Minor in International History
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US Credits
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UK Credits
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| TWO of the following: |
6 |
24 |
- HST 3200 World Cultural History
This is a survey course that examines a variety ancient cultures of the Bronze and Iron ages, across the world. It aims to introduce students to the diversity and parallels that exist in human history. Students will learn about the interaction of politics, arts, ideologies and the economy in shaping the various cultures under study. Material culture and textual evidence will be used to explore how we can know about the past and begin to understand how to read secondary sources in a critical manner. Key areas of focus will be the development of early states, trade and economic development, war and diplomacy, the diverse role and status of women in the ancient world. We will explore the ideologies that acted as glue for these cultures and how they represented themselves.
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3 |
12 |
- HST 3205 The Global Cold War
This course introduces students to the major events and themes of the Cold War, demonstrating how it shaped the modern world system. In addition to providing students with a foundational understanding of the major themes and events of the Cold War, this course explores the interpretive controversies surrounding them. Students are encouraged to engage the changing historiography of the multifaceted, multi-polar Cold War from a variety of challenging perspectives, with particular emphasis given to its global context. Students will examine the period in the light of changing historiographical interpretations and with reference to its economic, cultural, ideological, military, political and social dimensions.
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3 |
12 |
- HST 4101 The Atlantic Slave Trade and Memory
The course follows the expansionist nature of colonial societies from the early contacts with Africa to the abolition of slavery in Brazil, as well as the complex historiography of this era. The effects these processes had on all the peoples involved will be analysed, particularly around the growth of the slave trade and the consolidation of slave systems of labour. Emphasis will be placed on the factors involved in colonization, slavery and the resistance to both. Equally, the course will explore the ongoing debates about the contested memory of, and memorialisation of these processes.
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3 |
12 |
- HST 4102 Versailles to Vietnam: A Social History of the USA
This course provides an understanding of some of the core issues and themes that underlie the cultural, economic political and social development of the United States from WWI to the end of the Nixon presidency. Particular attention is paid to the emergence of the United States as a global superpower, the interplay with domestic social developments, as well the consequences of such a rise to dominance. The course engages with the transformation of social and economic lived experiences in the US in this period in terms of gender, race and class in this international context.
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3 |
12 |
- HST 4405 History of Fashion
This course analyses the history of fashion from a sociological perspective 鈥 covering the period from the beginning of the modern period to the present. Relationships between dress, fashion, class, political power, ethnicity and gender are investigated. While the primary focus is upon the historical development of western fashion global interconnections are investigated throughout the course.
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3 |
12 |
| plus FOUR of the following: |
Minimum of 12 |
Minimum of 48 |
- HST 5101 Russian History and Politics
This course focuses on the political evolution of the world鈥檚 first Communist state - its birth, development, collapse and recent transformation. The course will introduce students to the major developments in Russian history and politics from the revolution of 1905 to the First and Second World Wars, to the Cold War, the rise and fall of the Soviet Union and to its successor.
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3 |
12 |
- HST 5105 Rise of the Right: A History of Fascisms
This course is intended to be a comparative study of various forms of fascisms from the end of the nineteenth century through to the modern period. It explores the fundamental interpretative questions concerning the nature of fascism, namely: whether there is such a thing as 鈥榞eneric鈥 fascism; the characteristics of fascist regimes; and how useful the term fascism is for historical analysis. This is followed by a study of the historical origins of fascism as well as an examination of late nineteenth/early twentieth century proto-fascist movements. The focus then moves to the individual fascist movements themselves, including Italy (where the fascist prototype evolved), Germany (where it was taken to its extreme), and Spain (where a variant persisted until 1975). Where appropriate other fascist movements and regimes will also be discussed, both western and non western. The course concludes with a discussion about the 鈥榬eturn鈥 of fascism, examining Neo-Nazi violence, immigration, 鈥榚thnic cleansing鈥 and the return of fascism under 鈥榦ther names鈥. The course is intended to be interactive with guest speakers, class visits, films, and regular seminar sessions.
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3 |
12 |
- HST 5110 Nationalism and Conflict
This course addresses nationalism and related conflicts in the 20th Century. Key events are covered, particularly the World Wars and the Cold War, while engaging with the ideological currents that influenced nationalist movements. Different historical interpretations of this material are addressed, while the concepts 鈥榥ation鈥 and 鈥榥ationalism鈥 are explored in detail. A range of C20th historical contexts are used to develop related themes such as imperialism, independence, revolutions, fascism, communism, democracy and dissent.
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3 |
12 |
- HST 5400 History of London
This course surveys the history of London from its Roman origins to the modern cosmopolitan metropolis that it is today. Through a variety of themes presented in lectures and complemented by field trips, students will explore social, political and architectural developments of this urban centre throughout the ages. Thus students will both read about and visit significant sites within London which illustrate aspects of the history of this great metropolis Note: Most visits require travel, a few require entrance fees.
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3 |
12 |
- HST 5445 Black London
The course examines the history of the African Diaspora in London over approximately the last 300 years, paying particular attention to changes in the demographic background to this Diaspora and the ensuing debates around the various notions of Blackness. The context to the course is the growth of London as the hub of an imperial system underscored by notions of race, and the subsequent changes to the metropolis in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. A theoretical underpinning of the course is that London is one of the centres of a Black Atlantic, as understood through the works of Paul Gilroy. The course will open up social relations at the heart of Black London鈥檚 history, including class, gender and sexuality. London has a long history of ideological movements driven by the conditions of the Black Atlantic, such as: Abolitionism, anti-colonialism, Pan Africanism and anti-racist struggles within Britain; all of these will be within the parameters of the course. Finally, the cultural impact of the Black Atlantic on London will be looked at in all its diversity, including, but not restricted to: literature, religion, music, fashion, language, cuisine, etc.
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3 |
12 |
- HST 6101 Culture Power and Empire
This course examines the causes, consequences and significance of empires throughout history from a broad range of comparative and international perspectives, including the economic, political, social and (by way of postcolonial theory) the cultural. It investigates why empires are significant, who are the empire-makers, how and why empires rise and fall, whether they are good or bad, how they are defined and how they can be resisted. The subject matter ranges from the earliest land superpowers of the ancient world to the 鈥楴ew Rome鈥 - the United States. The sources studied range from the visual to the virtual, including primary and historiographical. The course finishes by suggesting other potential contenders for imperial hegemony, including Multinational Corporations, individuals and religious organisations. It examines the question as to whether or not all history is essentially a history of empire, with the legacies of this imperial past (if not some of the empires themselves) still alive and well despite decolonisation. Where possible the course will make use of museums and collections within London.
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4 |
16 |
- HST 6103 Visualising Enlightenment: Art, Ideas 1685-1800
This course considers the European Enlightenment through the cultural, visual and material transformations of the period. It enables students to reflect on how transformations in art, design and architecture were contemporaneous with changing conceptions of the public sphere, of the global as a space, of class, gender and race. The era saw a revolution in new consumer goods, critical debates about taste, and the corrupting influence of luxury. Students will engage with key works by Diderot, Mandeville, Rousseau, Shaftesbury, Voltaire and Wollstonecraft. Further, the course addresses engagements between Europe and the wider world. The course is designed to be interactive, with class visits to the British Museum and relevant exhibitions. It is international in focus, whilst taking advantage of London as a location.
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4 |
16 |
- HST 6104 Modern Warfare and Social Change
This course explores the changing nature and history of warfare from the Modern period to the end of the twentieth century. The central premise is that war often reflects the societies and cultures that wage it. This notion is tested by examining several different examples of warfare and society across different cultures, historical periods, and geographic locations. This course will include substantive analysis of the ethos, causes, and socio-political impacts of wars, as well as examine the role of war in the development of nations and 鈥榥ational identities. We will debate questions arising from topics such as: the most influential military leaders; strategies, tactics, and weaponry; state structures and finance; debates over gender; and technological and ideological clashes between different cultures and social systems, examining the conflicts within and between states. The class will involve some visits to local museums and sites of relevance, and where possible/desirable, some overseas visits might be included.
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4 |
16 |
- HST 6105 Propaganda: History and Image
The course aims to introduce students, by way of specific case-studies ranging from the ancient world to the modern day, to innovative methods of studying the past that utilise popular forms of visual culture and propaganda. While recognising the complexity of the propaganda process and the various influences that form and shape images, the course will focus on the historical relationship between propaganda (in architecture, cartoons, film, painting, pamphlets, photography, posters, sculpture, and television) and politics. The focus on the theme of propaganda and its relationship with various forms of media through the ages allows for the opportunity to compare and contrast particular case- studies over time and geographical space and therefore to distinguish elements of continuity and change, which will help students to 鈥榬ead鈥 historic images critically, both as vehicles for understanding the past and in order to identify the relationship between propaganda and power.
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4 |
16 |
| Minor Requirements |
18 |
72 |
