History 605: Approaches to World/Global History

John Higginson

Spring 2008, Monday 2:30-5:00

Synopsis:

Our course begins with a glance at the world before the dramatic geographical shift of the lines of power and wealth that precipitated the rise of the North Atlantic countries of western Europe at the close of the fifteenth century. There was no single reason for the shift from the countries bordering the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea to those on the northern coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Nor did it happen all at once. But by the end of the eighteenth century, from the vantage point of European observers like Adam Smith, it appeared to be permanent and indelible. Meanwhile Chen Lung, the C’hing Emperor of China, thought it hardly worthy of notice. What made for such a disparity in perspectives? Much of our work this semester will be focused such questions. We will also be concerned to examine the historiography of global or world history since the publication of Fernand Braudel’s La Méditeranée.

The course ends with an examination of the world since the practical application of powerful forces such as fossil fuels, nuclear power, microprocessing and genetic engineering. At its conclusion, the course will pay particular attention to the challenge that North Pacific Asian economic performance

Syllabus: Not available

Course Website: Not available