Fall 2024 Course Guide : History : UMass Amherst

This page contains the Fall 2024 course guide. Click here for the summer 2024 course guide

Meeting the Requirements

Each semester, numerous history department courses fulfill one or more General Education requirements, including Historical Studies (HS), United States Diversity (DU), Global Diversity (DG), and Interdisciplinary (I). Some courses are cross-listed with other departments, such as Economics and Legal Studies. These courses and others may count toward major requirements in other departments. We advise you to contact your major advisor to determine whether a history course may count for a non-history major.

This semester's courses also fulfill various requirements for history majors and minors, including:

Non-Western - The following courses will automatically satisfy the non-western requirement: HIST 110: World History to 1500; HIST 111 World History Since 1500; HIST 116 History of Japan; HIST 117 Science and Society in Modern China; HIST 130 Middle East History I; HIST 161: Africa Since 1500; HIST 203 Ancient Near East and Egypt; HIST 220 Capitalism and Alternatives in Latin America; HIST 250 Intro to South Asian History and Culture; HIST 320ML: From Muhammad to the Caliphate; HIST 324 Globalization in the Indian Ocean; HIST 345 China in the 19th Century; HIST 354 History of Mexico.
Pre-1500 - The following courses will automatically satisfy the pre-1500 requirement: HIST 100 Western Thought to 1500; HIST 110 World History Before 1500; HIST 130 Middle East History I; HIST 203 Ancient Near East and Egypt; HIST 204 Ancient Rome; HIST 350 The Fall of Rome.
Note, there are courses being offered this semester that may satisfy the non-western requirement or the pre-1500 requirements that are not on this list. The courses listed above will automatically count towards these requirements, but if you are taking a class that you believe meets either requirement, and it’s not listed here, inquire with the Undergraduate Program Coordinator at undergrad@history.umass.edu.
Integrative Experience - The following courses will satisfy the Gen Ed Integrative Experience Requirement (affects primary history majors): HIST 394EI: Human Rights and Energy in Eurasia; HIST 394PI: History and Its Publics
Junior Year Writing - The following courses will satisfy the Junior Year Writing requirement: HIST 450-01: Policing in the Modern US; HIST 450-02: Ancient World in Popular Media; HIST 450-03: China and the United States; HIST 450-04: Biography.

FALL 2024 UNDERGRADUATE COURSES

HIST 100-01 Western Thought To 1600 (HS)

Daniel Gordon | MW 10:10-11:00am, Friday discussions

The Western intellectual tradition continues to shape the way that Americans think about the world and their place in it. This course introduces students to key developments in the intellectual, cultural, and religious history of the West from ancient Greece to the Italian Renaissance. We will focus on foundational texts, like Homer's Iliad and the Bible. We will learn about the ideas and debates these texts have bequeathed to Western culture. A major theme running through the course will be the role of women in the Western thought. History 100 is a Historical Studies (HS) general education course. This course introduces students to important skills in the discipline of history: the ability to decipher old texts, to combine different sources into a unified interpretation, to compare and contrast cultures, to write clearly, to provide proper footnotes, and more.

HIST 100-01 Western Thought To 1600 (HS)

Anna Taylor | TuTh 1:00-2:15pm, no Friday discussions

HIST 110 World History Before 1500 (HS, DG)

Brian Bunk | MW 9:05-9:55am, Friday discussions

The goal of the course is to introduce the methods and approaches of historical study and to understand the development of key aspects of pre-modern world history. The course examines human interaction in specific situations emerging through time, including the development of significant social, political, or economic institutions or ideologies. Students are exposed to historically important events, developments, and processes as a way of teaching them to understand the present and direct their futures as well as gain an awareness of and appreciation for an historical perspective. The readings include a variety of primary and secondary 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 emphasizes the development of critical thinking and writing skills. Assignments include multiple written assignments and engagement with the course materials and topics. This course fulfills the non-western and pre-1500 requirement for history majors and the historical studies (HS) and global diversity (DG) portion of the General Education program. 4 credits.

HIST 111 World History Since 1500 (HS, DG)

Jessica Keene | MW 11:15-12:05pm, Friday discussions

The goal of the course is to understand the development of key aspects of world history from the late fifteenth to the late twentieth centuries. The course examines human interaction in specific situations developing through time, including the development of significant social, political, or economic institutions or ideologies. Students are exposed to historically important events, developments, or processes as a way of teaching them to understand the present and direct their futures as well as gain an awareness of and appreciation for an historical perspective. The readings of the course include a variety of primary and secondary 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 emphasizes the development of critical thinking and writing skills. This course fulfills the non-western requirement for history majors and the historical studies in global perspective (DG) portion of the General Education program.

HIST 116 History of Japan (HS, DG)

Garrett Washington | MW 1:25-2:15pm, Friday discussions

This survey class is a journey through the social, cultural, political, economic and religious developments in Japan since 1800. We’ll go from the 18^th-century kabuki stage and the samurai castle to the military barracks and factory floor behind Japanese imperialism to the crowded trains and hip-hop-filled streets of Harajuku in 21^st-century Tokyo. We will examine how much Japan has changed, but also much about the lines of continuity that run from the past to the present through a textbook and a few short scholarly pieces. The course also aims to humanize the history of the Japanese people through first-hand accounts ranging from diary, letter, newspaper, play, and novel excerpts to government documents, comic books, paintings, photos, and other sources. You will leave this course equipped with the information and tools needed to acknowledge and understand the vividness and complexity of Japan, its position in East Asia and the world, and its special relationship with the United States. Beyond studying our topic, however, you will also develop important critical thinking and analytical writing skills that will help you to reflect and communicate more effectively in general.

HIST 117 Science and Society in Modern China (HS, DG)

Sigrid Schmalzer | MW 12:20-1:10pm, Friday discussions

Science has meant many things in modern Chinese history. It has been pursued as a force for sovereignty, enlightenment, civilization, modernity, economic development, social transformation, political liberation, state authority, democracy, populism, individual opportunity, international solidarity, global power, and more. This course will explore how science has shaped modern Chinese history and the roles played by scientists in supporting and challenging the state. It will also examine how specific social, cultural, and political contexts have shaped the practice and policy of science in China, and how the specific visions for science that have emerged there have influenced and inspired people within the country and around the world. Throughout the course, we will be attuned to the effects of power relations on the history of science in China, including the Chinese state’s geopolitical maneuverings in the contexts of colonialism and the Cold War, revolutionary challenges to ivory-tower elitism, and scientists’ struggles to find their voices within and against the state.

HIST 130 Middle East History to 1500 (HS, DG)

Anne Broadbridge | TuTh 2:30-3:45pm, no Friday discussions

You will gain an understanding of the history of the Islamic Middle East from the birth of the Prophet Muhammad in the sixth century until the advent of the Mongols in the thirteenth. You will study the chronological narrative of Islamic history, and the major themes, issues, complexities and contradictions that make this history interesting. You will also learn about key misconceptions on Middle Eastern or Islamic topics.

HIST 141 European History 1815 to Present (HS)

Jon Olsen | MW 11:15-12:05pm, Friday discussions

In this course we will explore the period of European history from 1815 to the present. We will look at political, social, cultural, and economic developments and relate them to longer trends and future implications. In particular, we are going to explore the changing concept of national identity, of what it means to be “European,” and how different ideologies have come and gone from the continent. We will also explore how the relationship between the rulers and the citizens evolved and changed over the course of two centuries.

HIST 150-01 United States History to 1876 (HS, DU)

Sarah Cornell | Online Asynchronous Lectures, Friday discussions

This course surveys the history of the United States to the end of Reconstruction. Through readings, lectures, and discussions we will examine the social, cultural, and political histories of the peoples living within what is now the United States. Focusing on the aspirations, tribulations, and experiences of a large cast of historical actors, we will explore the multiple ways in which notions of belonging, liberty, equality, and Americanness were shaped and reshaped from the 16^th to the 19^th century.

HIST 150-02 United States History to 1876 (HS, DU)

Sarah Cornell | MW 9:05-9:55am, Friday discussions

HIST 151 United States Survey, Reconstruction to the Present (HS)

Jennifer Fronc | TuTh 10:00-10:50am, Friday discussions

This course will provide students with an understanding of American political, social, and economic history from the period of Reconstruction in the late 19th century through the late 20th century. The course explores politics and culture, as well as the interactions of race, class, and gender in U.S. history. Particular attention will be paid to struggles for justice, African American history, and women’s history. Primary source readings will be emphasized.

HIST 156 The Power of Universities (HS, DU)

Asheesh Siddique | MW 1:25-2:15pm, Friday discussions

A critical introduction to the history and political economy of the American university, with an emphasis on how the institution has produced and reproduced structural inequality despite its purported democratizing mission.

HIST 161 Africa Since 1500 (HS, DG)

Elizabeth Jacob | TuTh 1:00-1:50pm, Friday discussions

This survey course examines African history from the 16th century to the present. It focuses on three major developments in African history: slavery and the rise of global capitalism; colonial conquest and rule; and decolonization and the end of empire. As we study African-authored essays, novels, art, music, and film, we will explore how African women and men experienced these periods of complex political, economic, and cultural change. Throughout, we will pay particular attention to the “making” of African history. Who writes African history? Whose voices are centered? Whose voices are marginalized?

This course will feature case studies from across the continent, with examples from Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Key themes will include enslavement and emancipation; gender and generation; European colonialism and African resistance; nationalism and postcolonial politics; and economic dependency and development.

HIST 170 Indigenous Peoples of North America (HS, DU)

Alice Nash | TuTh 4:00-4:50pm, Friday discussions

This course is an introduction to the history of Indigenous Peoples within the present-day borders of the U.S.A. and Canada. While we will only be able to cover a few culture groups in any depth, the major themes of the course relate to all groups: colonization, trade, land loss, sovereignty, religion and missionaries, treaties, war and peace, and identity. Another theme that runs throughout the course is tension between history as understood and experienced by indigenous peoples and history as recorded and written by Europeans. Throughout, we will consider how “history” bears on the present day.

HIST 180 History of Western Science and Technology I (HS)

Brian Ogilvie | MW 9:05-9:55am, Friday discussions

Science and technology are important aspects of the modern world. Where did they start? How did they develop? This course approaches the history of science and technology in the Western world by focusing on three aspects: (1) the origins and development of Greek natural philosophy, seen as a part of Greek culture and society; (2) the encounter of Roman, Islamic, and medieval European civilizations with Greek natural philosophy and its transformation in those new settings, especially medieval Europe; and (3) the so-called “Scientific Revolution” of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and the place of craft (technical) knowledge in it.

The course has no prerequisites, though a background in Mediterranean and European history is helpful.

HIST 203 Ancient Near East and Egypt

Timothy Hart | TuTh 10:00-11:15am

This course explores the history of the Ancient Near East and Egypt from the development of agriculture and settled society (c. 9000 BCE) to the rise of the Achaemenid Persian empire (c. 500 BCE). The societies that developed along the Nile and in the so-called Fertile Crescent of Mesopotamia and the Levant gave rise to some of the world’s earliest cities, invented writing systems for bureaucracy, business, and literature, and created religions and principles of law with far-reaching influence. Covering the major civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Syria, and Egypt, this class is for any student interested in the process of state formation, and also offers crucial background for those intending to pursue future study of the Greco-Roman Mediterranean or the later societies of Persia and the Islamic world.

HIST 204 Ancient Rome (HS)

Timothy Hart | TuTh 1:00-2:15pm

This course, which satisfies the GenEd requirement for Historical Studies (HS), is a survey of Roman history covering over a millennium, from the city’s earliest beginnings in the 6th century BCE until the emergence of its political heirs during the 5th through 7th centuries CE. In this course you will learn about the major social processes and events that shaped the Mediterranean world into a single political entity for the first - and only - time in history. While this course follows a roughly chronological path, your journey through Roman history will be guided by three enduring, thematic questions:

What did it mean to be a Roman, over time? What characteristics/beliefs did Romans consider crucial to their identity? How did Romans think about and identify non-Romans? What were the social and political duties of a Roman citizen? What were the benefits? How could one become a Roman? Could someone stop being a Roman?
How do we know what we know about the Romans? What kinds of evidence do we use to reconstruct the Roman past? How do we understand and evaluate ancient texts and other types of evidence? How have modern scholars and others thought about the Romans? What does it mean to be an historian?
Why is the Roman Empire important? What, if anything, set the Romans apart from other ancient societies? Why was the “Roman project” so successful for so long? What factors ultimately led to the collapse of the imperial system? How does the legacy of Rome impact our contemporary world?

As we discuss topics such as Rome’s transition from republic to empire, the administration of a Mediterranean empire, the impact of Christianity, and the so-called “barbarian invasions,” you will read a wide range of ancient texts, and develop skills in critical analysis and written expression. This course requires no prior knowledge and is open to all.

HIST 220 Capitalism and Alternatives in Latin America (HS, DG)

Kevin Young | MW 10:10-11:00am, Friday discussions

Why have poverty and inequality been so persistent in Latin American history? What strategies have different people proposed to deal with these problems, and with what consequences? In attempting to answer these questions, we will survey the major periods in Latin American and Caribbean economic development, focusing on the last 150 years. Recurring issues will include natural resource extraction, industrialization, labor conditions and class hierarchy, control of the workplace, environmental impacts, the “segmentation” of the workforce along racial, gender, and other hierarchies, the role of the state in the economy, foreign intervention, and the relationship of democracy to the economy. We will pay close attention to the relationship between the economy and political power, social movements, and the non-human environment. This is not an economics course, but rather a course on how people have thought about, and tried to influence, the economy. No prior training in economics or Latin American history is necessary.

HIST 242H American Family in Historical Perspective, Honors

Martha Yoder | TuTh 2:30-3:45pm

Since the 1960s, Americans have experienced rapid and potentially disorienting changes in marriage and reproduction, in expectations of the family, and in the relationship between work life and home life. In this course we will take an historical and cross-cultural approach to studying these changes. Exploring the ways in which economic and political structures have affected the family since the period of European colonization, we will also examine the roles played by race, ethnic origin, immigration, and structural inequality in shaping familial differences. In the final weeks of the semester, we will employ this historical perspective as we examine questions about new definitions of family, the household division of labor, and the relationship between society and family in the postindustrial and increasingly politicized and globalized environment of the late-20^th/early-21st centuries.

HIST 247 Empire, Race, and the Philippines (HS, DG)

Richard Chu | TuTh 1:00-2:15pm

What is an empire? Is the United States an empire? If so, what makes it and how did it become an empire? What is colonialism? How is it different from colonization? These are just some of the questions we are dealing with throughout the semester. We are going to learn about the concept of “empire” (and all its related themes and topics such as colonialism, globalization, race, etc.) through the lens of Philippine colonial (and neocolonial) history. This course therefore provides you with a chance to learn about not only the way empires are created and operate but also the culture and history of a non-U.S./non-Western country.

Why the Philippines? Due to its long colonial past, the Philippines is in a unique position to give us an idea of how colonialism worked/works. The country was colonized three times (!), first by Spain (1565-1898), then the U.S. (1898-1946), and finally by Japan (1942-1945) (with a brief interlude by the British from 1762-1764). Furthermore, although it was the U.S.’ largest overseas and formal colony, little has been taught about this history of U.S. colonization of the country, hence, creating a gap in our understanding of U.S. history.

HIST 250 Introduction to South Asian History and Culture (HS, DG)

Priyanka Srivastava | MW 11:15am-12:05pm, Friday discussions

What makes the Indian subcontinent a distinctive global region? Its diverse religious, philosophical, and lingual traditions? Architectural splendor? The caste system and gender relations? This course covers the history of the Indian subcontinent from the Indus Valley Civilization until 1700 CE, focusing on the ideas, encounters, and exchanges that have formed this dynamic region. While developing a chronological perspective on the history of pre-colonial South Asia (the Indian subcontinent), this course will encourage you to look beyond the modern nation-state boundaries in order to gain a firm understanding of the region's shared political and cultural past. Course themes will include social and cultural developments in early India; the heterodox sects of Buddhism and Jainism; the rise of kingdoms and empires; the historical context of the growth of classical Hinduism; Indian subcontinent in the growing world system of Islam; architecture and other forms of visual and material cultures in medieval India; and the creation of a distinct Indo-Islamic culture in the Indian subcontinent. Texts and readings will draw upon recent secondary research as well as historical and literary primary source material.

HIST 264 History of US Health Care and Medicine (HS, DU)

Emily Hamilton | MW 10:10-11:00am, Friday discussions

This course investigates the social meaning of medicine, health care, and disease in the U.S. from 1600 to the present. Major topics will include: the evolution of beliefs about the body; medical and social responses to infectious and chronic disease; the rise of medical science and medical organizations; the development of medical technologies; and the role of public and government institutions in promoting health practices and disease treatments. To explore the human experience of medicine, readings will address the experience of being ill, the delivery of compassionate care, the nature of the relationship between practitioner and patient, and ethics. Throughout the semester, the class will link medicine to broad issues in American history by examining:

the effects of class, race, gender, age, sexual orientation, lifestyle, and geographic region on health and medical care
cultural and religious diversity in medical expression
the intersections of politics, science/technology, consumerism, social movements, industry, the economy, and health care
the role of the marketplace in shaping professional identities, patient expectations, and outcomes
the training of medical practitioners, their role, and image
media and health activism as influencers in individual and public health
the global nature and politics of disease and medicine

Course materials will include recent scholarly literature in the history of medicine, writings by physicians and patients, historical documents, films, websites, audio interviews, and artifact studies

HIST 268 Women and the Law: History of Sex and Gender Discrimination

Jennifer Nye | TuTh 1:00-2:15pm

This course examines the legal status of women in the United States, focusing specifically on the 20th and 21st centuries. How has the law used gender, sex, sexuality, and race to legally enforce inequality between women and men (and among women)? We will examine the legal arguments feminists have used to advocate for legal change and how these arguments have changed over time, paying specific attention to debates about whether to make legal arguments based on formal equality, substantive equality, liberty, or privacy. We will also consider the pros and cons of using the law to advocate for social justice. Specific issues that may be covered include the civil and political participation of women (voting, jury service), employment discrimination, intimate relationships, reproduction, contraception and abortion, violence against women, women as criminal defendants, and women as law students, lawyers, and judges. Prior law-law related coursework helpful, but not required. This course counts as an additional course for the Five College Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice Certificate. Please note: this is not a History gen ed course.

HIST 269 The American War in Vietnam (HS)

Christopher Appy | MW 9:05-9:55am, Friday discussions

This course provides history majors with an introduction to the philosophy of history, historical methodology, and general schools of historiography. We will consider how historians inside and outside the academy pose questions, and how they find, select, evaluate, interpret, and analyze evidence in order to propose answers to those questions. Finally, we will reflect as well upon questions about the purposes and goals of both studying and writing history.

HIST 270 Indigenous History for STEM (HS, DU)

Alice Nash | TuTh 1:00-2:15pm

Native American & Indigenous Studies (NAIS) is an emerging field that centers Indigenous perspectives and protocols. The NAIS framework of this class introduces students to the history of Indigenous peoples in the U.S. with explicit connections to topics that are relevant for STEM majors. Discussions will include the impact of racism and ongoing colonization in the academy and in the world; the difference between knowledge and wisdom; and how to decolonize and indigenize STEM.

HIST 275-01 The Craft of History

Priyanka Srivastava | MW 4:00-5:15pm

HIST 275-02 The Craft of History

Brian Ogilvie | MW 2:30-:45pm

HIST 283 American Gridiron Football (HS)

Joel Wolfe | MW 1:25-2:15pm, Friday discussions

This class examines the history of American gridiron football from its earliest days as a game played primarily at elite colleges through its development into the most popular spectator sport in the United States. The class examines the complex and contentious history of race and ethnicity in football, and its place in American politics from Theodore Roosevelt?s intervention to keep the sport legal to present-day controversies over everything from race and sexuality to patriotism.

HIST 290V History and Video Games

Brian Bunk | MW 2:30-3:45pm

The course examines video games as vehicles for representing the past, distinct from traditional formats such as books, articles, and film. It explores the historical development of digital games and gives students the tools needed to critically analyze them. The course will not just focus on in-game worlds, but will also examine the broader socio-economic, political, and cultural context in which the games are developed and played. Assignments include an exam, online discussion through Perusall, detailed game play logs and a final project.

HIST 291A Alexander the Great

Jason Moralee | TuTh 4:00-5:15pm

Alexander the Great's conquests in the Mediterranean, North Africa, and Western Asia made him one of the most talked about figures in antiquity. Yet our ability to understand Alexander is difficult. Most of the primary sources were composed hundreds of years after his untimely death. In investigating Alexander and the world that was engendered through his conquests in the fourth century BCE, we must consider the basic question: Are the available primary sources reliable? This course will function as a history lab, where we will be engaged in reading, dissecting, and comparing the surviving narrative histories on Alexander, his ambitions, follies, and wars: Flavius Arrian, Q. Curtius Rufus, and Plutarch. Through weekly source comparisons, journals, and a research paper, students will discover that Alexander, despite his instant and lasting fame and an abundance of sources, is challenging for historians to pin down.

HIST 303 Later Middle Ages

Anna Taylor | TuTh 2:30-3:45pm

We will examine the cultural, intellectual, and religious history of Western Europe in the High and Later Middle Ages, focusing on the diverse experiences of its inhabitants. We will read a variety of primary sources, including documentary evidence, literary sources, and art.  We will explore themes such as individualism, authority, religious transformation, heresy, and the appropriation of the medieval past by the modern alt-right.

HIST 308 French Revolution

Jennifer Heuer | MW 4:00-5:15pm

The French Revolution was one of the defining events of modern times. It provided a model for democratic political reform throughout the world, spreading new ideas about social equality, national identity, and rights for women, slaves, religious minorities, and other oppressed groups. Yet revolutionaries also killed thousands of people in the name of change. We will examine both the attempts to create a new, more just society and the spiraling violence against internal and external enemies, from the symbolic storming of the Bastille prison to Napoleon's rise and fall as Emperor. We will look closely not only at events in France itself, but also in Haiti and other French colonies in the Caribbean.

HIST 315 Russian Empire

Audrey Altstadt | TuTh 10:10-11:00am

This course is a history of the Russian Empire as a multi-national state. After grounding the study in the 10th century, we will examine political, economic and cultural trends to the creation of the empire around 1700. In the imperial period, we will examine tensions between autocracy and reform, culminating in 19th century debates and revolutionary thought. We will end with the Russian revolutions of 1905 and 1917. Readings will include primary sources. Some classes will include lectures, others analysis of readings.

HIST 320ML From Muhammad to the Caliphate: The Rise of Islam in the Late Antique Context

Hadi Jorati | MW 4:00-5:15pm

In less than 50 years it went from not existing to defeating both the Persian Empire and the Roman Empire. How did Islam emerge in the Late Antique World and how did it change that World? We discuss the fascinating and complex history of Early Islam and the emergence of the Islamic Caliphate to arrive at a fuller understanding. This course is widely accessible and open to all levels.

HIST 323 Modern Germany (HS)

Andy Donson | TuTh 8:30-9:45am

This course surveys the troubled history of the modern German nation-state. It traces how the loose federation of German monarchies and duchies coalesced in the late nineteenth century into a European powerhouse. Topics include absolutism, the old regime, the Enlightenment, the Napoleonic occupation, the 1848 revolution, unification and rule under Bismarck, German Jews before 1914, mass politics under Wilhelm II, the First World War, the Weimar Republic, the Nazi dictatorship, the Second World War and the Holocaust, the divided Germanys, and the Federal Republic since 1989.

This course fulfills the 4-credit general-education requirements with designations HS and DG (historical studies and global diversity). As an HS course, it covers a broad period of history, from eighteenth century to the present. It also helps students develop their critical thinking by teaching how to read a variety of primary-source texts, including ethnologies, statistics, memoirs, diaries, speeches, letters, monographs, newspaper articles, and political-party programs. It develops writing skills through five short papers and weekly writing assignments. Finally, and most of it all, the course teaches the main skill of the historian: the ability to place events and ideas in their historical context and draw conclusions about causes and consequences.

As a DG course, it introduces you to the viewpoints of a variety of people, such as socialists, reformers, aristocrats, workers, scholars, liberals, and conservatives. In their papers, you have to synthesize at least six primary sources to show multiple perspectives or change over time. The course pays special attention to the underprivileged, including workers, women, Catholics, and Jews.

HIST 324 Globalization in the Indian Ocean

Matthew Wormer | TuTh 10:00-11:15am

Globalization is a phenomenon that seems to be occurring everywhere around us and yet seems to have no origin. Is the world really flat? Or have certain places, people and things become better connected than others? This course seeks to answer these questions by exploring when and why certain places became better connected, people became more mobile and things gained wider circulation. Since the Indus valley civilization started trading with the Mesopotamian civilization four millennia ago, the Indian Ocean has been an important space of economic and cultural exchange. Technological innovations were pioneered within the Indian Ocean littoral and others were imported from other parts of the world. We can then see how ideas, commodities and people became incorporated into the Indian Ocean world and how they were resisted.

HIST 331 English History 1688 to Present

Matthew Wormer | TuTh 8:30-9:45am

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.

HIST 345 China in the 19th Century

Stephen Platt | TuTh 11:30am-12:45pm

The rise and spectacular fall of China’s last dynasty, the Qing (1644-1911), with particular emphasis on the social, economic, intellectual and military forces that transformed China from an empire into a modern nation in the decades leading up to the 1911 Revolution. Our subjects will include secret societies, restoration scholars, gunboat diplomacy, imperial decadence, new-text Confucian visions, clandestine missionaries, treaty-port translators and student revolutionaries. No prior exposure to Chinese history is assumed.

HIST 350 The Fall of Rome

Jason Moralee | TuTh 1:00-2:15pm

This course examines the transformation of the Roman state and society from the third to the sixth century. Key topics include: warfare and diplomacy, gender and sexuality, Christianity and religious authority, elites and urban change, games and popular culture, barbarians and the disintegration of the state, and ancient and modern explanations for the fall of the Roman empire.

HIST 354 History of Mexico

Kevin Young | MW 4:00-5:15pm

This course explores Mexico’s society, economy, politics, and culture, with a focus on the last two centuries. We will analyze pre-Hispanic societies and the legacies of Spanish colonialism, the 1846 U.S. invasion of Mexico, land conflicts of the 19th century, the famous Revolution of 1910, the consolidation of an authoritarian state, the “Mexican miracle” of the 1940s-1960s, the adoption of neoliberalism starting in the 1980s, and the ongoing struggles of workers, peasants, women, students, Indigenous people, and other groups. Since the formal transition to democracy circa 2000, Mexicans have continued to face high poverty levels, environmental destruction, an authoritarian and pro-business state, and massive levels of drug-related violence – factors that help explain the high rate of migration. We will use our historical knowledge to help make sense of these problems.

HIST 359 Modern Brazil

Joel Wolfe | MW 2:30-3:45pm

In addition to being Latin America’s largest and most economically powerful nation, Brazil boasts a history that is quite distinct from the histories of its Spanish American neighbors. This lecture and discussion course will examine Brazil’s history from its peaceful independence declaration in 1822 to its present struggles to maintain a democratic society in the aftermath of a twenty-one-year military dictatorship. We will pay close attention to Brazil’s legacy as the world’s largest slave-holding society in the nineteenth century, its struggles to conquer its huge territory, and the interaction of those factors in shaping its national identity.

HIST 375 United States Constitutional History II

Daniel Gordon | MW 4:00-5:15pm

American constitutional law from the end of the Civil War to the Present. Changing conceptions of equality, liberty, and state power. Freedom of speech and religion, economic regulation, emergency power, affirmative action, death penalty, abortion. Emphasis is on the formation of new legal doctrines in the 20^th century and how they continue to be debated.

HIST 378G Rape Law: Gender, Race, (In)Justice

Jennifer Nye | TuTh 10:00-11:15am

The history of the legal response to rape has often resulted in injustice for both the victim/survivor and the alleged perpetrator. This course will examine the evolution of the U.S. legal system's treatment of rape, paying particular attention to the movement against lynching in the post-civil war era, the rise of the feminist anti-rape movement in the 1970s and the student movement against campus sexual assault. Through an analysis of court cases, legislation, and other texts we will consider the role sexual violence has played in maintaining gendered and racialized power relationships. We will examine how and why such violence came to be seen as a crime, including who is worthy of the law's "protection" and who is subject to the law's "punishment." We will explore issues such as: rape as a form of racialized and imperial violence, especially against black and Native American women; the criminal legal treatment of rape and the evolution of the legal concepts of force, resistance, and consent; and the civil responses to rape under the Violence Against Women Act and Title IX. We'll also look at the international law responses to rape as a weapon of war. Finally, we'll think about how the legal responses, or non-responses, to rape have differed over time depending on factors such as the race/ethnicity, income level, immigration status, sexual orientation/gender identity, age, and marital status of the victim/survivor and the perpetrator. Finally, we'll consider how the legal system can or should respond to rape, particularly in this age of mass criminalization and mass incarceration, and whether restorative justice responses might be preferable. Prior law-related coursework is helpful, but not required.

HIST 380 Science, Technology, and War in 20th Century United States and Europe

Emily Hamilton | MWF 9:05-9:55am

This course will examine the nexus of science, technology, and war in the 20th century United States and Europe. This course will cover topics such as the development and use of chemical and biological warfare; scientific, political, medical, and philosophical implications of nuclear technology; the Manhattan Project and Big Science; Nazi science; Soviet agriculture; Cold War technology and the Space Race; missile technology; and psychological research and the military. As a unifying theme we will consider the impact of technological determinism and the centrality of science and technology in wartime politics and practice. Readings will consist of primary and secondary sources as well as historical and contemporary films. Requirements will include writing several short reflection papers as well as a longer research paper.

HIST 390STE Gender and Sexuality in African Film

Elizabeth Jacob | TuTh 4:00-5:15pm

This course explores gender and sexuality in African history, from the era of the slave trade to the present. Together, we will examine a range of themes, including politics and power, marriage and motherhood, fashion and the body, and love and intimacies.

HIST 394EI Human Rights and Energy in Eurasia (Integrative Experience)

Audrey Altstadt | Th 1:00-2:15pm

Our topic is the politics and impact of energy (especially oil and gas) on democratization and human rights in the Caspian basin in historical and current strategic context. This course will address pluralistic perspectives and awareness of cultural difference and one's self as learner; effective oral and written communication; effective collaborative work; creative and analytical thinking and problem solving; application of methods of analysis to real world problems, and evaluating the consequences and implications of choices and actions. Assignments will be written and oral including evaluation of readings and two role-playing exercises. This is an Integrative Experience course (IE) which fulfills the requirement for graduation.

HIST 394PI History and Its Publics (Integrative Experience)

Diana Sierra Becerra | TuTh 10:00-11:15am

History is a tightly woven “bundle of silences.” This course will examine how public history—a practice that makes history accessible to broader audiences—can tighten or unravel those bundles. Who benefits from historical erasure and how does it work? How do institutions, public spaces, and everyday practices construct our understanding of the past? We will learn about public history practices that confront colonialism, imperialism, and white supremacy. Workers, survivors of state violence, activists, and academics have used public history to intervene in political debates. Some have gone further, using history to identify strategies for how we heal and get free.

HIST 396W Navigating Washington

Bob LaRussa (Jessica Keene is instructor of record on SPIRE) | F 12:00-2:00pm

This independent study is designed to give students preliminary understanding of how history, politics, economics, and the legislative and administrative processes in Washington shape US public policy, and the impact this has on US international relations. Students will be asked to analyze the impact of recent international trade decisions by the Trump Administration, with a focus on what and who drove these decisions, both inside of Washington and out. The course will focus on events that are happening now, including how the politics of the mid-term congressional elections have shaped policy. In the process, students will discover who influences these policies and a range of potential career paths in this area.

NOTE: Interested students should email Jessica Keene for enrollment at @email.

Junior Year Writing Seminars

HIST 450-01 Policing in the Modern US

Jennifer Fronc | TuTh 11:30-12:45pm

This writing seminar will explore historical and sociological literature on policing in the 20th century United States. Murder and mass incarceration will be among the topics covered. Students will write several short papers during the first half of the semester; during the second half, they will work on individual research projects, resulting in a final paper of 15-20 pages.

HIST 450-02 Ancient World in Popular Media

Timothy Hart | MW 2:30-3:45pm

From the hit video game Hades, to the Vulcans and Romulans of Star Trek, we have a seemingly-endless fascination with the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean world. Even if you've never taken a class on ancient Greece or Rome, you almost certainly have some level of familiarity with these classical civilizations through film, literature, and digital media. In this junior-year writing seminar, we will explore how Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and other peoples of the ancient Mediterranean world are represented in a range of popular media. By engaging directly with a diverse set of films, stories, and games, you will think critically about how popular media shapes our conception of history and of our own society, while developing advanced skills in written expression in a variety of genres, from media reviews, to podcasts, to formal research-based writing.

HIST 450-03 China and the United States

Stephen Platt | TuTh 2:30-3:45pm

This writing seminar will explore cultural and political relations between China and the United States from the nineteenth century to the present. Readings will include travel narratives, missionary and diplomatic accounts, popular press coverage and other sources that bring to life what China has meant to Americans, and what America has meant to Chinese, over the course of the last two centuries. Short regular writing assignments will lead up to a longer research paper at the end of the course. (Must not have taken 592U)

HIST 450-04 Biography

Andrew Donson | TuTh 11:30-12:45pm

This course teaches students how to write biography using primary-source texts. Some students will use personal papers, letters, diaries, protocols, etc. from archives held in the Special Collections Department at UMass and the Five Colleges. Others may use obituaries, newspaper articles, and various secondary sources. Students will write a substantial biography or a paper that places biographies in their historiographical contexts. Students will also create or update biographies on Wikipedia.