Comparative History
Acquaintance Modules

Comparative history is difficult because it is difficult, and also, on the human side, because it asks people to work outside their area of expertise, on data which they do not fully control. This violates all the rules and habituations of one's graduate years. Cooperation with experts in the second field is obvioiusly needed, and that cooperation will be easier if its participants have a decent minimum acquaintance with fields not their own, so as to avoid asking questions with easily available answers. What we want is a level of conversancy not extending (there is not time) to independent competency. These modules attempt to provide that basic information, with emphasis on war, sovereignty, state formation and multi-state system evolution, statecraft, law, and economics. For each field covered, we give a brief epitome plus:

• A Historical Outline
• Information Sources, including Journal Recommendations
• Texts and Translations
• Language and Pronunciation

The fields so far covered or planned are the following:

• Ancient Near East
• Persia
• Greece
  • NT Studies
• Rome
• India
  • Buddhist Studies
• China

Viewers are invited to offer corrections or additions to any of the above pages, or to contribute advice from their own experience with conversations across academic boundaries.

12 Aug 2003 / Contact The Project / Exit to Comparative History Page