This course explores transformative moments in history in order to understand their underlying causes and their social, cultural, political, and economic impacts on human beings and their societies. Each topic introduces students to the diverse ways historians practise their craft and seek understanding of the past and historical change so that they develop a deeper appreciation of what history "is" and "does" by considering multiple means of exploring and making sense of the past. (Formerly HST 114).
This course examines the history of popular culture, starting in the 19th century, seeking to define popular culture and understand its relationship to the formation of modern society. It considers such topics as the ideological use of popular culture, debates surrounding culture, notions of nation and community, and the growing dominance of commercial culture during a period when technology, human migration, and other factors increasingly blurred the boundaries of earlier cultural and social understanding. (Formerly HST 115).
This course introduces students to the technological and social implications of warfare from the ancient to the modern age. However, rather than dwell on the minutiae of military technologies and battle strategies, it explores the technological connections between war and society through asking such questions as how conflict fostered technology exchanges and medical advances; how improved naval technology furthered exploration; how military technologies found civilian use; and how new technologies changed the ethics of war. (Formerly HST 116).
This course provides a comparative history of colonialism, drawing attention to the motives behind territorial acquisition, the methods employed to establish colonial control, and the responses to the practice among subject populations, including the forms of resistance leading to independence. It traces the many legacies of colonialism, including the impact of cross-cultural encounters on both rulers and subjects, as well as the ways in which colonialism continues to influence the globe. (Formerly HST 117).
Modern society depends profoundly on scientific knowledge, but the critical investigation of nature began in ancient times. Students explore how social context, aesthetics, cultural preferences, needs, and experience led the pioneers of science, from Aristotle to Newton, to reject earlier explanations and construct new understandings of the earth and the universe, biology, and medicine. While highlighting the Greek scientific tradition in Europe and Islam, this course also encompasses Chinese and other science.
This is a thematic survey, covering Canadian history to 1885. Much of the course emphasizes issues which have led to the Canada we live in today, and which provide background to recurring debates in contemporary Canada. These include: Native-European relations, French-English relations, Canadian-American relations, the development of modern political parties, the compromises of Confederation, and the beginnings of regional dissatisfaction with the nation. (Formerly HST 581)
This course traces the development of the United States from the colonial era, beginning in 1607, to the era of Reconstruction that followed the Civil War. It examines relations between native peoples and settlers, tensions between colonies and Britain, the American Revolution, contradictions between slavery and democracy, religious and social reform, promises and failures of emancipation, and considers how the America of the Jacksonian era transformed into the United States of the Gilded Age.
Using both regional and national perspectives, this course examines themes in modern Asian history, including colonization, the rise of nationalism, decolonization, the Asian-Pacific War (1931-45), diasporas within Asia, shifts in religions and popular cultures (such as cinema and sports), and the evolution of gender relations. The purpose is to develop students' understanding of the shared and distinctive experiences of Asian nations in their journeys to modernization and in their struggles between tradition and modernity.
This course explores the emergence of both Greek and Roman societies (c.700 to c.100 BCE). It considers the rise of Greek city states, Athenian imperialism and its clash with the Spartans, plus the spread of Hellenism throughout the Mediterranean World. The course also examines the spread of Roman society from Rome, throughout Italy, to the conquest of the former Hellenistic Mediterranean as a means to highlight both the clashes and merging of cultures.
Within a broadly chronological context, this course traces the main developments in Europe from the fall of Rome to 1350. To examine the political, religious, and social changes that occurred during that time, topics include: the Barbarian Kingdoms; early western Christianity; the Byzantine Empire; the rise of Islam; Charlemagne; the Moors and the Vikings; the development of kingship; the Crusades; and life, art, learning, and culture in the High Middle Ages.
This course traces the main developments in European history from the death of King Louis XIV in France to the unification of Germany. Within a broadly chronological context it examines the political, religious, and social changes that occurred during this time. Topics include: the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, Napoleon, the Industrial Revolution, and 19th-century political and social movements.
This course traces the rapid rise and expansion of science from 1700 to the present as it challenged religion as the ultimate source of 'truth' in Western society. It examines how this transformation took place, and the social, economic, and cultural factors that underlay the changing paradigms that enabled modern chemistry, geology, evolutionary biology, genetics, medical science, and other enterprises that dominate our current understanding and shape the world in which we live.
This course takes a thematic approach to Canadian history since 1885, emphasizing issues that have moulded the country and challenge us still. Main issues include French-English and Canadian-American relations, regional antagonism to the dream of a nation, political parties as a reflection of social disagreements, the influence of immigration, and the debate over Canada's role in the world. (Formerly HST 681).
How did the United States become the world's reigning superpower? This course attempts to answer this question by tracing the development of modern America from the Gilded Age to the present. The course examines the rise of big business, the growth of the U.S. welfare state, American imperialism, the clash between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., and the movements for equality launched by African-Americans, women, workers and immigrants, and the growing threat of terrorism.
This course traces the main developments in western Europe from the beginnings of the Renaissance to the deaths of Queen Anne in Great Britain and King Louis XIV in France. Within a broadly chronological context it examines the political, religious, and social changes that occurred during that time. Topics include: the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Counter Reformation, the Age of Discovery, the English Civil War, Louis XIV, and the Scientific Revolution.
This course examines the development of modern Europe from fragmented and warring states in the late 19th century, to relative unity and peace in the early 21st. Focusing on western and central Europe, topics include the unification of Italy and Germany, urbanization and social change, 'New' imperialism, the impacts of the First and Second World Wars, the Cold War, and the development of the European Union.
This course analyses key aspects of international relations from the rise of the modern nation state to the Second World War. It examines methods and structures established to mediate relations between states, the causes and consequences of international conflicts, and the development of international institutions and law. It also explores the major models and theories of international relations employed by diplomats and scholars as they seek to make sense of a frequently chaotic international order.
Taking lessons from the past can be dangerous. History easily can be distorted, even fabricated, to suit one's objectives. This course (H-Craft 1) makes extensive use of "case studies" to examine the often-precarious nature of history; the development of written history; the idea of the "archive"; and the use of written history in the service of ideology, politics, and governance by historical actors such as nation states, empires, political leaders, reformers, and corporations.
History is not always recorded with the written or printed word; it can be seen, heard, and spoken. In societies past and present, oral, visual, and aural records of historical events may be of equal or greater significance than a written account. This course (H-Craft 2) focuses on oral, visual, and aural traditions, as well as contemporary methods of making and maintaining cultural memory through forms such as storytelling, folklore, performance, visual arts, and song.
Technology - the use of materials, power, and tools - started by humans responding to their most basic needs, the necessity to house and feed people and to protect them from external threats. Since then, technological innovation has been driven by human creativity that both addressed and created new demands. This course explores selected topics from the rich and diverse history of technology before the 20th century and looks at why and how change and innovation happened.
In the ancient Near East, the 'Cradle of Civilization', a variety of peoples sowed the seeds of Western civilization. The innovations included the invention of writing and the wheel, the rise of centralized government and social stratification, literature, astronomy, and mathematics. Material culture and documents from each of the major Near Eastern civilizations (Mesopotamia, Syria-Palestine, Persia) allow us to trace and compare concepts across time and space, and to understand what people thought and did.
This course details the global order since the Second World War. It focuses on the Cold War and issues such as: the atomic bomb, the Soviet conquest of eastern Europe, the birth of Communist China, decolonization, the Indochinese Wars, Middle Eastern conflict, the division of Berlin, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Islamic Revolution in Iran. The course also addresses the post-Cold War order and contemporary crises, including the 'war on terror' and nuclear proliferation.
Digital media and new technologies have transformed historical research, how we share our research results, and how we consume or experience history in museums, libraries, and archives. This course (H-Craft 3a) studies these changes by examining the history of the Internet and digital media, plus historical works published on the web by history and heritage professionals. Students will develop a pilot online history project that will be critiqued by classmates as it progresses to completion.
This course (H-Craft 3b) focuses on how archaeological resources and material culture (such as artefacts, landscapes, architecture, and art) can be utilized to understand the past. It also explores how these resources can be integrated into documents-based historical study and newer endeavours, such as oral history. It defines historical archaeology and material culture as distinct but closely related fields, surveys their evolution as academic disciplines, and considers the limitations, challenges, and biases of these approaches.
This course (H-Craft 4) introduces students to the nature of archival collections and their use in conducting historical research. It considers: the types of records available in archives; how to find them; the methods of evaluating various archival documents, along with the challenges archivists face as they collect, arrange, preserve, and make available the records in their care; and the ways these challenges affect a historian's ability to analyze the past.
This course explores the history and practice of museology and heritage management in preserving and interpreting the past. Covering the period from the emergence of the first modern museums during the Renaissance down to the present day, it considers such important issues as the contested nature of forming collections, the characteristics of museum-based research, along with exhibits, restorations, public programming, and debates affecting museums, historical organizations, and heritage industries.
This course surveys the political, military, economic, social experience of Canada and Canadians during the First World War. Topics will include social and political change, conscription, industrial development, linguistic, racial and religious tensions, military strategy, the peace settlement, and the way Canadians have remembered the War over the last century. This course questions whether Canada experienced a 'national transformation' during the War and examine the process, nature, and impact of this transformation.
This course examines the history of the continent under colonial rule from the end of the 19th century to the late 20th. Topics include: explorations of the nature, depth, and extent of colonial expansion; the establishment of colonial economies and the resulting distortion of pre-existing production and distribution systems; class formation and changes in gender relations; the emergence of nationalism; pan-Africanism; and the changing role of Africa in the wider world.
Popular histories of ancient Egypt often only explore New Kingdom pharaohs, such as Tutankhamen and Ramses II. This course provides a much broader history, beginning with the roots of Egyptian civilization prior to c.3000 BCE and ending with the Late Period (c.323 BCE to 330 CE). It considers change over time in the political, social, religious, and everyday life of Egypt, as well as its economic and other ties with the wider world.
This course explores the Roman world from the Republican period (c.100-27 BCE) to the imperial era that followed. It examines struggles of leadership caused by the conquest of increasingly vast territories, the fall of the republic, the rule of the emperors, and defence of the outer boundaries of empire at its zenith. The course also considers Roman society and culture, and discusses the ramifications of Christianity, concluding with Constantine's conversion in 312 CE.
To understand the complexities of the modern world, we must have a firm grasp of international relations. What forces - political, social, or economic - have changed our world since 1945? What was the Cold War and what does its ending mean? This course uses history to illuminate relations and developments in specific areas, such as Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. It also trains students in how to formulate questions and find information effectively. (Formerly HST 500).
The first half of the 20th century was dominated by two world wars and fragile peace settlements conditioned by unresolved military factors, a major global economic crisis, the birth of Communist Russia, the rise of non-European powers, the emergence of international organizations, and the roots of the Cold War. This course examines the causes of the two world conflicts, both diplomatic and military, their far-reaching consequences, and their impact on peoples and societies.
This course focuses on 'curatorship' - the distinct - but often controversial - scholarly endeavour resident primarily in museums and heritage organizations that utilizes artefacts, historic landscapes, heritage properties, and archaeological explorations as sources for constructing meaning. Thus, it serves students interested in curatorship as a methodological approach to understanding the past as well as those wishing to explore museums intellectually and possibly in terms of career opportunities.
No previous century has been as thoroughly documented as the last one. Film has left us vivid images of its leading personalities, its struggles, and its changing social attitudes. This course will present a reconstruction of the 20th century through the medium of film. Clips will be shown to illustrate selected aspects of war, revolution, colonialism, and social change. They will be international in scope, reflecting the time in which they were made. (Formerly HST 930).
The course examines the contemporary history of the continent. It explores both the colonial legacy and independent African initiatives since decolonization. Students explore the nature, depth, and extent of colonialism with respect to economic, political, and social institutions, processes, and movements. Topics include class formation, religious change, sexual politics, popular culture, and gender relations. The course also explores Africa's and Africans' changing roles in the wider world.
This course explores the great empire of South Asia throughout its more than two centuries of dominance, and considers the religious and cultural influences of the Mughals, their consolidation of power and territory, imperial administrative efficiencies, the arrival of Europeans, and the opening of trade. It also examines the various forces of internal opposition and revolt that weakened the empire, concluding with the Seven Years' War and the beginning of British rule.
This course examines important themes in European social and economic history from the beginning of growth of mediaeval economic systems by 1000 to the first wave of global exchange in the 1490s. Topics include: everyday family life, the great household, the late mediaeval church, war, technology, craft, trade, agriculture, famine, and plague.
The Renaissance was a formative period in the development of European civilization. Well known as an era of magnificent painting, sculpture, and architecture, it was also a time of exploration around the world, of colonization, the reintroduction of slavery, theorizing about politics and history, and also of map-making that gave Europeans new opportunities for self-conceptualization. New codes of "civility" redefined both the European sense of self and its judgements of other peoples.
This course examines the development of Britain from the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 to the early 20th century. During this period, the U.K.¿s economic strength and international influence were unparalleled, but the country also faced serious social and political tensions fuelled by rapid industrialization and urbanization. This course explores the consequences of these developments through topics such as political radicalism and reform, social class identities, imperial cultures, domesticity, poverty, and consumerism.
Terrorism is a contentious and subjective term that has been part of the international system since ancient times. This course offers an historical overview of terrorism and its effect on the global order by focusing on the origins, structure, and dynamics of terrorism as an instrument of both state and non-state actors, plus corresponding counter-terrorism strategies. It pays particular attention to 19th- and 20th-century terrorism and the current international "war on terror".
Museum and heritage management embraces a wide range of complex and interrelated activities such as: governance, funding, preventative maintenance, conservation, programming, marketing, visitor services, and security, along with legal and regulatory issues. This course focuses on the actions necessary for the preservation and interpretation of heritage resources, and considers related concerns associated with protecting historical resources of public interest that exist outside of the immediate control of heritage institutions.
This course introduces students to the history of Canadian culture and cultural industries. It considers a number of issues including: the rise of mass culture; the impact of American culture on Canada; the creation of cultural institutions like the CBC, the NFB, and the Canada Council; the evolution of government cultural policy; the interaction between popular and "high" culture; and the development of popular magazines, radio, film, and television. (Formerly HST 564).
In material culture, we study historical objects, buildings, landscapes, and their varied meanings. This course explores several important themes in North American material culture (including their international contexts) between about 1700 and 1930. Areas of focus may vary, but can include the material cultures of the First Nations, military technology, the workplace, the home, decorative arts, landscape and architecture, and the role of material culture in memory, religion, and state formation. (Formerly HST 723).
This course explores major themes in the history of the Indian subcontinent from the beginnings of British rule following the decline of the Mughal Empire, including the British Raj, the rise of nationalist movements, and independence. It also examines the turmoil and long-term social and political consequences caused by partitioning, the differing characteristics of government in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, the uneasy relationship between neighbouring countries, and modern transformations and challenges.
As the first industrialized and modernized Asian nation, Japan emerged as the sole modern imperialist country in the region. This course examines Japan's astonishing modernization and westernization through the Meiji restoration, the impact of the Great Depression, the rise of Japanese imperialism and the Second World War, its transformation under American occupation, and postwar recovery. It will consider how individual groups negotiated the meaning of citizenry in the process of Japan's nation building and modernization.
The Reformation saw the splitting of the western Christian church into the two great divisions that continue today: Roman Catholic and Protestant. This course examines the reasons for this final break after centuries of reform and limited accommodation, and pursues the further shattering of the reform movement into its multiple sects and churches. It emphasizes the social, economic, gender, and political effects of the Reformation and the terrible wars that emanated from this crisis.
In the early 1900s, Britain was a dominant imperial, military, and economic power. By the end of the century, the empire was gone and the country's international status had been eclipsed by the United States and the European Union. This course charts these developments through the impacts of the two world wars, decolonization, the welfare state, postwar affluence, youth cultures, "Thatcherism", and "New Labour". Course materials include historical analyses, contemporary documents, film, and music.
This course provides an introduction to French society, politics, and culture since the Revolution of 1789. Topics include: the impacts of the revolution and France's revolutionary heritage; growing industrialization and urbanization; relations between church, monarchy, and state; French imperialism; and the consequences of the two world wars. The course concludes with discussion of the legacies of decolonization and immigration, urban culture, race, politics, and class relations in contemporary France.
Germany became an economic and military powerhouse in the late 19th century. Yet by 1945, after two world wars, the country lay in ruins and remained divided until 1990. This course examines the political, economic, and social development of Germany from the 1870s to the present. Topics include the growth of the German Empire and the Great War, the rise of Nazism, the Second World War, East and West Germany, and the process of reunification.
Humanity always has sought to control nature through prayer, inventions, or new knowledge. This course examines early medicine, astrology, and exploration within diverse cultures and civilizations, then focuses on how inventions and special knowledge, often "borrowed" from other cultures, enabled Europe's exploration, imperialism, and quest to control nature, societies and economies from 1400 to 1900. The quest for control had many unforeseen consequences: environmental damage, new human rights issues, and the emergence of racism. (Formerly HST 561).
The exploitation and funding of science by corporate industries has created a range of serious problems, from distorted "science" to chemical products that damage the environment and harm humans. This course will examine corporate and scientific responsibility through case studies including I.G. Farben and chemical weapons, the development of refrigerants (ozone depletion), pesticides, gasoline additives, pollutants (Love Canal, Erin Brockovich), fraudulent medical and cigarette research, and the looming challenges of Genetically Modified Foods and organisms. (Formerly HST 562).
This course introduces students to the history of Canada's international relations in the modern era. It examines Canada's relations with other countries, the country's role in the two world wars, the evolution of the Empire-Commonwealth, and Canada's role and participation in the Cold War and its aftermath. It highlights the shift from a policy centred on western nations and the Commonwealth to one that embraces the broader complexities of the modern world. (Formerly HST 911).
The African-American experience spans 400 years, beginning with the forced migration of Africans to colonial America. With an emphasis on Black political thought and social action, this course examines how African-Americans sustained themselves through 250 years of racial slavery and subsequent Jim Crow segregation in the 20th century. It explores Black Americans' ongoing struggle for racial equality through organized movements, community building, and the development of unique cultural and social traditions.
For nearly four centuries, Britain ruled over the largest colonial empire in the world. This empire was the product of a long history of naval and commercial opportunities shrewdly exploited by various British leaders. This course examines the key role played by the empire in assuring Britain's prosperity, from the first settlements until the 1930s, along with the British colonial "model" and the decolonization that followed the end of the Second World War. (Formerly HST 722).
This course examines the history of international organizations and assesses their role and impact in the international system since 1900. It explores the rise and fall of the League of Nations, the rise of internationalism during the Second World War, the creation of the United Nations, and the evolution of international organizations during and after the Cold War. Other topics include regional and cultural organizations, peacekeeping, and the rise of NGOs. (Formerly HST 563).
Experiential History allows individuals or small groups of History students to pursue the historian's craft outside of the classroom in professional, career-oriented contexts through internships, work placements, or other opportunities, such as working in museums or heritage sites, participating in archaeological excavations, or conducting research for professors. Students must make all necessary arrangements at least six weeks before the beginning of term. Contact the Chair of History for details on how to proceed. (Formerly HST 851).
Experiential History allows individuals or small groups of History Specialists who have completed HIS 414 to pursue a different opportunity related to the historian's craft in professional, career-oriented contexts through internships, work placements, working in museums or heritage sites, participating in archaeological excavations, conducting research, etc. Students must make all necessary arrangements at least six weeks before the beginning of term. Contact the Chair of History for details on how to proceed.
While the senior seminars have significant writing requirements, the Thesis course provides a collegial opportunity for History Specialists to engage in more advanced research and writing in an area of particular interest to them at a level greater than would be possible in the seminars. Students must make all necessary arrangements at least six weeks before the beginning of term. Contact the Chair of History for details on how to proceed.
This seminar explores historical themes across two or more fields. Topics will vary from year to year; however, common approaches will include a study of the historiography around issues, the sources available for studying issues, their relative merits, research strategies, and the specifics of the topics explored in the course. As well, students will present the findings of their own research in class.
This seminar explores aspects of the history of science and technology. Topics will vary from year to year; however, common approaches will include a study of the historiography around issues, the sources available for studying issues, their relative merits, research strategies, and the specifics of the topics explored in the course. As well, students will present the findings of their own research in class.
This seminar explores aspects of the history of the Western Hemisphere on a national, regional, or thematic basis. Topics will vary from year to year; however, common approaches will include a study of the historiography around issues, the sources available for studying issues, their relative merits, research strategies, and the specifics of the topics explored in the course. As well, students will present the findings of their own research in class.
This seminar explores aspects of the history of Africa on a national, regional, or thematic basis. Topics will vary from year to year; however, common approaches will include a study of the historiography around issues, the sources available for studying issues, their relative merits, research strategies, and the specifics of the topics explored in the course. As well, students will present the findings of their own research in class.
This seminar explores aspects of the history of the Middle East on a national, regional, or thematic basis. Topics will vary from year to year; however, common approaches will include a study of the historiography around issues, the sources available for studying issues, their relative merits, research strategies, and the specifics of the topics explored in the course. As well, students will present the findings of their own research in class.
This seminar explores aspects of the history of Asia on a national, regional, or thematic basis. Topics will vary from year to year; however, common approaches will include a study of the historiography around issues, the sources available for studying issues, their relative merits, research strategies, and the specifics of the topics explored in the course. As well, students will present the findings of their own research in class.
This seminar explores aspects of the history of Europe on a national, regional, or thematic basis. Topics will vary from year to year; however, common approaches will include a study of the historiography around issues, the sources available for studying issues, their relative merits, research strategies, and the specifics of the topics explored in the course. As well, students will present the findings of their own research in class.
This seminar explores aspects of the history of International Relations. Topics will vary from year to year; however, common approaches will include a study of the historiography around issues, the sources available for studying issues, their relative merits, research strategies, and the specifics of the topics explored in the course. As well, students will present the findings of their own research in class.
This course surveys the creation and development of the "Thirteen Colonies" and the American republic, from the 17th century through the period after the Civil War. Topics include: the settlement and growth of the colonies, European-Native relations, the American Revolution, the Constitution, westward expansion, Jacksonian America, the market revolution and rise of the factory system, slavery and abolitionism, women and reform, the Civil War, and Reconstruction.
Early modern Europe was torn by contradiction and conflict. Rediscovery of the ancients and reinterpretation of the Bible produced a new culture but split Christianity. The nation state, the Atlantic economy, modern capitalism and new empires developed amid revolt and resistance. Growing literacy and modified gender relations reshaped society. Witches were still burned while scientists transformed knowledge; an age of reason emerged while war grew more terrible. Out of all this came Europe's world domination.
For centuries, the West viewed Asia as a land of myth and mystery. Only now is the West beginning to understand Asia. Given today's increasingly global business and culture, defining Asia is an absolute necessity. This course will introduce Asia and the roles that Asian nations have played in international relations, from first contact with the West to today. We will conclude with a look at Asia as it moves into the 21st century.
Clash of Empires: can an entertainment medium like the cinema provide a valid insight into our past? This course tries to answer that question and a host of others. Films used will illustrate the themes of discovery, conquest, colonization, and resistance from the time of Columbus to the end of the First World War. The topics will be international in scope, using examples from aspects of Asian, African, and Latin American history, and both Hollywood and international films.
This course surveys the period from industrialization and westward expansion in the late 19th century up to the political shifts of the present day. Topics covered include: the rise of Big Business and unions, mass migration, the growth of cities, American imperialism, popular culture, the Great Depression and New Deal, war (First, Second, Vietnam, and others), the Cold War, civil rights and social movements, the New Right, and U.S. interests abroad.
The French Revolution launched the modern age, in politics, society, the family, the arts, and war. The 19th century brought fresh revolutions: technology and industrialization transformed work and leisure, life and death; liberalism and revolutionary socialism challenged the old order; and science altered forever humanity's place in the universe. Yet this was also a century of ruthless imperialism and aggressive and intolerant nationalism. This period is essential for understanding our world.
Latin America is an area of increasing importance and interest. This course explores the history of Latin America through questions such as: How did colonization influence today's societies in Latin America? What were the major differences between Spanish and Portuguese colonization? What were the reasons for and consequences of latter-day foreign influence in the region? What have been the major reasons behind the political instability of this region throughout the 20th century?
This course follows the pattern set by HST 119. Films shown will examine aspects of colonial rule in Asia and Africa from the end of the First World War to the late 20th century. There will be an emphasis on the struggle for liberation from the grip of European empires, although the fate of Europeans suffering from oppression will not be ignored, nor will the neo-imperialism practised by the superpowers during the Cold War.
This course examines the development of societies in the Caribbean from the intrusion of European explorers and settlers c.1492 to the dismantling of the slave systems in the 19th century, and beyond to issues, such as independence, affecting the region in modern times.
Canada often is praised for being a relatively open and tolerant nation. Yet Canada has not always been worthy of such praise. Covering the period since 1840, this course reviews the complex history of Canada's response to questions of social justice and human rights, detailing what was learned from previous instances in which human rights were violated and social justice denied, and outlining what still must be done before Canada can become a truly open and tolerant society that offers equality to all citizens.
What past events lie behind French Quebec's current attitude towards Canada? Why do Canadians have a love-hate relationship with the U.S.? How have the struggles of other nations influenced Canadian development? What principles do our political parties follow, and where do these ideas come from? These and other questions are examined in lectures and discussions.
This course explores the major scientific and technical advances in Western civilization from the Ancient World to 1700 CE. It treats the sciences and technology as being historically significant in themselves, and also as a part of the larger social and cultural framework. Major topics include: Greek natural philosophy, Graeco-Roman technology, mediaeval technology and social change, the Renaissance and technology, and the scientific revolution of the 1600s. Emphasis is placed on the transformation of physics and astronomy associated with Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Descartes, and Newton.
This course examines Ontario's social and economic development from the late 1700s to the present, emphasizing the province's long history of settlement by diverse populations. It considers Ontario's identity by juxtaposing perspectives that emphasize Ontario's colonial past and lasting loyalty to the British Empire with those that present a multicultural, forward focused, industrializing, and urbanizing province. To highlight Ontario's continued diversity, the course explores "multiple Ontarios": aboriginal, northern, rural, urban, and suburban.
This course continues the examination of issues studied in HST 307 at a later period. Also discussed are themes such as the reasons for, and the extent of, political and social protest in Canada, the emergence of different visions of Canadian nationalism, and the opposition to these visions - the provinces' struggle for power, Quebec's struggle for identity, and the West's struggle for equality.
This course surveys the richness and diversity of scientific knowledge and the influence of technological change in Western civilization from the 1700s to the 21st century. From the Industrial Revolution, development of electricity, Darwinian evolution, Einstein's relativity, and other breakthroughs, students learn how new theories and practices accelerated the pace of change, created new problems, altered our understanding of the world and ourselves, and changed the social, political, and economic conditions surrounding modern life.
This course examines key aspects of international relations from the creation of the Westphalian system (1648) to the present. Topics include the methods and structures established to mediate relations between states, the bureaucratization of diplomacy, the rise of international institutions and law, the emerging notion of human rights, and the challenges to the Westphalian system engendered by globalization, international terrorism, and the rise of intrastate conflicts.
This course traces the social, political, and cultural development of Britain from the early 19th century to the present. Topics include working-class life during the Industrial Revolution, political reform and the widening of the franchise, the expansion and contraction of the British Empire, the impact of the two world wars, and the emergence of postwar affluence and "permissiveness." The course concludes with discussion of Thatcherite conservatism and the rise of Tony Blair's "New" Labour Party.
This course surveys the history of the Civil War, from its origins in 19th-century tensions through to the end of Reconstruction in 1877. Topics include: slavery, the growth of sectionalism, birth of the Republican Party, breakdown of the political system, justifications for and against secession, the founding of the Confederacy, the military conflict, life on the home front, Union victory, sectional reconciliation, and postwar conditions for freed Blacks.
This course is a historical inquiry into crime and punishment in 20th-century Canada. The major focus of the course is an examination of the social history of crime, which includes historical attitudes toward crime, definitions of what actions constitute criminal behaviour and how they change over time, and finally, the evolution of the relationship between the criminal justice system and social change.
The two world wars between 1914 and 1945 have transformed our planet. In 1900 Europe dominated international relations; since then we have seen the rise of the superpowers of the United States and the Soviet Union, and a shift in power to the non-European world of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This course examines the causes and significance of these changes. Topics include political, economic, and military factors, war-making, and peace-keeping.
Between 1945 and the present, the U.S. experienced rapid social, economic, and cultural change that re-shaped racial, gender, ethnic, class, and sexual politics. This course examines the major domestic, cultural, and social issues of the post-Second World War period. Topics include: domestic anti-Communism, youth culture, consumer culture, social movements of the 1960s, identity politics, immigration, the labour movement, the rise of the New Right, and the culture wars.
The relationship between Quebec and the rest of the country is a complex one, involving conquest, submission, survival, compromise, cooperation and confrontation. This course explores the twists and turns of the historical relationship in order to provide a deeper appreciation of the place of Quebec in Canada and of the nature of modern Quebec society.
This course surveys the history of the Middle East from the eve of the First War to the present. Important topics include the role of colonial powers in the region, the development of modern Middle Eastern societies and nation states, cooperation and conflict among the region's countries, the impact of the Cold War, Arab-Israeli conflict, the Palestinian question, the roots of political Islam, and the Middle East's place in the wider world.
How did women contribute to the construction of modern America, to debates over war and peace, the struggle for civil and workers' rights, the fields of leisure and entertainment, and their own fight for equality? Placing women's experiences at the centre of historical analysis, this course develops students' understanding of the major political, economic, and social developments of 20th-century America, while also examining how ideas about sexual difference have been constructed and deployed throughout history.
In less than 200 years Toronto has grown from a small town into a major metropolis. This course looks at elements in that development, such as: immigration and its effects, 19th-century social classes and ethnic rivalries, the growth and movement of industry, pollution problems, the struggle over municipal services, urban calamities, the absorption of other communities, problems of the poor, the growth of suburbs, and the emergence of a multicultural city.
A brief analysis of political and religious changes under earlier Tudor monarchs from 1485 sets the stage for an examination of continuing challenges in religion, foreign wars and invasion attempts, as well as the politics of female rule. The course also analyses broad structural changes affecting the non-elite: new views of poverty, agricultural changes, the growth of London and its entertainments, expanding education and literacy, new views of families and children, and fear of witches.
This course deals with African history before European colonization. The approach is thematic and the course focus will shift with developments in the field. Some themes that might be included are: the use of oral tradition, the development of ancient civilizations and states in Africa, the spread of Islam, the Atlantic Slave Trade, trade networks, and the shift to "legitimate commerce." This course is best taken with HST 633.
Hidden codes, special devices, fiendish villains, and top secrets all have a special place in popular culture, but as alluring as the mythology may be, it does not answer important questions about the role espionage plays in international relations. This course covers the evolution of spying and spy services from the late 19th century to the present, focusing on the effects of major events such as the two world wars, the Cold War, and 9-11.
The image many Canadians have of their history is one of compromise, complacency, and of giving in to authority. In actual fact, Canadian history is filled with mass protests, many of them quite violent. This course looks at many of the protests which contained mass violence in the 1812-1950 period. The focus of the course is on why these protests occurred, who protested and who opposed the protests, and what the protests achieved.
Beginning with a brief look at the period before the arrival of the United Empire Loyalists from the United States in the 1770s, this course traces the political, social, and economic developments that provided the foundations of modern Ontario. Through wars, revolution, and rapid economic development, the patterns of immigration, ethnic tensions and struggles to overcome pioneering conditions are traced. The course finishes with the newly created Ontario's attempt to overcome Ottawa's power.
This course avoids the survey approach by enabling students to concentrate on certain specific aspects of 20th-century Western European history. Each semester explores a different set of topics, which will be examined in some depth, taking into account social, political, economic, and geographical ramifications. Examples of subjects that might be examined include: "France in the 20th Century" or "Britain: Grandeur and Decline."
This course covers the late Qing dynasty (1839-1911) and Republican China (1911-49). It explores China's semi-colonization under Western and Japanese aggressions; reforms, rebellions, revolutions, frequent regime shifts, and political disintegration; the construction of new political theories and cultures; the rise of a Shanghai-centred urban popular culture; and evolving gender relations. Within these themes, an important subject is the role of Chinese people of different socio-economic classes, ethnicities, genders, and locales in creating the new nation.
How did the First Nations of the Canadian and American Great Lakes region develop through the millennia? What happened at their first encounters with Europeans? How did they face the challenges posed by missionaries and traders? What happened during the tragic epidemics of the 1600s? How did war and conflict re-shape the aboriginal world? Explore these and other important questions in indigenous history in this course.
This course traces the main developments in Europe from the fall of Rome to 1400. Within a broadly chronological context, we examine the political, religious, and social changes that occurred during that time. Topics include: the barbarian kingdoms, early Western Christianity, the Byzantine Empire, the rise of Islam, Charlemagne, the Moors and the Vikings, the development of the new kingship, the Crusades, and life, art, learning, and culture in the High Middle Ages.
The Vietnam War made Indochina the most heavily bombed region in history. It also engulfed global powers like France, Japan, China, and the U.S. But there is more to Southeast Asia than war. This course explores diverse histories and societies in the region; scrutinizing ideas of nation, state, and citizenship; and exploring political, social, and cultural change since 1945. It also examines contemporary issues, such as separatism, religious extremism, globalization, environmentalism, and continuing political instability.
This course covers a 127-year span during which Great Britain rose to become the modern world's first superpower and the most influential country of this era. Within a broadly chronological context we will examine the political, religious, economic, and social conditions of this time. Topics will include: union between England and Scotland, 18th-century society, the Georgian age, Empire, the Seven Years' War, the Enlightenment, George III, the Industrial Revolution, and the Napoleonic Wars.
This course examines the role of propaganda, starting with its use by religious reformers in the 16th century, French revolutionaries of the 18th, and nationalists in the 19th. The main focus, however, is the period after 1900. We explore propaganda during the two world wars, its use by totalitarian powers, and its impact on the Cold War. We place emphasis on studying the raw materials of propaganda: pamphlets, posters, radio broadcasts, and films.
This course introduces students to the history of Germany's Third Reich and its international impact from its origins in the 1920s to the aftermath of its defeat in 1945. Topics include the birth of Nazism in Weimar Germany; Adolph Hitler's rise to power; Nazi government, economy, and society; the Holocaust; territorial expansion; the conduct of the Second World War; the collapse of the Third Reich; and ongoing deliberations about its legacies.
This course explores the story of the Cold War, a conflict that dominated international relations for much of the postwar period. Topics include the emergence of the United States and Soviet Union as superpowers, the division of Europe after 1945, the creation of Cold War alliances, decolonization, superpower conflict by proxy, the rise of regional powers, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the legacy of the conflict for the 21st century.
This course examines U.S. international relations from 1898 during a time that witnessed the nation's emergence as the world's dominant state. It analyses the factors - diplomatic, military, economic, and cultural - that contributed to the ascendance of the United States and the ways in which American power shaped the modern world. Topics include U.S. contributions to war and peacemaking, international institutions and governance, and the establishment of a global liberal economic regime.
Political, financial, and religious crises under the early Stuart monarchs led to civil war and revolution, and, briefly, unparalleled liberty. The Restoration brought new ideas but also renewed political-religious conflict, which led to the last successful invasion of England. The course also examines England's naval strength, the new utilitarian science, overseas ventures, and the beginnings of the fiscal-military state, as well as the growth of London, attitudes towards death, and the changing roles of women.
What historical dynamics have produced the Africa we know today? How far are today's problems rooted in the colonial experience? This course examines the history of the continent from the beginning of the colonial period to the present. Some of the themes covered include: resistance to colonial rule, the development of nationalism, class formation, changing gender roles, Africa in the world economy, and democratization movements. This course is best taken with HST 533.
The image many Canadians have of their history is one of compromise, complacency, and of giving in to authority. In actual fact, Canadian history is filled with mass protests. This course focuses on different groups who staged mass protests in the period 1870-1995, including movements to purify "evil" Canadian society, the women's movement, anti-conscription protests in two world wars, anti-Asian protests in British Columbia, regional protests in eastern and western Canada, nationalist protests in Quebec, and First Nations protests.
This course deals with the emergence of modern industrial Ontario. While the growth of mining, industries, transportation, and urban areas forms the framework, a large portion of the course deals with the struggles among different factions, farmers, workers, and businessmen over the direction development would take. This struggle also involved the clash of values between older "British" Ontario and new immigrant groups. Ontario's place within Canada and its relationship with the United States also are examined.
This course avoids the survey approach by enabling students to concentrate on certain specific aspects of 20th-century Eastern European history. Each semester will be devoted to a different topic or topics, which will be examined in some depth, taking into account social, political, economic, and geographical ramifications. Examples of subjects that might be examined include: "Eastern and Central Europe 1914-91" or "The Soviet Union: From Lenin to Gorbachev."
This course covers the diverse years of the People's Republic of China. For the Mao Zedong period, we explore socialist reformations, the Anti-rightist Movement, the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, and the making of Communist citizens within a new hierarchy. For the post-Mao years, we examine how ongoing reforms and open door policies de-communized the country as part of our investigation into China's painful and twisted journey to modernity in a global context.
This course examines the intersecting histories of racial, ethnic, gender, class, and sexual difference in the United States since the turn of the 20th century. Starting with the mass immigration from Eastern and Southern Europe, which began in the 1890s, and ending with the most recent debates about identity politics, this course charts the demographic, cultural, and political changes that have complicated ideas of, and responses to, "difference" in the United States.
This course addresses how North American cities fostered both commercial and non-commercial sexual cultures, sexual communities, and sex districts from the 19th to the early 21st century. Students will examine the histories of male and female prostitution, the development of non-heterosexual urban communities, cultures of urban romance, cinematic representations of sex and cities, suburban sex cultures, and the histories of gender, race, and class that structure these issues of sex in the city.
How did the First Nations of the Great Lakes defend their interests when settlers flooded the region after 1763? What happened to them in the American Revolution and other frontier conflicts? What were the results for natives when Euroamericans forced them onto reservations or demanded they assimilate? What were the impacts of modernization after 1850? Explore these and other critical issues in native-newcomer relations in this course.
Our lives are shaped by scientific knowledge applied to new inventions. This course examines how scientific technology both reflects and transforms our society, and how it created key fundamental industries in our high-tech, energy-dependent society. It covers the invention of modern electrical and transportation systems, modern warfare, problems of biotechnology, the ethics of industrial chemistry, nuclear energy and the atomic bomb, and the computer revolution.
This course examines the causes, conduct, and outcomes of the world's first total war. Key themes include pivotal military events, soldiers' experiences, and, especially, the interactions between the home front and the front lines that distinguished the Great War from earlier conflicts and that shaped its outcome and long-term consequences. Accordingly, the connections between the political, military, social, economic, and cultural dimensions of the war are central topics of study in this course.
This course explores a pivotal relationship in Canada's development by looking beyond formal ties, such as treaties, to political, economic, and cultural forces with the United States. It starts in the 18th century, but the major focus is on the 20th century, when the two countries were never closer. Topics include the Cold War, economic links, tensions, culture and nationhood, and Free Trade.
This course is a cultural and social history of the American city, focusing on late-19th and 20th-century New York and Los Angeles. We examine how issues such as how immigration/migration, race, gender, sexuality, public space, architecture, urban planning, and consumerism have shaped the lives and cultures of cities and city residents.
While taking various forms, both the Renaissance and Reformation marked breaks with mediaeval Europe that radically transformed life in the early modern period. Each was built on, or incorporated, socio-economic changes, scholarly developments, the advent of printing, new forms of political authority, and stunning cultural and intellectual achievement. Yet while intermixed, the two movements were also fundamentally different: while one commonly celebrated the human and worldly, the other sought a purified Christian faith.
The dread of disease, physical pain, and mental suffering always has loomed large in human experience. How did people in the past react to sickness? What kinds of diseases affected people's lives, and what approaches did they take to hold diseases at bay? This course covers disease and medical practice from antiquity to 1500 CE within the contexts of the ancient Near East, Greek and Roman society, the Islamic world, and mediaeval Europe.
In the early centuries of Islam, the study of the natural world was held in high esteem. Scientists and engineers were called upon to solve practical problems that emerged with the new religion. Debates occurred over whether, and to what extent, scientific inquiry was appropriate in Islam. This course surveys major developments in scientific knowledge and technological know-how, from the 7th-century rise of Islam to 1600 CE, along with their impacts upon the Western world.
Today the difference between astronomy and astrology is defined with clarity, with the former recognized as an established scientific discipline and the latter regarded as a pseudoscience, rejected for its lack of credibility. Such was not always the case, as astrology gave birth to astronomy. This course explores the complex interrelationship between the two from the third millennium BCE to 1700 CE.
Since ancient times, human ingenuity has enabled humans to adapt to life even in hostile environments. The most important factor was successful management of the available water resources for agriculture, urban supply, and industry. Starting in the third millennium BCE, this course uses case studies from Asia and Europe to explore the hydraulic technologies employed, and to assess past and present social, political, economic, and environmental implications of water management and mismanagement.
This course examines the development of British society and culture from 1939 to the present day. We discuss the Second World War as the "People's War" before turning to social and cultural developments in postwar Britain, particularly affluence and consumerism, immigration and questions of national identity, the rise of youth cultures and popular music, Thatcherism, and contemporary society since New Labour's "New Britain."
This war rightly has been called a total war. New technologies and strategies affected civilians as much as the military, and the fighting raged across the globe. We examine the war in Europe, Asia, and beyond, exploring such questions as the role of aerial bombing, of science, of intelligence, and of propaganda in the conflagration while considering the war's impact on daily life in occupied countries, and the distinct experience of the dictatorships and democracies.
Canada has undergone such profound social, cultural, constitutional, and political changes since 1968 that it can be argued that the country has experienced a "revolution." The goal of this course is to examine the nature of this "revolution" and to give students a broad introduction to the major events and themes in contemporary Canadian history, including such topics as constitutional reform, multiculturalism, Quebec, free trade, cultural organizations, foreign policy, globalization, feminism, and Aboriginal rights.
