Currently Offered Courses - Fall 2024
This course list is pulled from Course Explorer. Please refer to Course Explorer for full details and information on special topics.
Broad introduction to global history, by exploring the global structures and transnational forces that have shaped human history, from the emergence of agriculture and urban centers to our contemporary global village.
This introductory survey in "Big History" explores different scales of time as it places human history in larger geological, ecological, and cosmic contexts. Topics include the big bang, planet formation, the origin and development of life, mass extinctions, the emergence of Homo sapiens, the development of agriculture and cities, wars, plagues, and natural disasters, the advent of religion and science, political revolutions, industrialization and globalization, and human impact on the environment.
What is black music, and how do we know what we think we know about it? Together, we will examine musical creations pioneered by Africans and individuals of African descent over several centuries and across hemispheres. Doing so will allow us to consider the unity of the African Diaspora and its music, and also examine internal differences and diversity. Special focus is given to Latin America and the U.S., but, depending on the semester, we will also read about, listen to, and talk about music and musicians in Asia, Africa, and Europe.
History of the Latin American republics from their independence to the present; emphasis on Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, and Mexico.
Survey of African history to 1800, or rather African "histories." Along with historical knowledge, it seeks to give students a basic familiarity with the geography of the continent, as well as to provide an overview of African languages. Through the analysis of secondary as well as of primary sources, students will be introduced to and further examine the development of pre-colonial African societies. Same as AFST 111.
Surveys the three major East Asian civilizations from ancient and classical times, through the period of Western influence, political revolution, and modernization, to the contemporary age and the emergence of East Asian superpowers. Same as EALC 120. Credit is not given for both HIST 120 and EALC 135.
Multidisciplinary introduction to the history of modern South Asia from the consolidation of early modern state formations, the negotiation of religious, cultural and linguistic formations, European colonial interactions, and the rise of the modern nation states of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Same as ANTH 130.
Course is identical to HIST 171 except for the additional writing component. Credit is not given for both HIST 170 and HIST 171. Prerequisite: Completion of campus Composition I General Education requirement.
U.S. history survey beginning with the diverse peoples who have populated North America since before the age of contact with Europeans and extending forward through the advent of European colonialism, the movement for independence, the foundation of the republic, the Civil War, and Reconstruction, ending in 1877. The course provides an introduction to historical interpretation, with particular attention to racialized and other forms of social, political, and economic inequality and struggles for freedom and democracy. Credit is not given for both HIST 171 and HIST 170.
Through the careful examination of a specific topic or theme, this course provides a thorough introduction to historical interpretation. Particular attention will be devoted to research strategies, writing practices, handling primary and secondary sources, and the analysis of historiography. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours with permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Examining the history through the primary texts written by Latin Americans, this course introduces students to theories, contents and methods of historical inquiry, as well as the nuances and the complexities of Latin American history. Reading primary texts written by all strata of society, students will look through the eyes of the diverse populations in Latin America. Students will analyze the traditional narrative of Latin America and gain insight into the lived experience of Latin Americans. Together we will advance our individual and collective understanding of Latin America's rich and complex past.
Introduction to the history of Eastern Africa from the nineteenth century to the present. Attention to the region's pre-colonial history and institutions is stressed, in order to understand both the transformations brought by European colonialism as well as its limits. The final weeks of the course will examine the differing political, economic, and religious trajectories of the new nation-states since independence in the 1960s.
This course provides a broad overview of the development of the mind sciences in modern Europe from the beginning of state-regulated asylums to the advent of pharmaceutical treatment and care in the community. Using a combination of primary sources and secondary texts, we will examine how the diagnosis and treatment of "madness" in its many forms has been shaped through the interaction of social, political, economic, and cultural factors from roughly 1750 to the 1990s. Same as PSYC 236.
Economic, social, political, and cultural developments in twentieth-century world history from late nineteenth-century to Second World War era.
The ideas of Charles Darwin initiated a profound transformation in human thought, science, and culture. This course examines the intellectual origins, scientific content, and social, cultural, and religious context and impacts of Darwinian evolutionary theory. Topics include the conflict between science and religion, the eugenics movement and Social Darwinism, the biology of race and gender, and the rise of modern genetics and genomics.
Over the course of the twentieth century the United States rose to superpower status, in the process profoundly shaping world affairs. Students will study the connections between U.S. and global history in this pivotal period. Explores the impact of the United States on world affairs from roughly 1917 through the end of the Cold War. Attention given to the perspectives of people affected by U.S. policies and the limits of U.S. power in the face of developments such as anticolonial nationalism and great power rivalries.
An examination of pivotal events in the history of Native peoples in North America. Students will explore the complexity of encounters between American Indians and others through a focus on key moments. These will include religious encounters, military confrontations, and legal struggles as well as social and artistic interactions. Same as AIS 277.
Study of the economic, political, and social forces which shaped migration, settlement, and community formation of Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Dominicans living in the United States. Same as LLS 280.
Interdisciplinary examination of the historical, cultural, and social dimensions of race and ethnicity in the United States. Explores the complex and intricate pursuit of multiracial and multicultural democracy. Same as AAS 281, AFRO 281, and LLS 281.
A chronological survey of the American presidency that examines individual presidents and the times in which they lived. Major themes include: The creation and development of the office of the president; the nature of presidential power; Americans' evolving relationship with presidents; the impact of party politics, campaigning, and the media on the office.
Examines films as a significant medium of commentary on society and history. Explores the motives and careers of moviemakers, the ways in which films are influenced by their audiences, and how audiences' perception of historical processes are affected by films. Topics will vary. Same as MACS 300. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours if topics vary. Students may register in more than one section per term. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours.
Development of Mexico from the conquest to the postrevolutionary present.
Political, social, cultural, and ideological developments in Egypt, Arabia, the Fertile Crescent, Iran and Turkey from the mid 16th century to the eve of World War I. Premodern society and institutions, the question of "decline" and "awakening", encounters with Europe and self-strengthening reforms, relations between Muslims, Christians, and Jews, the role of women and the family, class formation, and religion and nationalism. Same as JS 335.
Examines the twentieth-century history of Egypt, emphasizing the internal social, political, economic, and ideological developments, with attention to Egypt's role in regional and international politics. Readings include novels and short stories to introduce students to modern Egyptian culture. Same as AFST 338.
An introduction to the cultural history of Europe in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, embracing the Renaissance movements in Italy and in Northern Europe. Same as MDVL 346 and REL 346.
Survey of European society from 1918 to 1939, with emphasis on the impact of World War I, the Russian Revolution, fascism, and the intellectual trends of the twenties and thirties.
Explores the relationship between history and fiction by focusing on specific cultural locations. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours if topics vary.
The United States' civil war (1861-1865) and the years of postwar "reconstruction" (conventionally dated as 1865-1877). During this period as a whole, the nation underwent its second revolution -- a revolution more radical in its impact than the one that freed it from the British Empire. Much about U.S. history for the next century and more was decided during these critical years.
Examines the history of urban centers, paying special attention to the relationship between the city and its surrounding territory, the impact of migration and immigration, the delineation of space and the transformation of the built environment, and the role of a city's inhabitants in creating social networks, political structures, and cultural institutions. May be repeated in separate terms to a maximum of 6 hours if topics vary.
Introduces students to the ethical discourses and practical methods in oral history. Its primary purpose is to prepare students with oral and archival research skills that are crucial for the examination of the history and memory of communities. Among the questions that the class will consider are: what is the connection between the historical record and the remembered past? How reliable are these memories and does reliability matter? How do people mobilize and manipulate accounts of the past for purposes of community building, historic preservation, and political development? Same as LLS 391.
A study of the history of the 1960s, a tumultuous decade in the social and political history of the United States. The class has two main goals: 1)Provide a solid knowledge of the history of this period and its social and economic developments. 2)Develop skills as an analytic reader and writer in U.S. history.
With a faculty sponsor, a qualified students will develop a program of study or research related to an internship or other relevant employment opportunity. Consult departmental undergraduate advisor or Director of Undergraduate Studies. Approved for letter and S/U grading. May be repeated in separate terms to a maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisite: Consent of faculty sponsor and Director of Undergraduate Studies required.
Readings in selected fields in consultation with the instructor resulting in a 20-30 page paper. May be repeated with permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing pursuing a History major; written consent of instructor and History undergraduate advisor required.
Topics will be listed in the department's course guide at http://www.history.illinois.edu. 3 undergraduate hours. 2 to 4 graduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 undergraduate hours or 8 graduate hours in the same or subsequent terms if topics vary.
The development of influential political and cultural ideas on the African continent over the course of the long 20th century, highlighting the interactions of individuals (as members of educated elites and of rural societies) and institutions (such as universities) in developing trademark African intellectualism. These concepts include: Pan-Africanism, the need for political independence, Negritude, feminism/womanism, calls for the promotion of indigenous languages and ubuntu; as well as the contested justifications for one-party rule. Students will gain an appreciation of the breadth, depth and creativity of African thought and activism. 3 undergraduate hours. 2 or 4 graduate hours.
Deals with the history of the Jewish people from the destruction of the Jewish state by Rome to the reestablishment of a Jewish state in 1948. The emphasis is on the interaction between the Jewish and non-Jewish worlds as well as changes internal to the Jewish communities. Same as REL 434. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
Examines the changing image of the American West by focusing on the process of conquest and resistance present within the region's history. Same as LLS 475. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.
Independent reading, research, and writing under the supervision of an individual instructor. Seniors in the History Honors Program taking this course in place of the Honors Senior Thesis must complete a substantive research paper (25-30 pages). No graduate credit. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours. Each 3-hour class must be taken with a different instructor. Prerequisite: Admission to the History Honors Program; or junior or senior of high standing with the consent of the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Two-term independent research and writing project under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Students enrolled in this course must submit a completed Honors Senior Thesis at the end of the second term, for evaluation by the faculty advisor and a second reader. 3 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Must be repeated for a total of 6 hours. Students will receive separate grades for each semester's work. Prerequisite: Admission to the History Honors Program and consent of supervising professor; HIST 492 and HIST 495; concurrent enrollment in HIST 499 is required.
Capstone course required of all majors. Students will make history by researching and writing a work of original scholarship. Several of these seminars are offered each term and each focuses on a special topic, thus allowing students with similar interests to work through the process of gathering, interpreting, and organizing historical evidence under the direction of an expert in the field. The topics on offer each semester will be listed in the Class Schedule and described in the department's course guide at http://www.history.illinois.edu. 3 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours.
A required seminar for all seniors writing Honor Theses in history, this course will meet throughout the year and will supplement individual students' meetings with their primary advisors. Provides an intellectually supportive environment in which students work together on common methodological problems, share the results of their research, and critique developing projects. 1 to 2 undergraduate hours. 1 to 2 graduate hours. Approved for S/U grading only. May be repeated in separate terms to a maximum of 3 hours. Prerequisite: Admission to the History Honors Program; HIST 492; and HIST 495. Concurrent enrollment in HIST 493 is required.
Intensive comparative examinations of particular issues in the histories of multiple countries, cultures or periods; emphasizes methodology, the discipline of comparative history, and the nature of historiography in a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary context. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours.
Topics will be listed in the department's course guide at http://www.history.illinois.edu. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours if topics vary.
Topics will be listed in the department's course guide at http://www.history.illinois.edu. May be repeated in the same or subsequent terms as topics vary.
Introduces recent historical work drawing upon theories and concepts from the social sciences; considers fields of inquiry which include family history, demographic history, labor history, prosopographical and entrepreneurial studies, local and regional studies, and others.
Required course for entering history graduate students offering in initial foray into historiography, methods, and conceptual approaches for students in all fields. Provides experience dealing with three challenges that face all practitioners of the discipline: identifying the historical problem to be tackled, deciding what methodologies are best suited to that problem, and locating and then making use of the primary sources necessary for analyzing the subject at hand. Assigned materials, class discussions, and assignments will prepare students for the second semester required research seminar. Restricted to first-year graduate students in history.
Directed research in special fields; may be taken in lieu of seminars in fields in which seminars are seldom offered. Topics will be listed in the department's course guide at http://www.history.illinois.edu. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours if topics vary.
Directed readings in special fields. Primarily, but not exclusively, for students with a master's degree or equivalent, who are preparing for the preliminary examination in history and who need instruction in areas not provided by current course offerings. Approved for letter and S/U grading. May be repeated in the same or subsequent terms as topics vary. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Approved for S/U grading only. May be repeated. Prerequisite: Candidate for Ph.D. degree in history.
Individual direction in research and guidance in writing theses for advanced degrees. Approved for S/U grading only. May be repeated.