Department of History

Survey of the peoples, cultures, and social, economic, and political systems that have characterized the world’s major civilizations in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania from prehistory to 1000 CE.

Survey of the history of Europe in the Medieval and Early Modern periods, 800-1700. Discusses the major social, political, religious, and cultural characteristics and developments of the period, as well as key interactions between Europe and other parts of the world. Weekly discussion sections are an important feature of this course, enabling students to develop and expand upon material presented during the lecture hour.

Sectional crisis through progressivism. A survey of the leading issues in american life from colonial times to the present. The course focuses on politics, cultural development, social conflict, economic life, foreign policy, and influential ideas. Features discussion sections.

A survey of the history of Chinese civilization from 2,000 BCE to the present, focusing on the origins and later development of political, social, economic, philosophical, religious, and cultural traditions.

The cultural, political, social, and gender history of the Italian city republics and court societies. Examination of how contemporaries viewed their own society, in an attempt to answer the intriguing question of what was the Italian Renaissance.

Survey of the peoples, cultures, and social, economic, and political systems that have characterized the world’s major civilizations in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania from 1000 to 1700 CE.

Survey of the peoples, cultures, and social, economic, and political systems that have characterized the world’s major civilizations in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania from 1700 to present.

Survey of the history of Modern Europe, 1650-present. Discusses the major social, political, religious, and cultural characteristics and developments of the period, as well as key interactions between Europe and other parts of the world. Weekly discussion sections are an important feature of this course, enabling students to develop and expand upon material presented during the lecture hour.

Through studying a particular topic in history, students gain insight into historical methods and skills. Course designed for freshmen and sophomore history majors or prospective majors. Others may enroll by permission of instructor. Topics vary by quarter and instructor.

World War I to the present. A survey of the leading issues in american lifefrom colonial times to the present. The course focuses on politics, cultural development, social conflict, economic life, foreign policy, and influential ideas. Features discussion sections.

A general introduction to the history, politics, culture, and social life of the modern Middle East. Begins with the nineteenth century Ottoman reforms known as the Tanzimat and moves on to cover capitalist consolidation, the rise of European colonialism, the state-building process, social movements, Cold War politics, and the growth of the oil industry. Pays particular attention to how twentieth century transformations shaped new modes of identification including nationalism and citizenship, feminism, sectarianism, pan-Arabism, Third Worldism, Islamism.

Historical and interdisciplinary perspectives on poverty and inequality globally and in the U.S., tracing structural transformations, shifting modes of thought, policy, and action, dynamics of class, racial, gender, ethnic and geographic stratification, and major theoretical debates from antiquity through the present. Course features guest lectures to introduce students to varied conceptual and methodological approaches to studying poverty and inequality, and draws on readings, discussion, writing, and related assignments to explore issues within a social justice framework.

A survey of the history of Chinese civilization from 2,000 BCE to the present, focusing on the origins and later development of political, social, economic, philosophical, religious, and cultural traditions.

A basic introduction to the history of Japanese culture from its origins to the present day, with particular emphasis on the evidence of architecture and painting (presented through audiovisual modules). Selectedexamples of fiction and poetry will also be used.

The Nazi campaign of ethnic purification through eugenics and mass murder can be considered a watershed event in European history. This course examines the factors that combined to result in the Nazi genocides, as well as the contexts, causes and consequences of other modern genocides.

1917-present. A history of the Soviet Union from the Russian Revolution of 1917 to its collapse, focusing on political and social history

The U.S. Supreme Court has weighed in on the nation’s most significant social questions ranging from segregation to same-sex marriage and women’s work. Designed to put these and other decisions in proper context, this course covers U.S. legal history from the founding period to the present, with special attention to the evolution of legal conceptions of property, race and gender, civil rights, and criminal justice. Students must read critically and make arguments based on evidence.

The history of colonial New Spain, from California to Central America and from the Philippines to the Caribbean. Topics include pre-Columbian societies, including the Aztecs; the formation and development of colonial societies; religion; the economy; and global connections.

California as a case study of national trends, and as a unique setting withits special problems and culture.

A lecture course on the history of the indigenous peoples of North America from Cherokee removal to the present. The course stresses native history, relations with the U.S. Government and offers American history from a native point of view.

Ancient China to 589ce.