barbary Coast, the South China Seas, the Caribbean, North America, and present-day Somalia.
HIST-2243. History of the Modern Middle East
This course provides an overview of the history of the Middle East in the modern period, from c. 1800 to the present day, though with references to earlier eras too.
HIST-2283. The Indian Ocean and the World
This lecture-based course explores the social, political, and economic history of the Indian Ocean world and Asia during the early modern period, spanning from c.1450 to about 1750. It will cover a variety of topics ranging from pre-colonial trade patterns to the succession of European empires and trading companies active in the Indian Ocean world and Asia from the turn of the sixteenth century onwards.
HIST-2433. Comparative History of North America
This course examines the historical evolution of North America from the 16th to the 20th centuries. Selected themes include connections and comparisons between Canada and the United States, issues of national identity formation, the evolving relationship between the two countries, as well as the significance of borderlands studies.
HIST-2453. History of the United Nations
The United Nations represents the first serious effort toward an international government. History of the United Nations examines the evolution of this unique international body from its creation in 1945 to the present. It seeks to understand how the United Nations has shaped world history, what its low and high points have been, and what its challenges and potential are in the twenty-first century.
HIST-2553. History of the Islamic World to the Ottoman Empire
This course provides a basic introduction to Islamic societies in their formative centuries. We will explore how the Muslim umma first emerged, developed and ultimately established itself as a unifying yet far from monolithic ideal, linking different peoples across the globe. Our focus will be on comprehension of historical experiences and relations between peoples rather than on detailed analysis of religious beliefs.
HIST-2613. Colonial Latin America
This course surveys the history of Latin America from ca. 1450 to 1825, when most of the Americas came under Spanish and Portuguese control. It examines the myths and realities of conquest, ecological and disease impacts, the origins of the African slave trade, and social and cultural exchanges among indigenous, European, and African peoples. It also touches on colonial legacies such as structural racism, global economic inequalities, and environmental degradation that remain relevant today.
HIST-2623. Modern Latin America
This course surveys the history of Latin America from the early 1800s, when the Spanish and Portuguese colonies won their independence, to the present day. It focuses on how people have grappled with colonial legacies such as social and racial hierarchies, global economic inequality, and foreign domination. Major themes include the struggles of early nationhood, migration and urbanization, U. S. imperialism, social movements, revolutions, and human rights.
HIST-2733. United States: Colonial Settlement to Civil War
An introductory survey that explores and examines some major developments in what becomes the United States, from early European colonization up to the Civil War of the mid-19th century. Major issues include relations with Native peoples, slavery, the African American experience, revolution and independence, economic development, political and intellectual traditions, and social change.
HIST-2743. United States: Reconstruction to 21st Century
The continuation of the introductory survey HIST 2733. This course explores and examines some major developments in the United States, from the conclusion of the Civil War up to the present. Major issues include the legacy of the end of slavery in the United States, the expanded economic and military role of the US in the world, the emergence of transforming social movements, the changing role of the state, and American popular culture.
HIST-2913. Historical Roots of Contemporary Canada (HMRT)
This course examines the historical roots of many of the key issues in contemporary Canadian society. In addition to providing students with a narrative framework of Canadian history, the course explores the historical dimensions of many of the most important issues facing Canada today, such as Truth and Reconciliation, anti-Black racism, Quebec nationalism, climate change, Western Alienation, and Canada-US relations.
HIST-3033. Gender in Early Modern Europe (WSGS)
Europe's early modern period (c. 1450-1800) was a time of political tumult, religious conflict, and seismic shifts in centuries-old institutions. The resulting social changes were profound; new roles emerged for men and women as new questions were asked and new norms evolved. This course takes a thematic approach to the changing lives of men and women, examining the role of gender in both the major events and the everyday realities of the period.
HIST-3053. Disability in History
This course treats disability as a historical subject. It explores questions such as what it means to be disabled in various times and places, how people with disability lived their lives, how society at large conceptualized differences in physical ability and mental capacity, when and how disability intersected with other identity constructs, and the roles myth and religion played in all this.
HIST-3103. Public History
Public History examines some efforts to tell about the past that is produced outside of conventional academic study. Our understanding of the past is often shaped by histories that are portrayed in film and TV, as presented by museums and tourism enterprises, shared as folk tales or community stories, and told through trade books on historical topics and in historical novels. This course will systematically explore some of the ways history is used in the public realm, and how the use of the past is put to work for entertainment, profit, shaping identity, and diverse political purposes. Prerequisites: 3 ch in History (HIST 2003 preferred)
HIST-3113. Modern and Revolutionary China
This is a survey of the final century of dynastic rule in China, until China's latest efforts to retrieve its status of world power. It examines the rise to power of the Nationalist and Communist parties, examining social and cultural developments, the impact of Western imperialism, and the evolution of revolutionary ideologies.
HIST-3123. Student Movements in East Asia
This course will delve into the world of the student movements in Korea, Japan and China during the twentieth century, examining the social, economic and political environment in which student rebellion flourished, and how it affected student dissidence. It will address the key issues student activists struggled with, such as democracy, nationalism, colonialism, human rights, and corruption, within their distinct contexts. It will also discuss the accomplishments of these student movements: to what extent have they had an impact - positive or negative - on China, Korea and Japan?
HIST-3133. Latin America Since 1945
This course will examine the political, social, and economic developments that have shaped Latin America since 1945. While paying attention to the continent's diversity, it will examine common themes such as the Cold War, revolutionary movements, military dictatorships, and U.S. foreign policy in the region. It will consider Latin America's relationship to the global economy, efforts to promote industrialization, and the underlying causes of poverty and inequality. Social themes will include mass migration, the drug trade, human rights, social movements, and the impacts of climate change.
HIST-3163. Gandhi, India and the World, c. 1850 to Present
Mohandas K. Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) is a towering figure in the history of India, but he is curiously global too. He lived on three continents, his ideas and practices combined influences and experiences that he gathered from different parts of the world via global networks, and his impact has long extended beyond India's borders. Studying Gandhi's life and legend will allow the class to investigate themes relating to nationalism, colonialism, pacifism, non-violence, environmentalism, alternative modernity and other topics or issues. The course will also explore Gandhi's fascinating legacy in postcolonial India and around the globe.
HIST-3173. The Global History of the Automobile
This discussion-based course will introduce students to a global perspective on the history of the automobile, the technology that has arguably shaped the planet more than any other in the past century. The emphasis will be on the car's social and cultural history, rather than its technical evolution. Specific course themes will include automobile production and labour, car culture and the rise of global consumerism, the environmental impacts of automobile use and road building, and the implications of driving for modern citizenship.
HIST-3203. The British Atlantic World
This course presents the Atlantic Ocean as a conduit facilitating the movement of people, goods, and ideas from approximately 1500-1800. Themes include the transatlantic slave trade, experiences of Indigenous travelers, indentured servants, and British colonists, as well as transatlantic fraternal orders.
HIST-3223. The Medieval Church
This course deals with the history of the Church from the time of Gregory the Great in the sixth century to the end of the fifteenth century. For the most part we will deal with the Western Church, although there will be some treatment of the relations that existed with the East. The theme that will run throughout the course is that of the interaction between the Church and the society of this period. Among the topics that will be covered will be the Merovingian and Carolingian Church and the role of such leaders as Charlemagne, the Gregorian Reform Movement and the clash with the Emperor, the development and contribution to medieval society, the emergence of the pilgrimage and the crusade, the religious unrest of the later Middle Ages, and the growth of the medieval papacy.
HIST-3263. Helping the Poor and Unlucky: Social Policies in Europe and North America
Widows, orphans, veterans and prostitutes were among the first groups to be recognized as needing help from their fellow citizens. This course traces how individuals and states began to develop social policies to help people in need. Focusing on Europe and North America since the late 19th century, it examines growing government involvement not only in assuring citizens' defense and freedom, but also their overall well-being through programs such as maternity and child benefits, unemployment insurance and old-age pensions.
HIST-3283. Archives, Knowledge & Power
This experiential learning course introduces students to archives as repositories of knowledge, and to critiques of those institutions. Students learn how historians use archives with hands-on experience at the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. They explore grassroots and digital projects that preserve knowledge and experiences not normally represented in official archives: queer archives, indigenous language and cultural recovery projects, oral history initiatives, archives assembled by human rights activists, etc.
HIST-3343. Europe Since 1945
In ruins and divided after the Second World War, Europe was a central theatre of Cold War conflict until 1989/90. This course traces social, political, cultural, and other developments during the Cold War and subsequent decades. Students use sources from the past to explore how Europeans saw themselves and others, and how these perceptions changed over time. They study conflict and stability, diversity and nationalism, imperialism and regional convergence, as well as Europeans' attempts to answer challenging questions about who they are and what role they should play in the world today.
HIST-3363. Germany: 1871-1945
In 1871, newly unified Germany looked forward to a future that seemed to promise greatness. By 1945, after two world wars and the repressive Third Reich, the country was in ruins. How did this come about? In this course, students study social, cultural, political, and economic developments in order to understand better the history of one of Europe's most important states. Using text and images from the past, they learn more about how Germans lived, as well as considering broader issues like nationalism, racism, imperialism, and conflict.
HIST-3373. The Germanies Since 1945
The defeat of Nazi Germany and disagreements among the victors led to the enforced division of Germany. By 1949, two separate German states had been founded, and they lasted for forty years as enemies during the Cold War. This course traces the history of Germany from the end of the Second World War to the present, covering not only division, but also reunification and Germany's role in Europe today. Students consider both high-level issues, such as international tensions, and the ground-level preoccupations of an increasingly diverse German population.
HIST-3383. Slavery in World History, 1500 - Present
This course is designed to provide a comprehensive and comparative overview of slavery in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas from 1500 to the present. Upon completion of the course, students should have an understanding of important events in world slave systems, changes in the practice of historical forms of slavery, similarities and differences between different slave systems, and an understanding of the historical background of modern-day slavery.
HIST-3393. Gender and Empire (WSGS)
This course explores the place of gender in the construction and preservation of empires through such topics as constructions of difference, motherhood and domesticity; civilizing missions and tourism; and contestations of power. This course operates from the premise that empires are never static: subjects in different imperial contexts, in various cases, resisted, thwarted, or reconfirmed colonial regimes.
HIST-3413. Citizens and Citizenship in World History
This course will explore concepts, practices and themes related to citizenship and nationalism on a selective global scale since c. 1780. The majority of the course will focus on the period from 1780 to 1940, though classes in the latter part of the course will examine conceptions of citizenship since c. 1940. Themes to be explored include citizenship and the tension between duties and rights; the struggle for recognition and rights; the regulation of new social classes and groups; attempts to control the exuberance of youth; the body and physical health; gender and citizenship; race, ethnicity and otherness; nationalism and imperialism; human rights; and the rights revolution.
HIST-3433. Eighteenth Century Europe At Play
This course examines the social history of leisure in Europe during the long eighteenth century (c. 1680-1820). With the rise of global trade in luxury goods, a new era of prosperity and wealth coincided with a richly-supplied market in beautiful non-essentials. This course will trace the social and cultural changes that went hand in glove with the entertainment fashions of the eighteenth century, and the encoded priorities and ideals of the people who enjoyed them.
HIST-3443. Youth and Popular Culture in North America
This course explores the changing nature of youth culture in 20th century North America. It focuses on a variety of topics including schooling and university life, television, toys, food, music, sexuality, and political protest. Key themes include race relations, gender identity, and social mores.
HIST-3453. Africa Since 1945
This is a course that addresses historical and political developments in Africa since 1945. Topics to be covered include nationalism, decolonization, Cold War, neo-colonialism, militarism, civil war, underdevelopment, environmental crises, and human resilience. Format: lecture and class discussion.
HIST-3463. Rivers in World History
This course explores the significance of rivers in world history. It examines rivers as geological agents and the biological habitats rivers create. It investigates the role of rivers in sustaining trade networks and explores changing transportation technologies. It considers the role of rivers in the development of early agricultural societies and hydraulic empires. It also studies the fit between rivers and urban growth and sanitation colonial cartography and exploration; industrial development; nationalism; tourism; and environmentalism.
HIST-3503. Social Movements That Have Changed the Modern World
This course examines social movements of the post World War II period, such as struggles of national liberation, movements against racism, militarism, and the proliferation of nu- clear weapons, the emergence of a youth counter-culture, struggles for women's rights, in- digenous people's rights, grassroots democracy, on behalf of the poor and disempowered, in defence of the environment, and against neo-liberal globalization. The course considers the historical roots of various movements as well as the context of their emergence, their scope, the continuities and discontinuities among them, and their impact on today's world.
HIST-3553. The History Workshop
The Workshop provides students with the opportunity to enhance their skills of historical analysis, writing and oral communication through close engagement with an important historical event or issue. The Workshop is recommended for students planning to take 4000-level seminars, as well as students considering an application to graduate programs or professional schools. Please consult the History Department Handbook, Chair or web page for upcoming Workshop topics. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
HIST-3593. Modern Empires
What is an empire? This course focuses on imperialism and empires from 1800 to the present. Using examples from a variety of historical empires across the world, we explore imperial societies, trade and exchange between peripheries and metropoles, imperial cultures, issues of race, gender and violence in imperial contexts. We also discuss the difficult beginnings and complex ends of empires, and their on-going legacies today.
HIST-3603. Disney and World History
Focusing primarily upon Disney's theme parks and films, this course explores issues of representation, selectivity, and appropriation, and a wide range of topics including colonialism, gender, race, class, urban utopias, educational initiatives, and Orientalism. The course examines one of the world's most powerful entertainment companies and - more generally - the complex, controversial, and contested relationship between history and entertainment.
HIST-3613. Gender & Power in Latin America (WSGS)
Latin American gender relations have often been shrouded in stereotypes about macho men and exotic women. However, ordinary Latin Americans have defied stereotypes and challenged gender norms for centuries, and the continent is currently experiencing a powerful feminist revolution and explosion of LGBTQ organizing. This course traces the evolution of gender relations and gender identities in the continent, with a focus on the modern era.
HIST-3643. Race and Racism in Modern History
Differences in skin color and physical characteristics took on a new significance in modern times. The newly invented concept of race classified human beings into several distinct categories with corresponding intellectual and behavioral traits. Race and Racism in Modern History studies the evolution of race thinking during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, as well as the extent to which such thoughts have since shaped the trajectory of world history.
HIST-3703. Symbols of Canada: Culture, Conflict & Commodification
Hockey. The beaver. The canoe. Poutine. This discussion-based course examines some of Canada's most recognizable and influential symbols. The course proceeds thematically and focuses on specific symbols to explore key themes such as national identity, appropriation of Indigenous culture, political conflict, and commodification. Questions addressed in the course include: Where do symbols come from? How have their meanings changed over time? How does their popularity prioritize some interests over others? How have such symbols been appropriated, resisted, and reclaimed? And, perhaps most importantly, how are Canadians shaped by this symbolic landscape?
HIST-3713. Making a Living in the United States
Making a Living in the United States examines the struggles of Americans to earn their daily bread over the last couple of centuries. This course will use such themes as work and workplaces, labour and capital relations, as well as the roles of gender, race, class, ethnicity and region in shaping how people made a living in the USA. There are no prerequisites for this course, however 3 credit hours in history is recommended.
HIST-3723. NYC, Colony to World Capital
This course examines the development of New York City from its establishment by the Dutch as New Amsterdam in the 1600s through its development as one of the world cities whose influence extends around the globe today. It is designed to use New York City itself as a workshop. The course will consider such historical themes as urban form and architecture, city people and populations, culture and recreation, city politics and social movements, the environment, and economies of cities.
HIST-3743. Comtemporary US History
This course explores some of the paradoxes of recent American history using such themes as power, race, gender, and identity. Sometimes we are presented with current events in the United States that baffle media and audiences alike. Yet with some careful historical contextualization we will begin to make sense of Contemporary US History. You will develop your own analyses of American history based on course materials and some guided research work.
HIST-3763. Modern Sport in World History
This discussion-based course explores the global impact of modern sport from c. 1850 to the present. It focuses upon the diffusion of sports such as soccer, cricket, and baseball and the manner in which such sports were resisted or appropriated by communities throughout the world. The course examines the political, social, and cultural significance of modern sport rather than the intricate details of individual athletes or teams.
HIST-3773. Urban North America
Addresses developments within and among North American cities and explores changes in the conception of cities in North American thought and culture. We will study the lives of urban dwellers and chart shifts in the way people organized their lives in cities. Major themes for this course include the changing physical structure and form of cities over time, processes of urbanization and suburbanization, city planing and reform movements, the economics of cities, urban institutions, urban populations, and city politics. In our investigation of Urban North America, we will ask: does the border make a difference?
HIST-3783. Film and History
Explores the relationship between film and history, paying close attention to film as an historical artifact and film as a means of historical interpretation. In studying films produced primarily in North America, Latin America, and Europe, students in this course will be asked to develop a vocabulary of film, and to try to analyse the meaning and significance of film, both as artifact and interpretation. Writing will require that students make their own arguments about how we should understand the complicated relationship between visual media and history.
HIST-3863. Tourism in World History
This course explores the global impact of modern tourism by focusing on a number of key questions: How, when, and why did tourism emerge? What motivates tourists to travel? Why do local communities embrace tourism? And how are the benefits and costs of this industry distributed? Planned case studies include: Beaches, Zoos, Theme Parks, Museums, Ecotourism, Shopping, Gambling, and Sex Tourism.
HIST-3873. Immigrants in Canada
This course examines the experiences of migrant groups in Canada from the early colonial period to the present day, as well as the public response to these new arrivals. The course also attempts to understand changing sentiments toward immigrants by charting the shifting relationships between ethnicity, nationality, race, class, gender, and political radicalism.
HIST-3883. Women and Gender in Modern Canada (WSGS)
This discussion-based course examines gender and women's history in Canada from c. 1850 to c. 1980. It addresses traditional historical topics in the field (industrialization, the Great Depression, World War Two, etc.) as well as emerging topics such as sport, consumerism, and student culture. Our approach will be both chronological and thematic.
HIST-3903. Acadians in the Maritimes
This course covers the history of Acadians, the francophones in the Maritime Provinces of Canada, from their first arrival to the present. It considers their past in the light of world views on genocide and minority rights, their relations with francophones and anglophones in Canada, Europe and the United States and the differing interpretations of their history as viewed in the context of these relationships.
HIST-3933. Topics in Global History: Disney and World History
Focusing primarily upon Disney's theme parks and films, the course will explore issues of representation, selectivity, and appropriation, and a wide range of topics including colonialism, gender ideals, racism, and Orientalism. Planned case studies include It's a Small World, Pocahontas, Mulan, Aladdin, The Lion King, The Enchanted Tiki Room, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Jungle Cruise, Muppets, Star Wars, and Hamilton: An American Musical. The course will provide students with a deep understanding of one of the world's most powerful entertainment companies and - more generally - of the complex, controversial, and contested relationship between history and entertainment.
HIST-3943. Genocide in Twentieth-Century History
The twentieth century remains the most violent period in history. Its global ramifications notwithstanding, genocide research continues to focus on the experience of particular nations and nationalities. By juxtaposing and examining such disjointed narratives across continents, this course hopes to bolster a critical understanding of what is no doubt the crudest aspect of human nature.
HIST-3953. Portrayals of Jihad and Crusade: History, Memory and Culture
This course considers the diverse ways in which modern global audiences have come to understand histories of religious violence. Our focus will be on academic and popular interpretations of socalled jihad or crusade conflicts from the Middle Ages to the present. Print, electronic, artistic, and film sources will be examined, reflecting a wide range of often conflicting viewpoints as they have evolved over time.
HIST-3983. Sp.Top: Pandemics, Plagues & Disease
In this course we will explore the impact of diseases, whether pandemic, epidemic, or endemic, on the course of World History in the premodern period. From ancient times to the dawn of the Industrial Revolution (and beyond), diseases and their results have been constant factors in shaping human history. Yet because they were so poorly documented, understanding precisely how diseases spread and impacted different societies-even being certain about just what diseases actually existed, and how many were really affected by their spread- has long posed historiographic challenges. Recent scientific advances have begun to transform our understanding of historical disease patterns, shedding new light on many old questions. Our main starting points will be the Black Death of the fourteenth century, epidemics in the context of sixteenth century global colonialism, and recurrences of pandemic plague in the seventeenth century, with wide-ranging discussion of other topics according to student interest. No prerequisite.
HIST-3993. Topics in Global History
This course will examine specific topics in world history. The topics will change from year to year. For information regarding course content students should contact the Chair of the History Department.
HIST-4006. History Honours Thesis
The History Honours thesis is a scholarly essay or research paper. The topic of the thesis is determined by the student in consultation with a faculty committee. The committee is composed of the Thesis Supervisor (or supervisors) and another faculty member, typically from the History Department, who acts as the Second Reader. Students normally must submit a thesis proposal to the members of their faculty committee by 30 September of the academic year in which the thesis shall be written.
HIST-4026. Food in World History
Food keeps us alive, serves as a marker of social status, a stimulator of exploration and trade, and a cause of conflict and war. This seminar is about the history of food production, consumption and culture world-wide. Participants explore the roles food plays in human soci- eties, the social and cultural meanings of food and the ways foods travel from place to place. Equally, we consider food's presence, its absence and the impact of man-made and natural disasters on eating habits and food supplies.
HIST-4106. Research Seminar in Material History
This research seminar course examines the practices and products of doing history through things in a comparative and global perspective. Until recently, historians have relied heavily on written documents for evidence, and this course challenges that approach. This course will consider some of the methods used to write history using physical things, as well as the varied literature produced by the study of material culture. Participants will produce a historical research paper based on significant use of material objects.
HIST-4123. Seminar in Global History
This course uses the study of a commodity - something that can be traded or exchanged and that may have cultural meaning - as a means of doing world history across borders, regions and eras.
HIST-4126. Topics in Global History
This course will examine specific themes in global history. The topics will change from year to year, but might include issues such as the role of cities in history, the rise and fall of peasantries, patterns of migration, the emergence of global institutions, cultural and material exchanges, and the possibilities of a global environmental history.
HIST-4136. Historians and World History
This seminar course examines the writing of world history. It considers the growth of the field, some of the main scholars who have written world histories, and the conceptualizations which have informed their writing.
HIST-4146. Gandhi/Ism
This seminar course focuses on Mohandas K. Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948). Gandhi was an important figure in the history of modern India and South Asia, but he was also a signifi- cant global or world history figure who lived in India, Britain and South Africa. Moreover, Gandhi drew on ideas from around the world, and since about 1920 movements and ideas associated with Gandhi have had considerable global influence. Studying Gandhi's life and legend will allow the class to investigate themes of nationalism, colonialism and imperial- ism in India and the British empire, but it is also possible to look at topics such as Gandhi's connections to global peace networks, social movements, environmental movements and the American civil rights movement.
HIST-4196. People's History of Korea
This seminar proposes an in-depth study of the modern history of Korea from the perspective of its least acknowledged, yet determinant, agent: the people. It examines major social movements which shaped Korean history and democratisation, e.g. the college student and labour movements. It also addresses Korea's geopolitical predicament from the viewpoint of some of its victims, such as the Korean sex slaves under Japanese colonial rule and Korea's political and economic prisoners of the Cold War. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
HIST-4206. Topics in Medieval History
This advanced seminar deals with important aspects of social, religious, intellectual and institutional history in the so-called Middle Ages. Specific topics will change from year to year but generally focus on relationships between the different sorts of medieval communities. The seminar is intended for students with some background in pre-modern history, philosophy and/or theological traditions, whether Christian, Muslim, or Jewish.
HIST-4506. The World Redux: A Capstone Seminar in World History
This full-year seminar will provide an intensive overview of world history topics from the earliest times to the present, while presenting many opportunities for discussion, debate, research and writing. Approximately the first half of the course will focus on weekly readings with the second half oriented to student research and writing on topics that may be historical or historiographical. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
HIST-4606. Twentieth-Century Latin America
A study of political and social developments in Latin American republics during the twentieth century. Topics to be discussed will include the social revolutions and political leaders of this part of the Third World.
HIST-4826. Popular Culture and Postcolonial Legacies in Canada, Australia and New Zealand
This seminar discussion course examines the tensions at play in Canada, Australia and New Zealand in the post-World War II era as these settler societies attempted to navigate the awkward cultural tensions that arose in light of the demise of the British Empire. Through a comparative approach we will examine the ways in which expressions of national identity were manufactured and contested as competing interests sought to redefine membership in these national communities.
HIST-4866. Tourism in History
This seminar course examines the history of some of today's most popular tourism destinations. It explores the cultural, political, social, economic and environmental dynamics of tourism by assessing tourists' motivations, tourism promoters' aims, and the impact of tourism on local communities.
HIST-4903. Independent Study
With the approval of the Department, students (normally Honours candidates) may undertake a one-semester course of independent study. Such a course is to be undertaken under the direction of a member of the History Department and must result in at least one scholarly paper. Application to take an independent study course must be made to the Director of Honours. The application must include a written proposal indicating the reason for doing an independent study, as well as a description of the specific area of interest, a statement of research topic, and a preliminary bibliography. In order to complete their degree requirements, students may request that an independent study be considered as an alternative to an Honours seminar.
HIST-4906. Independent Study
With the approval of the Department, students (normally Honours candidates) may under- take a full-year course of independent study. Such a course is to be undertaken under the direction of a member of the History Department and must result in at least one scholarly paper. Application to take an independent study course must be made to the Director of Honours. The application must include a written proposal indicating the reason for doing an independent study, as well as a description of the specific area of interest, a statement of research topic, and a preliminary bibliography. In order to complete their degree requirements, students may request that an independent study be considered as an alternative to an Honours seminar.
HIST-4946. Genocide in World History
Genocide is a modern concept, but its practice is ancient. From the extinction of the Neanderthals to the sacking of Carthage to the colonial settlements in the New World, Homo Sapiens have engaged in exterminatory violence. In the twentieth century, the many one-sided killings make it self-evident that annihilationist mindsets have yet to disappear. Genocide in World History, a full-year course, studies such mass atrocities by exploring the various factors behind human intolerance, among them religious, racial, ethnic, national, economic, and environmental. Format: weekly group presentation on readings followed by class discussion. Students who have taken world history courses, including HIST 3943 Genocide in Twentieth-Century World History, are particularly encouraged.
HIST-4996. Independent Study - Work Option
With the approval of the Department, students (normally Honours candidates) may undertake one full-year course of independent study as an alternative to an Honours seminar. Such a course would be undertaken under the direction of a member of the his tory Department and must result in at least one scholarly paper. Application to take an independent study course must be made to the Director of Honours. The application must include a written proposal indicating the reason for doing an independent study, as well as a description of the specific area of interest, a statement of research topic, and a preliminary bibliography.