Spring 2012 Course Descriptions
200-400 Level
SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE! Always check the University online schedule for the latest changes.
HIS 204 - History of Africa since 1870
10582 TR 9:30-10:45
Colleen Kriger
When, how, and why did European nations colonize the African continent? And, an equally important question, What is the legacy of European colonialism in Africa today? This course examines major themes in recent African history, and discusses theoretical debates in the history of Africa during the colonial period and since.
Topics to be covered include: the imposition of colonial rule and wars of resistance; styles of colonial rule; theories of underdevelopment and the effects of colonial policies; Pan-Africanism, nationalism, and independence movements; the creation of apartheid; decolonization; and issues facing independent Africa such as neo-colonialism and the dismantling of apartheid. These themes will be studied with reference to the regions of west, east, central, and southern Africa.
HIS 207 - Topics in Premodern World History II: "The Hellenistic World, 323-30 B.C.E"
12321 TR 11:00-12:15
Dustin Cranford
This course will trace the history of the Hellenistic World, consisting of the eastern Mediterranean, Egypt, and Persia from the death of Alexander the Great (323 BCE) to the victory of Octavian (Augustus) at Actium (30 BCE). Students will learn about the history and struggles of and between the various successor states that followed Alexander's death, their political developments, cultural interaction with indigenous populations, and their contact with the growing Roman Republic.
HIS 208 - Topics in Modern World History I: "European Expansion and Empires"
10583 TR 12:30-1:45
Jill Bender
This course examines the rise and fall of European empires from the mid-eighteenth century to the late-twentieth century. We will pay particular attention to the cultural, social, and political ramifications of this imperial expansion. Specific topics will include new imperialism, the role of empires in both World War I and World War II, and decolonization.
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HIS 211 - United States History to 1865General survey of American history from colonization through the Civil War. 211-01 through 06 Watson Jennison
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HIS 212 - United States History since 1865General survey of American history from Reconstruction to the present. 212-01 through 06 Angela Robbins Marritt 212-07 Therese Strohmer TR 2:00-3:15 212-08 Jacqueline Spruill TR 12:30-1:45 |
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HIS 215-01 - Civilizations of Asia
12322 TR 2:00-3:15
Dustin Cranford
This course is an introduction to the pre-modern history of Asia. We will focus on the following Asian countries: China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Most students in the West may only be familiar with these nations in the context of the traumatic episodes of war and violence and revolution that swept the region throughout the twentieth century. However, these countries are heirs to long histories of cultural brilliance and diversity. In this class we will first explore how the history of this region has shaped the common bonds that bring this part of the world together as a whole. Secondly, we will consider how the literary traditions of these various societies depict the social and political conditions from which modern Asian nations would later emerge.
HIS 217 - The World of the Twentieth Century (1900-1945)
10744 MW 3:30-4:45
Mark Moser
Political, social, and economic forces affecting Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. 1900-1945.
HIS 218 - The World of the Twentieth Century, since 1945
12149 218-01 Mark Moser MW 2:00-3:1512660 218-02 Kevin Greene TR 2:00-3:15
This class will examine global issues in the contemporary world, focusing mainly on the post-World War II period, from the dropping of atomic bombs on Japan in August 1945, to the complex, high-tech, evolving world of today. We will examine some of the important political, economic, social, and cultural changes of the second half of the twentieth century and how these changes have shaped the world we live in today.
HIS 220 - The Ancient World
10745 MWF 11:00-11:50 Stephen Ruzicka
Early civilizations: Near Eastern, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman to Reign of Constantine.
HIS 221 - Medieval Legacy
10746 221-01 Anne Barton MWF 11:00-11:5010747 221-02 Caitlin Saraphis TR 9:30-10:45
Survey of Western European history from the end of the Roman Empire to the fifteenth century exploring such varied aspects of the medieval experience as pilgrimage, crusade, peasant life, the emergence of national states, and the rise of the university.
HIS 222 - Europe 1400-1789
Survey of major socio-economic, political, and cultural trends in Europe from the Renaissance to the French Revolution.
222-01 through -04 Jodi Bilinkoff
The lecture portion of this class meets on Mondays and Wednesdays at 12:00-12:50. Smaller discussion groups meet on Fridays at either 12:00-12:50 or 1:00-1:50.
10748 222-01 - MW 12-12:50, F 12-12:50
10749 222-02 - MW 12-12:50, F 12-12:50
10750 222-03 - MW 12-12:50, F 1-1:50
10751 222-04 - MW 12-12:50, F 1-1:50
HIS 223 - Modern Europe
10752 TR 11:00-12:15 Emily Levine
A survey of the political, social and cultural history of Europe from the time of the French Revolution to the present. Emphasis will be placed on the political culture and the emergence of the great ideological systems of the West (e.g., liberalism, conservatism, socialism, communism, nationalism, and fascism).
HIS 240 - Modern Latin America
This course is an introductory survey of the diverse peoples and nations of Latin America, from the mid-eighteenth century to today. Topics covered will include: independence from Spain and Portugal, race relations and the abolition of slavery, experiences with liberalism and dictatorship, intervention by foreign powers, economic progress and underdevelopment, revolution and social transformation, the relationship of native peoples to the nation-state, the Cold War, and modern regimes of free trade and globalization.
240-01 through -04 Peter Villella
The lecture portion of this class meets on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:00-10:50. Smaller discussion groups meet on Fridays at either 10:00-10:50 or 11:00-11:50.
10753 239-01 - MW 10-10:50, F 10-10:50
10754 239-02 - MW 10-10:50, F 10-10:50
10755 239-03 - MW 10-10:50, F 11-11:50
10756 239-04 - MW 10-10:50, F 11-11:50
HIS 302 - Race and Segregation
10759 MW 2:00-3:15
Watson Jennison
Race and segregation in the United States since the Civil War, including the origins of the Jim Crow laws, the civil rights movement, black urbanization, the Harlem Renaissance, black nationalism, and the African American experience in America.
HIS 315 - Witchcraft and Magic in European History
10819 MW 2:00-3:15
Jodi Bilinkoff
Examination of witchcraft beliefs and persecution as a way of studying the social history of Europe before industrialization. Emphasizes the "Witch Craze" of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
HIS 321 - Latin America and the United States
10760 MW 2:00-3:15
Peter Villella
This course traces the history of the relations between the diverse peoples of modern Latin America and the diverse peoples of the United States since 1756. While our primary emphasis will be on the expressions and consequences of US military, economic, and cultural hegemony in the region -- such as "manifest destiny," dollar diplomacy, Hollywood, social engineering, interventionism, and immigration -- we will also address the significance of some of the more intimate forms of hemispheric interaction, including tourism, religious dialogue, and social activism.
HIS 329 - Women in American History, Part II
10761 MWF 11:00-11:50
Angela Robbins Marritt
A history of women in the U.S. since the Civil War. Topics include women's activism, labor, reproduction, public policy, race and class inequalities, and contemporary women's issues.
HIS 341 - Pirates of the Caribbean: The Untold Story
10762 TR 12:30-1:45
Research Intensive
Linda Rupert
From the raids of John Hawkins and Francis Drake in the 1500s, to Dutchman Piet Heijn's daring capture of the Spanish silver fleet, to Henry Morgan's dramatic ascent as Governor of Jamaica, piracy was intricately woven into the history of the early modern Caribbean. Few historical actors have been so thoroughly romanticized or so completely decontextualized as Caribbean pirates. This course introduces students to the fascinating, complex, and changing role of corsairs, buccaneers, and privateers in shaping the emerging colonial economies, societies, and cultures of the Caribbean, from the first arrival of Europeans through the mid eighteenth century.
HIS 347 - History of North Carolina
10763 347-01 MWF 9:00-9:50 Laurinda deBeck
10764 347-02 MWF 1:00-1:50 Christine Flood Speaking Intensive Section
This is a survey course. It spans more than 400 years of state history - from colonization to the present. It is American history with the spotlight on North Carolina. Objectives of the course include an examination of:
- when, how, and why North Carolina developed as it did.
- How its actions and reactions were similar or different from the other states.
- How the development of its economic, social, and political structure determines present-day North Carolina with special emphasis on such topics as: a) the economy b) politics c) race relations.
HIS 349 - The World at War 1939-1945
10765 MWF 10:00-10:50
Research Intensive
Paul Mazgaj
Emphasis on the political systems responsible for the Second World War, military establishments that fought it, the populations that suffered it, and sociopolitical and cultural changes it brought about.
HIS 374 - British History, 1688-Present
10767 TR 9:30-10:45
Jill Bender
Major landmarks in the social, political, intellectual, and cultural history of the diverse peoples of the British Isles form the Glorious Revolution of 1688 to the 21st century.
HIS 380 - Topics in the Near and Middle East: "Babylon and its Legacy: Romance, Religion, and Mystery in the Ancient Near East"
2500 years ago the ancient Mesopotamian city of Babylon fell to Cyrus the Great of Persia, never to regain its former glory. Babylon would soon be lost in the sands of time, yet its name remained evocative, conjuring tales about the Tower of Babel, the Hanging Gardens, Daniel in the Lion’s Den, and the madness of Nebuchadnezzar and his “city of sin”; stories which still resonate in the Western world today. Biblical and Greek descriptions of Babylon have also inspired some of the world’s great art. But how much do we really know about the original city? What is the reality behind these myths, traditions, and images?
In the 19th century, archaeological discoveries finally began to shed light on the true wonders of Babylon and its people. This course will trace the history of the city in the context of the Ancient Near East, its religious life and culture, and its magnificent art and architecture. Special interests will include the actual temple tower that inspired the biblical Tower of Babel, Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile of the Hebrews, the Persian conquest and emergence of monotheism in the region, and how Babylon’s legacy lives on in modern astronomy, astrology, medicine, and technology. We will also consider the recent troubled history of Babylon and its archaeological remains, which lie in modern Iraq.
HIS 390 - History Internship
10769
Field learning experience in public or applied history. Academic supervision provided by job supervisor. Assigned reading and written reports. May be repeated. Prerequisite: Consent of Director of Public History. Written permission needed to register. Contact Benjamin Filene for information.
HIS 393 - Medieval Church and State
10770 TR 9:30-10:45
Richard Barton
This course is about the practice and theory of politics in the Middle Ages. We will proceed along two parallel courses: first, we will look at a series of particularly dramatic and influential political confrontations in the period between 300 and 1500 (including the Investiture Contest, the murder of Thomas Becket, the struggle between Philip the Fair and Boniface VIII, the fierce debate over Franciscan poverty, and the Hundred Years War). Second, we will use those examples to explore the political legacy left to us by the Middle Ages. In other words, we’ll want to investigate what these confrontations meant in terms of the growth of political institutions and political thought. While this is not a course devoted primarily to the history of ideas, we will take care to notice the growth of particularly medieval (and modern?) ideas concerning jurisdiction, sovereignty, the state, and the body politic. Since the Middle Ages witnessed a significant conflict between secular and ecclesiastical opinion on many of these issues, we will use the points of conflict between secular and religious authorities as the stepping stone for this sort of broader analysis of political events. No prior knowledge of the Middle Ages is necessary.
HIS 394 - Honors Seminar in American History: "Hard Times in Home Places: Working-Class and Middle-Class Americans' Quest for Security, 1911-2011"
10771 TR 3:30-4:45
Tom Jackson
Honors Program and Written Permission Required
Writing and Speaking Intensive
Over a century of unprecedented economic development and global military expansion, America's workers and middle classes have nevertheless continually striven to stabilize their livelihoods and life ways in the face of loss or calamity. When ordinary people faced extraordinary challenges, our most talented scholars, nonfiction writers, and oral historians have uncovered their stories. Tough times, epic confrontations, and environmental disasters tend to lay bare the power relations in which ordinary Americans were entangled, raising vexed questions about the scope of their agency and responsibility. Events like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911, the 1930s Dust Bowl, or Hurricane Katrina also challenged America's political institutions and culture, testing the nation's capacity to respond to collective challenges through collective action. In addition to viewing several excellent films, we will read a mix of accessible scholarly articles, award-winning popular historical nonfiction books, and oral histories. After you sign up and before our first meeting, students will have the opportunity to help select the case studies from a number of possibilities: A fire ravages a garment factory where young immigrant women work in 1911, and a new generation of men and women reformers challenge New York City's corrupt political machine. A black doctor defends his home in a white Detroit neighborhood against a mob attack in 1924, and is put on trial for murder. Families hunker down or take flight when the Great Plains turn into a dust bowl in the 1930s. A Vietnam veteran is murdered in a small North Carolina town in 1970, and a father and son must choose sides when the civil rights movement comes to town. Refugees from Guatemala's civil war rebuild their communities in Morganton, North Carolina in the 1990s, enduring long hours and difficult working conditions in the poultry factories where they work. A small Iowa town watches its job base downsize and local leaders cope with a methamphetamine epidemic in the 2000s. A Syrian-American immigrant rides out Hurricane Katrina, but in the course of helping out his neighbors, he finds himself entangled in the war on terror. Through individual research projects and reports, class members will also educate each other about the larger historical contexts in which people struggled for survival and security over the last century.
HIS 430 - Historical Methods for Social Studies Teachers
10773 R 6:00-8:50 p.m.
Lisa Tolbert
Writing and Research Intensive. Pr. Middle Grades or Secondary Social Studies Licensure candidates who have completed HIS 308, 316, and one other 300-level History elective for a total of 9 s.h., or permission of instructor
This is a new required course for all social studies licensure students. The course is open to all social studies candidates regardless of major. The new content standards for teacher licensure in social studies mandated by the state of North Carolina require depth of content knowledge in "the process of critical inquiry in history and the social sciences used to examine change over time and develop historical perspectives," including identifying and framing a problem, using a variety of sources, using primary and secondary resources, evaluating the credibility of sources, putting sources into historical context, investigating, interpreting, and analyzing multiple viewpoints, and clearly and effectively articulating conclusions. Students will produce an original research paper on a topic of their own design using primary source evidence to demonstrate depth of content knowledge in historical methods.
HIS 440 - Principles and Practices of Teaching History
10774 TR 3:30-4:45
Lisa Tolbert
Writing Intensive. Pr. Middle Grades or Secondary Social Studies Licensure candidates who have completed HIS 308, 316, and one other 300-level History elective for a total of 9 s.h., or permission of instructor.
This course is especially designed for students who are concentrating in social studies and plan to engage in teaching as a career. As an aspiring educator, how will you instill in your students a sense of the value and relevance of thinking historically in the 21st century? How do people learn history? Is there something distinctive about learning history compared to learning other academic subjects? This course will introduce you to the growing scholarship that addresses the distinctive challenges of teaching and learning history as both a subject and a discipline.
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