Minor
History
History and Political Science Department
Sabrina DeTurk, Dean, School of Arts, Sciences and Business
Anne E. Henderson, Ph.D, Chair
Jennifer L. Erdman, Ph.D.
Adam Knight, Ph.D.
Campuses
Main Campus
Degrees and Certificates
-
History, -
Women's Studies, Minor
Courses
GEO-206: Geography of the Major Regions Of the World
Credits 3Surveys the different regions of the world with a focus on the dynamic relationships among them. Considers physical, demographic, ethnic and economic differences. A requirement for elementary education/liberal studies students. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-101: Dynamics of History
Credits 3Introduces students to analysis of primary sources and to key aspects of critical thinking in history. Offers the opportunity to do history by exploring and interpreting print and online primary sources. Students consider the same historical materials as primary source, as written historical account (secondary source) and as film. A final project is an oral history interview. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-103: Ancient World
Credits 3Concentrates on providing an overview of the birth, contributions and decline of classical civilization. Focuses on political, social, cultural and intellectual history of Greece and Rome. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-104: Early Europe: 800-1648
Credits 3Concentrates on the cultural and institutional development of European self-consciousness as separate from its Greco-Roman origins. Emphasizes the development of European city-states and a divided Christianity. Fulfills the general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-160: Introduction to Peace Studies
Credits 3This is an introduction to peace and justice studies. The course focuses on negative peace (i.e., eliminating direct violence, including war) as well as positive peace building (fostering an equitable economic system and ecological balance). The course analyzes the roots of violence and inequity as well antidotes to these problems. Fulfills general education requirements in history and Engaged Citizenship. [3 credits]
HIS-200: Hrs: To Break the Killing Machine: Understanding, Preventing, and Overcoming Genocide
Credits 3Examines the nature, causes and consequences of genocide, humanity's most extreme form of social destruction. It begins by asking what constitutes genocide and who are its victims. The course then explores debates over genocide causation, examining factors such as violent histories, toxic social hierarchies, ethnic/racial/religious fragmentation, and psychological traits ranging from narcissism to conformity. It also analyzes the dynamics of international intervention to prevent and stop genocides, asking why some genocides generate worldwide outrage while others are ignored or denied. The course then studies processes of reconciliation and reintegration in societies that have experienced genocide. Ultimately, students consider whether genocide is an inescapable aspect of the human condition or a tragic aberration that we have the power to transcend. Fulfills general education requirements in History and Impact of Diversity. [3 credits]
HIS-203: Colonial America
Credits 3Examines the development of the British colonies in North America into autonomous entities. Accounts for their rebellion from Britain and considers the establishment of the new nation. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-206: The United States in the 19th Century
Credits 3Surveys the development of the United States from the ratification of the 1789 Constitution to the transforming election of 1896. Explores the maturation of American political, economic, social, cultural and legal life in the period. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-207: Ethnic Groups in America
Credits 3This course analyzes American history through the lens of ethnicity, including for those indigenoous to the United States and those who emigrated to the US. Included in this course will be the examination of intersectionality and systems of power and privilege. Special attention will be paid to historical discriminatory patterns that continue to marginalize members of ethnic communities. Satisfies the General Education requirements in Impact of Diversity and history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-208: The United States:1900-1945
Credits 3Examines the transformation of the United States into an industrial-urban state and the impact of reform movements on American politics and life. Considers the rise of the United States as a world power. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-211: Introduction to East Asian Civilization
Credits 3Focuses on major stages in the development of Chinese civilization from earliest times to about 1850. Also discusses the history of peoples who received their higher culture from China, such as the Japanese, and of nomadic groups that interacted with the Chinese over many centuries, such as the Mongols. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-212: America at War
Credits 3Explores the role America and Americans have played in pivotal domestic and international conflicst in American history, including the American Civil War and the Second World War, Military, social, economic, and political aspects of these conflicts will be addressed. Satisfies the general education requirements in Engaged Citizenship and History. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-213: The Civil Rights Movement
Credits 3Explores the American civil rights movement from the abolition of slavery to the present. While focusing on the 1950s-1960s, the course will also address how prior history laid the groundwork for the post-World War II civil rights struggle, as well as how the legacy of that struggle has evolved in subsequent decades. The course will examine the Civil Rights Movement rom multiple social, political, and economic perspectives. Fulfills general education requirements in Engaged Citizenship and history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-215: Women in American History
Credits 3Surveys the historical significance of women's changing roles in American society from the colonial period to the present. Emphasizes differences on the basis of race, class and region. Fulfills general education requirements in history and Impact of Diversity. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-216: The United States, 1945 to the Present
Credits 3Examines major themes in United States history since 1945. It will compare contending political, social, and economic perspectives from this time period while examining selected ethical issues of the era. Students will engage in a team building exercise and engage in a civic and/or service learning project. This course satisfies the General Education requirements for Engaged Citizenship and history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-217: United States History Since 1865
Credits 3Explores United States history from the end of the American Civil War to the present day. We will examine how the U.S. has changed socially, politically, demographically, economically, and ideologically since 1865. Students will discuss diverse perspectives and will also analyze primary and secondary sources to create a final project based on historical evidence. By the end of the semester, students will have identified several key themes of historical change, including the fight for human rights, the place of America in the world, economic development, and the political and social role of religion, gender, race, and sexuality. Satisfies General Education Requirements in Thinking Critically and Analytically and History. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-219: The American Presidency
Credits 3Examines presidential power, presidential elections, foreign and domestic policy, presidential decision-making, and relations with Congress with historic and contemporary examples. Fulfills general education requirement in Engaged Citizenship and history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-220: History in the Attic: Material Culture and the Study of "Things"
Credits 3Introduces students to the world of material goods, such as consumer objects, fashion, toys, architecture, and more. This course will examine America's cultural and historical resources as well as the historic, social, economic, and political forces that shaped their creation. Students will also become familiar with the means to interpret the artifacts as well as be able to identify introductory theoretical and methodological approaches to material culture. Fulfills General Education Requirement in Intercultural Knowledge and History. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-221: Early Modern Europe
Credits 3Examines European history from the Renaissance to the French Revolution (ca. 1350-1800) in an investigation of the following question: Why and how did the modern world originate in previously backward Europe? Stresses use of primary sources. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-222: Europe: 1848 to Present
Credits 3Examines the political and intellectual zenith of Europe in the 19th century and its decline during the two World Wars. We emphasize the changing intellectual outlook: imperialism, right- and left-wing totalitarianism, socialism, the formation of the European Union, the fall of communist governments in the east and current immigration problems. Fulfills general education requirement for history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-228: World History Since 1500
Credits 3Introduces students to the history of the modern world. Students will examine political, economic, and social changes of the last five centuries, focusing on the relations between societies and cultures and how they have shped the modern world. Emphasis will be placed on the rise of industry and technology, the changing role and nature of conflict, the worldwide evolution of political and religious ideologies, global and culture-specific shifts in gender roles, the development of international interdependence, and the impact of social movements on world history. Fulfills general education requirements for history and thinking critically and analytically. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-230: People and Life in Maryland
Credits 3Examines the political, social and economic history of Maryland from the colonial period to the 20th century. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-233: Europe and the World
Credits 3Examines Europe's changing world role from 1800 to the present. The course will focus on the major 19th century events as well as World War I, World War II, the Cold War and the post-Cold War periods. Fulfills general education requirement for history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-235: Post-Communist Experience
Credits 3Explores the evolution of communist beliefs and institutions across the breadth of the 20th century. Studies the weakening and ultimate disintegration of those beliefs and institutions in the Soviet Union and its satellites151one of the most significant clusters of world events of the late 20th century. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-242: Fashion and Power
Credits 3Examines fashion as a manifestation of political and social power. Beginning in the 16th century and spanning the globe, the course explores how clothing and fashion have been produced, consumed, and deployed as tools of domination, imperialism, and profit--and also of self-expression, subversion and resistance. Students will analyze fashion in relation to identity (racial, religious, gender, class, cultural); social and political status; national and global hierarchies of power; and the assertion of human and cultural rights. Fulfills general education requirement in impact of diversity. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-250: History of American Popular Culture
Credits 3Examines popular culture throughout American history, from the colonial period to the modern era. Incorporates the analysis of film, television, music, theater, and the internet. Discusses the origins of American popular culture and how popular culture impacted and interacted with the United States politically, socially, and culturally. Fulfills general education requirement in Thinking Critically and Analytically. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-252: Latin American History and Politics
Credits 3Analyzes the history and politics of Latin America, studying how socieities evolved from the colonial period through independence and the formation of nations, military and personal dictatorships, and the current era of imperfect democratization. The course compares how the countries of Latin America have contended with issues of power and inequality, including income disparities, racial and ethnic discrimination, forced megration, environmental injustice, patriarchal gender norms, cultural divisions, and the fole of religion. It also evaluates the complex history of Latin American countries' unequal relationship with the United States. Fulfills general education requirements in history and impact of diversity. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-260: Top/Themes Russian Hist
Credits 3HIS-261: Winning the Vote: The History of Women's Suffrage in America
Credits 3Uses primary and secondary sources to examine the struggle for women's suffrage from the colonial period to the 20th century. Focuses on suffrage leaders and the strategies they implemented to secure the right to vote for American women, with attention paid to racial and class differences. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-290: Gender in Islamic Societies
Credits 3Examines the historical development and current realities of gender roles in Islamic societies. The course explores the political, cultural and economic diversity of gender roles in Muslim countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. It examines how gender identities have been affected over time by international developments such as colonization, democratization, the rise of fundamentalism and globalization. Students learn how Muslims of all genders have defined themselves, and been defined, in the realms of political/social activism, work, the arts and culture, and family. In addition, students critically analyze Western perceptions and sterotypes of gender roles and identities in Islamic societies. Fulfills general education requirement in cross-cultural studies, gender studies, and the impact of diversity. Fulfills general education requirements in cross-cultural studies, gender studies impact of diversity and intercultural knowledge. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-303: Women in the Ancient World
Credits 3Examines the contributions of women to the making of the ancient world through a study of their lives and writings. Looks briefly at women in Mesopotamia and Egypt; then focuses primarily on women in ancient Greece and Rome. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-311: Political Assassinations
Credits 3Explores the role that assassinations have played throughout modern history, with a focus on the assissinations of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color both in the United States and throughout the world. Special attention will be paid to the motivation behind the assassinations. This course will also examine the impact of the assassinations on social, economic, and political history. Satisfies the General Education Requirement in Impact of Diversity and History. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-312: From the Poor House to the Great Society: A History of Welfare in the United States
Credits 3Examines changes in the delivery of aid to poor Americans from a system of charity by private institutions to one of public welfare provided by the state. Explores the "feminization of poverty" and the ways in which race, ethnicity, class, region and age affected the provision of services. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-316: U.S. History
Credits 3HIS-317: The African American Experience
Credits 3Examines the experiences of African Americans in the United States from the 17th century to the civil rights movement of the mid-20th century. Fulfills general education requirements in history and Impact of Diversity. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-320: African Diaspora
Credits 3Examines the historical experiences of Africans in the African Diaspora with a focus on the international dimensions and commonalities. Studies the creation and definition of the African Diaspora as well as the distinct cultural perspectives that make up the Diaspora. Identifies the chronology of significant events in Diaspora history, and the struggle by Africans to obtain social, political and economic equality in their respective global locations. Satisfies the General Education requirements in Intercultural Knowledge, and history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-323: Black Women in American History
Credits 3Examines the historical experiences of African American women from the colonial period to the present. Focuses on the impact of race, culture and ethnicity; the chronology of significant events in African American women's history; significant contributions by African American women; and the struggle for social, political and economic equality. Fulfills general education requirements in history and Impact of Diversity. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-325: Revolution and Terrorism
Credits 3Studies two forms of violence-revolution and terrorism--in the service of social and cultural transformation. We will examine the causes of revolution and terrorism in different cultural contexts, and analyze the worldviews of those who join revolutionary and terrorist movements: how do they try to bring about radical change, and how do they justify the use of violence? We will compare the religious, racial, nationalist, and social class dynamics of revolution and terrorism. Through studying the outcomes of their struggles, we will assess whether revolutionary and terrorist groups that fight oppression are able to overcome it,or end up recreating it in new forms. Upon completion of the course, students will be prepared to grapple with the question--is violence the answer? Fulfills general education requirement in History and Intercultural Knowledge. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-327: Slave Freed/Afr Am Exp Md
Credits 3This course examines the African-American experience in Maryland from the colonial period until the Civil War. The daily life of slaves and free blacks is examined as well as the struggle for freedom. The relationship and attitudes of white Marylanders toward their African-American neighbors is explored in terms of the state's policies regarding slaves and free blacks. The course also examines how Maryland's position as a border state with northern and southern characteristics and sentiments affected these policies. Fulfills General Education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-328: Post-Colonial Africa
Credits 3Focuses on the socioeconomic, policital and cultural development of African societies in the post-colonial era. The course examines the struggle for independence from European powers; the quest to create or reclaim national identities and cultures; the challenges of building viable democracies and thriving economies; and the efforts to escape neo-colonial dependency. Fulfills general education requirements in history and intercultural knowledge. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-331: Modern China
Credits 3Illuminates today's China by examining central themes in the modern revolution there, from 1850 to the present time. Focuses also on fundamental social and political change as human experience in Chinese literature and autobiographical writing. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-335: Modern Japan
Credits 3Studies the modern transformation of Japan from the mid-19th century to the present day. Focuses especially on distinctive patterns of Japanese society and their influence on modernization, characteristics of Japanese cultural identity vis-à-vis the West, key factors in Japan's economic life and problems in Japanese-American relations. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-338: Russia Since 1917
Credits 3Examines multiple perspectives on the history of the Russian Revolution and the Soviet Union, and on how that history has influenced today's Russia. Focuses on how Russian culture and history have shaped, and been shaped by, Russia's interaction with other nations. Paying particular attention to Russia's transformation since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the course analyses how the turbulent evolution of Russian culture, political, and economic institutions could affect the future of Europe and the world. Fulfills general education requirements in history and intercultural knowledge. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-340: History of the Holocaust
Credits 3Uses primary and secondary sources, including memoirs, survivor and perpetrator testimonies,films, and scholarly texts, to examine the history of the Holocaust. Examines the nature, causes, and consequences of the Holocaust, and introduces students to the controversies surrounding its analysis, meaning and legacies. Satisfies the general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-346: History of Middle Eastern Politics
Credits 3Engages in a comprehensive analytical examination of Middle East politics with a special focus on four problem relationships: The Israelis and the Palestinians; the Arabs and the Persians; the Turks and the Kurds; and the Indians and the Palestinians. The role of the United States in each of these conflicts--as well as the continuing unrest in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iraq will be discussed. The Palestinian situation will be a topic of intense concentration. Fulfills the general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-350: Harlots and Helpmates: The History of Women in Europe, 1750-1945
Credits 3Examines the changing relationship of European women to the family, the workplace and the state during the 19th and 20th centuries. Places particular emphasis on French and English women. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-352: Honors: Educating Women in the United States
Credits 3Examines women's education from the colonial period through the mid-20th century. Pays particular attention to the contributions of key educators and on the ways race, class, ethnicity and gender shaped decisions about who was to be educated, by whom, and for what purpose. Assesses contemporary issues in women's education. Prerequisite: Morrissy scholar or permission. Fulfills the general education requirement in history. [3 credits]
HIS-355: Women and Work: The American Experience
Credits 3Examines the historical origins of the current status of women in the American work force with a focus on the effects of technological and economic change, on social attitudes toward working women, and on women's efforts at unionization. Pays attention to differences among women on the basis of race and class. Fulfills general education requirements in history and impact of diversity. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-370: Honors: The City in History
Credits 3Considers the reality that, before 1800, most people everywhere lived in rural villages or small towns, in a world of long-familiar faces. More recently, many have lived in cities of more than one million in population in what one sociologist calls a "world of strangers." What difference does it make? How does society control individuals in a big city? How do individuals experience urban life? Social scientists have long debated these questions, and the course examines the major answers that they have proposed. It also considers the implications of those answers for the solution of today's city problems. Prerequisite: Morrissy scholar or permission. Fulfills general education requirements in history and cross-cultural studies. [3 credits]
HIS-372: Classical Archeology
Credits 3Studies the material remains of ancient Greece and Rome. In addition to printed materials, uses films, slides and Internet access to examine and discuss several major archaeological sites and the effect of their excavation on our knowledge of the ancient world. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-380: History and Politics of Conspiracey Theories
Credits 3Examines the history and political impact of conspiracies and conspiracy theories throughout American History. Many believe that conspiracies are a 21st century phenomenon, yet they have impacted the social, economic, and political fabric of the United States for centuries. This course will explore both legitimate conspiracies as well as conspiracy theories, along with their consequences. Students will be able to identify the characteristics of a conspiracy theory by enhancing their media literacy and civic awareness. Satisfies the General Education requirement in History and Engaged Citizenship. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-390: Environmental Policy at the U. S. State and National Level
Credits 3Focuses on U.S. state and national environmental policies regarding air and water pollution, use of public lands, climate change and alternative energy sources. The course will also focus on risk assessment, environmental justice issues, and new and emergent attitudes regarding them. Students will analyze the historical development of policies as well as current and evolving political processes and the debates surrounding them. Students will engage in a team building exercise and will participate in either a civic participation and/or a service learning project. Satisfies the General Education in Engaged Citizenship. Registration is limited to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. First year-students may register with instructor permission. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-402: Women, War and Peace
Credits 3Examines the wartime experiences of women. Addresses question of how perceptions of women and "female nature" inform attitudes about women's wartime roles. Uses historical monographs, literature, art and film to examine and evaluate the relationship between war and gender. Also assesses women's role in the international peace movement. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-404: United States Foreign Relations in the 20th Century
Credits 3Examines United States foreign relations from 1900 to the post-Cold War Era. Focuses on the Cold War, its aftermath and the fallout from September 11. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-410: Law and Society in America
Credits 3Explores the history of law in the United States from the colonial period to the present. Considers the symbiotic relationship of law and social/political developments. Fulfills general education requirement in history. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-412: Special Topics in History
Credits 3Examines specialied topics in history, focusing on a particular historical theme, event, person, or era. The topic will vary from semester to semester. Students may repeat the course if it is offered on a topic that they have not previously studied. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-427: Study Tour
Credits 3Combines study with travel to various parts of the world. Organized by faculty members of the department. Offered periodically in summer and Winterim. [ 3 credits ]
HIS-430
Credits 3HIS-456: Senior Seminar in History
Credits 3Applies ideas, methods, and approaches from history, political science, and international studies to the exploration of selected topics. Students situate their discipline within the context of related fields, while also advancing the skills necessary for professional work in their own areas. In this team-taught course, history majors address the selected topic through focusing on the history of history, the politics of history, and the art of writing history based on original sources. Meanwhile, political science and international studies majors use the selected topic as a focal point for synthesizing their understanding of the diverse theories and methods of their disciplines. All students will, in consultation with their professors, select, design and write an original research paper to be presented to the class at the end of the semester. Serves as the capstone course for history, political science, and international studies majors. Pre-requisites: POL 101 or 103 and POL 361 for Political Science and International Studies majors; HIS101 for History Majors. [3 credits]
HIS-463: Independent Study in History
Credits 2 6Provides opportunities for individual study of a specific topic of special interest in history, usually involving research under the guidance of faculty of the department. [ 2-6 credits ]
HIS-465: Directed Readings: Selected Topics in History
Credits 3Provides an opportunity for individualized study, under the guidance of a department member, with regular discussions of written works. Permits a student to do an intensive examination of an area or topic of special interest. [ 3-4 credits ]