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Spring 2012 Course Description Guide100 Western Thought to 1600(HS) M. Kourbage TuTh 4:00-4:50 In this course, we explore the political, cultural, and religious development of Mediterranean and European societies from Greek antiquity to the early modern period. Major themes include the development of political thought and practice in the ancient Greco-Roman world, the emergence of Christianity, the formation and definition of the Christian community (Christianitas) in the Middle Ages, the definition and refinement of lordship and kingship, and the radical challenges to traditional order posed by the Reformation and by contact with new lands and peoples in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
100H Western Thought to 1600 (Honors) (HS) TBA TuTh 4:00-5:15 Honors version of History 100.
101 Western Thought Since 1600 (HS) J. Olsen MW 11:15-12:05 & Friday discussion session This course is an introduction to the social, political, cultural, and economic forces that have shaped civilization in the Western world from the seventeenth century to the present. Major topics will include the origins of the modern sovereign state, the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, the social upheavals of the industrial revolution, nationalism and the rise of mass politics, the First and Second World Wars, and the rebuilding of Europe after 1945. Readings: textbook and substantial primary sources, short papers and exams.
111 World History Since 1500 (HS G) B. Bunk MW 1:25-2:15 & Thursday or Friday discussion session Lecture with discussion sections. The goal of the course is to understand the development of world history from the late 15th to the late 20th centuries. In order to provide a coherent narrative, the course will focus on the formation and effects of empires. We will use this central theme to investigate concepts including slavery, genocide and globalization. The readings for the course focus on primary sources in order to better analyze and understand the diversity of global norms and values and the way they change over time. The course work will emphasize the development of critical thinking and writing skills. Assignments include two exams, two quizzes and multiple short writing assignments. This course fulfills the non-western requirement for history majors and the historical studies and global perspective of the general education program.
112 Introduction to World Religion (I G) MW 1:25 – 2:15 & Thursday discussion session J. Moralee Lecture with discussion sections. This course is a historical introduction to the study of religion. We will explore some of the fundamental approaches to the study of religion and ritual, different forms of religious thought and practice, and the development of today's major world religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). This course is a pre-requisite for the University Certificate Program in Religious Studies.
112H Introduction to World Religion (Honors) (I G) MW 4:40 – 5:55 J. Moralee This course is a historical introduction to the study of religion. We will explore some of the fundamental approaches to the study of religion and ritual, different forms of religious thought and practice, and the development of today's major world religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). As an honors course, the class will include substantial additional reading, independent research, and oral presentations. This course is a pre-requisite for the University Certificate Program in Religious Studies.
115 China: 1600 to Present (HS G) S. Platt TuTh 1:00-1:50 & Monday discussion session Lecture with discussion sections. This is a survey of Chinese history from 1600 to the present day. We will cover topics including: the rise and fall of the Qing Dynasty; Chinese-Western encounters; internal threats to the Confucian state; transformation of Chinese thought and culture in the 19th century; the revolutions of the 20th century; the rise of Mao Zedong; the People's Republic of China; the Cultural Revolution; and the dramatic transformations China is undergoing today as a result of economic and political reforms since Mao's death. Grade will be based on in-class written examinations, three papers, and section participation. No prior study of Chinese history is assumed.
120 Latin America: The Colonial Period (HS G) H. Scott TuTh 1:00-1:50 & Friday discussion sessionThe purpose of this course is to survey the history of colonial Latin America by examining the encounters between Europeans and the Indigenous peoples of the Americas over the course of three centuries. The class will consider the reciprocal effects of this contact. What were the effects of three hundred years of contact, conflict, and colonialism on European civilization? What impact did the conquest have on the peoples, landscapes, geographies, and demography of the Americas? We will examine the role of the Catholic Church, the nature of colonial and global economies, the formation of "race" and racialized caste systems, family life and gender roles, and subaltern resistance, among other themes. The course will run chronologically but may also take some contemporary liberties when appropriate. Opposing viewpoints and historiographical debates will set the tone for many of our discussions and a number of themes will guide our semester together. These themes include the role of Indigenous peoples, the characteristics of colonial rule in Latin America, the nature of colonial relations, and historiographical interpretations of the past. Primary source materials will be used alongside secondary literature. The final grade will consist of short written assignments, a midterm exam, a final exam, and active participation. The active participation component is composed of attendance at lectures and contributions to discussion sections.
121 Latin America: The National Period (HS G) J.Wolfe MF 9:05-9:55 & Thursday discussion session This course examines the creation of modern Latin America, concentrating on struggles over land and labor, the creation of nation-states, and the conflicts within those states over issues of citizenship and social justice. The course also addresses the contentious role the United States has played in the region.
131 Middle East History II (HS G) M. Wilson TuTh 4:00–5:15 Survey of the Middle East from 1500. For course purposes, the Middle East includes the territory from Egypt to Iran and from Turkey to the Arabian Peninsula. Course focuses on the political, social, and intellectual trends that have shaped the Middle East as we know it. General topics include the Ottoman Empire, the impact of European imperialism, the construction of nationalism and national identities, Zionism, Islamism, and contemporary views of modernity including the "Arab Spring". 2 short papers and a final exam.
150 U.S. History to 1876 (HS) L Richards MW 9:05-9:55 & Thursday discussion sessionLecture with discussion sections. Covers the period from 1450 to 1877. Emphasis is not on names and dates but rather on the forces that shaped American history such as the shortage of labor and the abundance of land, slavery, racism, capitalism, and “democracy.” Reader and four paperbacks. Midterm and final, plus extensive section work.
150 U.S. History to 1876 (HS) A. Brinton TuTh 11:15-12:05 & Monday discussion sessions Lecture with discussion sections. Covers the period from 1450 to 1877. Emphasis is not on names and dates but rather on the forces that shaped American history such as the shortage of labor and the abundance of land, slavery, racism, capitalism, and “democracy.”
150H U.S. History to 1876 (Honors) (HS) D. Allosso Honors version of the regular survey course.
151 Development of American Civilization Since 1876 (HS) J. Trask TuTh 11:15-12:05 & Friday discussion sessionLecture and discussion. This course will provide students with an understanding of the contours of American history from the period of Reconstruction through the late twentieth century. The course explores the politics and culture of the period, as well as the interactions of race, class, and gender in U.S. history. Particular attention will be paid to African American history and women’s history. Primary source readings will be emphasized. Students will take several short written quizzes on reading material, a midterm, and a final (both of which will feature essay questions).
161 History of Africa Since 1500 (HS G) J. Bowman TuTh 9:30 – 10:20 & Friday discussion session Topics to be covered include African and European imperialism, colonialism, nationalism, and independence. The main objective of the course is to assess how these developments have changed the lives and cultures of African people. Requirements include: two exams, short essays, weekly reading and participation. No pre-requisites.
181 Western Science and Technology II: from the Scientific Revolution to the Cold War (HS) L. Owens TuTh 9:30-10:20 & Monday discussion session Lecture with discussion sections. This sequel to History 180 surveys Western science and technology in their cultural context from the Scientific Revolution to the Cold War. The course introduces students to key scientific ideas of the modern age. Important subjects include the search for method and the proper organization of science, the creation of the laboratory as a key site for the production of scientific knowledge, the emergence of a techno-scientific frame of mind that has nurtured invention and industrial R&D, and the emergence, most recently, of the Cold War life in science. No pre-requisites, although previous exposure to a course in modern European or American history is helpful.
241 (formerly 426) The Irish Experience (HS) L. McNeil TuTh 9:30-10:45 Lecture. This course will examine the economic, political and social developments in Ireland, from the Act of Union to “the Troubles” in Northern Ireland. In particular we will focus on the divisive issues of land ownership, religious sectarianism and the articulation of a national identity as we chart Ireland’s progress from a British colony to any independent state. We will also discuss Irish emigration to America, and the influence of Irish-American nationalism or Irish political movements.
253 Asian-Pacific American History 1850-Pre…. (HS U) R. Chu TuTh 11:15-12:30 This is an introductory survey course on the history of Asian Pacific Americans (A/P/A) within the broader historical context of imperialism in the Asia-Pacific region. We will compare and contrast the historical experiences of specific groups of the A/P/A community; namely, those of Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Southeast Asian (Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Hmong), Asian
260 Power & violence: S Africa (HS G) J. Higginson MW 10:10 – 11:00 & Friday discussion session Power and violence have played key roles in shaping the lives and expectations of people in South Africa for well over two centuries. After protracted periods of state terror and mass civil disobedience, South Africa is now struggling to make popular elections and the drafting of new laws and constitutions the only legitimate means of political contest. But as the 1997 and 2002 bombings in the Northern Cape and Rustenburg illustrate, violent forms of contest can, on occasion, assume renewed vigor. This purpose of this course is to give students a better understanding of the social origins and the historic evolution of the present situation in South Africa. The most glaring features of South African apartheid are in fact receding, but a great deal of confusion remains about whether South Africa's form of hyper segregation was a coincidental misfortune or a deliberate instance of social engineering. This misunderstanding turns largely on misconceptions about the role of violence in maintaining the social order. For example, after a point, former presidents P.W. Botha and F.W. DeKlerk and the Afrikaner Nationalist Party refused to cooperate with South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. More recently, the most popular song on South African radio stations that cater for white, Afrikaans speaking listeners has been "Delarey," a song that recalls the life of one of the architects of the guerilla phase of the Anglo-Boer or South African War 0f 1899-1902 and asks why Afrikaners seem incapable of producing similar military leaders now. Both are a good illustrations of the kind of selective amnesia that continues to feed confusion about past. There will be two lecture classes and one discussion each week. On occasion films will be shown to underscore questions and problems raised during lectures and discussion groups. Given the complex nature of much of the material we will be covering, it is imperative for students to attend lectures and discussions.
291P Philosophies of History J. Hernandez TuTh 4:00-5:15 This class traces the evolution and debates of philosophical thinking about history and historiography over the past 200 years. We will examine thinkers such as Herder, Hegel, Nietzsche, Marx, Heidegger and Foucault, to name only the most popular, but we will also read and analyze the particular historiographical traditions of non-Western historians.
291W History of Baseball J.Wolfe MF 12:20-1:10 & Wednesday discussion session This lecture course examines the history of baseball from its earliest days as a game for young men in New York City in the mid-19th century to the present and its professional leagues in the United States and elsewhere in the world. The class studies the rise of sport as a leisure activity and then industry, the creation of the major leagues, the racial integration of baseball, the rise of free agency, and the steroid era and beyond.
297N Slavery & Freedom in Antebellum America A. Brinton TuTh 2:30-3:45 This course examines the history of African-American slavery in the United States. The course covers the development of slavery during the era of the American Revolution, when principles of liberty and individual rights emerged as central to the new nation's identity. The course then focuses on the institution of slavery and the lives of enslaved people in the 19th-century and situate this history within the larger context of American history. Requirements include: readings, short paper and exams.
298Y/UMASS 298Y – INTERNSHIPS!!!!Contact Laura Miller at internships@history.umass.edu office: Herter 603 Practicum, mandatory pass/fail credits. Are you interested in exploring history related to work, gaining job experience, establishing career contacts, building your resume, and developing professional confidence? Through an internship you can do all this while earning academic credit. Internships can be conducted locally, regionally, or nationally, and some paid positions are available. You can hold an internship in history or other fields, and the department’s internship advisor can help you find one that works with your interest and schedule. 1-9 credits depending on number of hours worked.
300 Ancient Greece C. BartonTuTh 9:30-10:20 & Wednesday discussion session Lecture. A political and cultural history of Ancient Greece from the Trojan War to Alexander, with an emphasis on the way in which the Greeks themselves saw and understood their world. Text and primary sources: Homer, Hesiod, Archilochus, Herodotus, Sophocles, Thucydides, Arisophanes, Plato. Three papers based on the primary sources.
303 Later Middle Ages 1100-1350 Taylor TuTh 1:00-2:15 We will examine the cultural, religious and political history of the High and Later Middle Ages, focusing on themes such as the relationship of sacred and secular power, the interaction of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, religious movements, heresies, and persecution. We will read a variety of primary sources including accounts of the crusades from eastern and western perspectives, and the letters of Abelard and Heloise. Assessment will include quizzes, a midterm and research papers.
316 History of the U.S.S.R.A. AltstadtTuTh 9:30-10:45 This is the history of the USSR as a multi-national state. This course examines communist ideology, economic development, political terror, and the non-Russian nationalities. We will read primary sources, literature and interpretations of the Soviet experience. Grade is based on in-class essays.
331 English History 1688-Present A. Windel TuTh 11:15-12:05 & Wednesday discussion sessions This course examines the modern history of England, with some discussion of Scotland, Wales and Ireland, from the Glorious Revolution to the present. Topics include: the effects of agricultural and commercial revolutions on rural life in the eighteenth century; the English and Scottish Enlightenment and counter-Enlightenment; the growth of manufacturing towns and consumer culture; gender and class based contests to define the boundaries of belonging in the nation; England’s ties to the Atlantic World and slavery; popular and official responses to the French Revolution; the rise and eventual collapse of the British Empire; the social effects of steam-driven industry; the nineteenth-century workhouse and prison; England’s involvement in the great wars of the twentieth century; the legacies of Empire in the shaping of today's “multicultural Britain”; the central role of mass media in British politics; and the rise of public surveillance (e.g. CCTV) as a ubiquitous element of English daily life.
343 Modern Middle East M. Wilson TuTh 1:00-2:15 Lecture and discussion. This course concentrates on the interdependence between the Middle East and the West after World War I. This is the crucial period in which the political map of the Middle East as we know it today was drawn by European imperialism and national identities were created. Also includes the economy of oil, the impact of American policies and attitudes, religious nationalism, and intra-regional cooperation and strife. I encourage discussion in class. 3 short papers.
346 Twentieth-Century China S. Schmalzer TuTh 11:15-12:30 China began the twentieth century with a Manchu emperor and ended it with a communist party committed to “market socialism.” The course will begin with several weeks devoted to the basic historical narrative that explains this enormous transformation. We will then focus on key readings that illustrate such important themes as nationalism, socialism, globalization, and struggles for democracy and labor reform. Requirements include one short test, several short papers, and a final project in which students use a topic of their own choosing (for example, sex, sports, science…) as a “window” into the main themes of twentieth-century Chinese history. 354 History of Mexico J. Hernandez TuTh 2:30-3:20 & Monday discussion session The purpose of this course is to survey the history of Mexico by examining the encounters between Europeans and the Indigenous peoples of this geographical space over the course of three centuries. The class will consider the reciprocal effects of this contact with respect to European civilization; three
386 Survey of World War II B. Bunk MW 2:30-3:20 & Thursday discussion sessionIn many ways World War II changed the course of world history. This class is a global study of the Second World War with an emphasis on examining the conflict from an international perspective. It is not a military history, although important combat operations will be discussed. Instead the focus will be on exploring the multiple effects of the conflict on local, national and international communities. Assignments include multiple writing assignments and exams.
389 U.S. Women’s History since 1890 (HS U) Jacqueline Castledine TBAThis class examines the historical significance of social, cultural, and political roles played by women in the U.S. since 1890. The historical basis of inequalities of power created by intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality, as well as social movements that challenged these inequalities will be of special interest to us. With a focus on primary sources, modernity vs. tradition, the politics of motherhood, and the historical search for sisterhood are among the themes we will consider in the course. Student evaluation will be based on class participation, writing assignments, and a group oral history project.
391 BE British Empire A. WindelTuTh 8:00-9:15 This course studies the rise and fall of the British Empire. Course readings and lectures will trace the history of imperial rule in the colonies and trading outposts of North America in the seventeenth century, in the East India Company's expansion on the Asian subcontinent in the eighteenth century, the “opening” of the China market through the Opium Wars of the 1840s and 1850s, and the “scramble for Africa” in the 1880s. The course examines the many arguments that emerged for and against Empire from its inception in the seventeenth-century through its rapid decline after WWII. The course will give particular focus to how the Empire affected the everyday lives of Britons and the many millions of people who were brought under Britain's rule.
391N Conservation of Nature & Culture D. Glassberg TuTh 9:30-10:45 This course will explore the history of various efforts around the world to conserve nature and culture. Students will learn about the history of the Conservation Movement in North America, but also get a chance to think broadly about what the idea of conservation means in archeology, folklore, historic preservation, and the fine arts, especially in a time of globalization and climate change.
391P Politics of Preservation J. Trask TuTh 4:00-5:15 This course will examine the cultural politics that influence reuse of historic spaces for museums and other public purposes. Through course readings, site visits and individual archival research, students will explore sites ranging from historic houses and period rooms presented as museum installations to restored villages and communities to dramatic reuse of historic space for cultural tourism. Examining historical case studies of various interpretations of historic space, students will pay particular attention to the social and political context in which both original use and reuse took place by analyzing primary documents that illustrate both motivations and strategy for interpreting historic space.
392DH Dystopias in Modern Europe (Honors) A. WindelWed 4:40-6:55 The twentieth century inspired nightmarish visions of the future. Epitomized in novels like George Orwell's 1984 and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, the dystopian view focused on the dark side of technological change, new media, and scientific discovery. This course will explore the historical forces that helped to produce dystopian dreams for Europeans. Class meetings will combine short lectures with discussion of course readings. Readings will mix fiction with historical scholarship, and we also will “read” dystopian films as sources.
392N Maritime History/New England 1620-1840 B. Levy MWF 10:10-11:00 Between 1650 and 1820, New England’s economy largely rested on its maritime prowess: shipbuilding, fishing, whaling, and blue-water commerce. It is the argument of this course that such success was not simply a matter of economic evolution by laissez faire principles but an expression of New England culture, including its political economy, its religion, and its family. Additionally, the maritime of culture of New England had an important impact on New England society and its individuals, while the slow but dramatic dissolution of this culture between 1812 and 1840 had a significant impact on society, including gender roles, literature, and education.
393EH Intellectual Origins of Colonialism (Honors) J. Higginson MW 2:30-3:45 While the last apparent vestiges of colonial rule are fast becoming historical artifacts, few people in the former colonizing countries have more than an impressionistic understanding of what colonialism was. This course is designed to disabuse the intelligent layperson of erroneous ideas about the nature of colonial rule and the legacy it bequeathed to the contemporary world. We will examine the origins of colonial policy, as well as its conjuncture with other economic and political problems, through a series of case studies and intellectual histories.
393O Oil, Human Rights, Democratization in Eurasia A. Altstadt TuTh 1:00-2:15 This course will examine the politics of oil and democratization, mainly of former Soviet republics, in historical context. The main states under consideration are Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. We will spend time also on other key regional powers such as Iran and Turkey as well as Afghanistan. This primary focus on oil and democratization will lead us to a consideration of globalization, radical religious expressions, US energy and human rights policies. Graded work includes quizzes, map assignments, written and oral reports on selected topics and essay exams.
394F Nationalism and Communism in Eastern Europe from WWII to Stalin’s Death Perez TuTh 2:30-3:45
394MH Monsters, Foreigners - Outsiders in Antiquity - The Middle Ages (Honors) A. Taylor TuTh 4:00-4:50 Idealized and despised, real and imagined outsiders define a society through negative and positive examples. We will examine numerous primary sources including Babylonian epic, Greek tragedies, paintings, Church architecture, sculpture, histories, maps, saints’ lives, theology, manuscript illumination, Arthurian legends, and witch hunting manuals. We will also read theoretical works by scholars of various disciplines illustrating different ways that we can understand the monstrous. By placing our sources in their historical contexts, we will examine the ways that a society represents its outsiders and consider the social and ideological implications of this representation. The structure of the class will be roughly chronological beginning in the Ancient Near East and continuing through Greece, Rome and medieval Europe, but will also proceed thematically to examine different kinds of outsiders. The subjects of our inquiry will be the fantastic – zombies, revenants, wild men – but also the representation of real peripheral groups and individuals including Jews, Muslims, saints, heretics, and those accused of witchcraft.
397 G Mongol & Turkish Empires Broadbridge TuTh 11:15 - 12:30 Lecture. In this course we focus on the Mongol Empire in depth, including the career of Ghengis Khan and the establishment of the Empire, its subsequent political fragmentation, and the Mongol successor states. Then we turn to the rise and rule of the Turkic warlord Timur (Tamerlane), and the careers of his heirs and descendants. Students engage in close reading and discussion of challenging historical texts, and prepare a term paper. Two exams.
432H US Science & Technology from Barnum to Gates (Honors) L. Owens Tu 2:30-5:00 In little more than a century, the United States changed from being a colonial outpost of European science and engineering into Technology's Nation. This seminar, like its companion, U.S. Science & Technology from Edison to Gates, adopts a biographical approach - focusing on individuals who played key roles, the places they worked, and the ways in which their works and lives became integral to the fabric and culture of American life. The tentative line-up includes Benjamin Franklin, the mill town of Rockdale, Samuel Morse of telegraph fame, the explorer Clarence King, and Henry Ford, the inventor of the model T and the greatest of American industrialists. The seminar will be organized much like a graduate course, with intense weekly discussions and reports, frequent writing, and a concluding symposium for the sharing of final papers. There will be a great deal of reading - good biographies tend to be lengthy!
491E Women in South AsiaP. SrivastavaMWF 12:20-1:10This lecture and discussion-based course maps the history of women in South Asia from 1800 to the present. Topics include: social, economic and cultural policies of the colonial state concerning women; the gendered nature of the social and religious reform movements; the development of women's education;
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