Areas of Study:
Europe
World
North America
Other
Courses in European History:
1101 The West and the World from Feudalism to Globalism/one unit
Fall/Winter, Tuesday/Thursday, 10:30 to 11:45
Jennifer Grabove/Roni Gechtman
This is a course in the history of European, or Western, civilization from the early Middle Ages to the twentieth century. It provides a general outline of the major historical developments and changes in European societies in the last 1500 years while introducing students to the discipline of history. It evaluates as well Europe’s relations with the rest of the world: how Europe has affected other cultures and civilizations by trade, conquest, travel and communication, and in turn been affected by them; how Europeans have conceived of the world over time and how the idea of ‘the West’ has evolved; and the role Europe has played in the making of the modern world system.
2200 History of Greece/half unit
Fall Tuesday/Thursday, 3:05 to 4:20
David Campbell
A survey of the history of Greece including the Minoan-Mycenaean civilizations, the development of political institutions including democracy, the Persian Wars, Periclean Athens, the rise of Macedon and the achievement of Alexander the Great.
2201 History of Rome/half unit
Winter Tuesday/Thursday, 3:05 to 4:20
David Campbell
A survey of the history of Rome including the Etruscans, the unification of the Italian peninsula, the conquest of the Mediterranean, Julius Caesar and the Roman revolution, the Augustan principate, the life and times of the emperors, the rise of the Christian church and the fall of Rome.
2205 Europe in the Twentieth Century/one unit
Fall/Winter Tuesday/Thursday 1:30 to 2:45
Roni Gechtman
This course examines the major political, social and cultural developments in the history of Europe in the twentieth century. Following an overview of the major European countries at the turn of the twentieth century, we will study the two World Wars (their causes, development and impact on European society and politics), the key political events of the interwar period (the Bolshevik Revolution, the Great Depression, the rise of fascism and nazism), the Cold War, and the fall of communism and the Eastern Block. In the process, students will become familiar with the variety of peoples and cultures that make up the European continent. One of the goals of the course is to consider the extent to which many of the dilemmas faced by today’s Western societies — imperialism, militarism and pacifism, the changing role of women, democracy and civil rights, the status of minorities within the nation state, globalization, the proper relation between the free-market economy and the welfare state, etc.— have been issues of public concern and causes of conflict in many European countries in the period under discussion.
2207 Social History of European Women from the Reformation to the Modern Day/half unit
Winter Monday/Wednesday, 12:30 to 1:45
Adriana Benzaquén
This course provides an overview of the history of European women from the eighteenth century to the twentieth century. We will explore the changing lives, identities, opportunities, and political activism of European women throughout this period and consider the different ways in which they experienced family life, work, politics, culture, religion, sexuality, and war. We will also examine changes in understandings of women’s nature, women’s roles in society, women’s rights, and relations between women and men.
(This course is also listed as a women-emphasis course).
3305 Gender in Historical Perspective: Historical Dynamics of Clothing and Fashion/half unit
Fall Monday, 4:30 to 7:00
Jennifer Grabove
Clothing has been with us throughout recorded history, but, according to some historians, fashion is a more recent invention, dating back only as far as the late Middle Ages. In this course, we will look at the difference between what we wear and how and why we wear it. We will also examine how clothing and fashion have been and still are related to religion, age, class, occupation, politics and especially gender. The format for the course will include both lectures and group discussions of primary and secondary sources.
(This course is also listed as a women-emphasis course).
3313 Culture, Society and Belief in Early Modern Europe/half unit
Fall Monday/Wednesday 12:30 to 1:45
Adriana Benzaquén
In this course we will examine the tension between different kinds of belief and different forms of knowledge in early modern Europe through an examination of two important historical developments: the witch-hunt that took place across both Catholic and Protestant Europe and the emergence of modern science. Why were so many thousands of people, most of them women, persecuted, tried, and executed for witchcraft in this period? In what sense was the new science of Galileo, Bacon, Descartes, and Newton really new? To what extent did the new scientific thinking contribute to the end of the witch-hunt? We will read a selection of primary sources and consider a variety of recent historical approaches to, and interpretations of, the clash of worldviews in this period.
3386 Selected Topics in Twentieth-Century History: A Twentieth Century of Turmoil/half unit
Winter Monday, 4:30 to 7:00
Michael Collins
A combined lecture-seminar course on a selected topic in twentieth-century history.
4480 (02) History Seminar - The Spanish Revolution/Civil War/half unit
Winter Thursday 4:30 to 7:00
Roni Gechtman
This seminar will examine the history of Spain in the 1930s, giving particular attention to one of the most crucial events in European history in the interwar period: the Spanish Civil War, a conflict that began in 1936 and ended a few months before the outbreak of the Second World War. There were two warring sides —republicans and nationalists— but each one was composed of many different social and political factions. Thus one of the goals of this seminar will be to understand the issues that provoked the war and led to the formation of the two (seemingly cohesive, but in fact internally divided) opposing camps. The Spanish Civil War is especially interesting to historians both in itself and for its significance in relation to the general history of the period. We will consider the extent to which the conflict in Spain epitomizes similar conflicts faced by almost all states in Europe at the time: the clash of classes (peasants, workers, middle classes, aristocracy), ideologies (fascism, conservatism, liberalism, socialism, communism, anarchism), and political regimes (monarchy, dictatorship, representative democracy); struggles around gender and sexuality, nationalism and internationalism, centralism and regionalism; and competing views of the role of church and military in the modern state. The Spanish Civil War (also known as the Spanish Revolution) aroused hope and enthusiasm among left-leaning workers, intellectuals and activists all over the world, hundreds of thousands of whom went to Spain as volunteers ‘to fight fascism’. But these hopes were crushed and Franco’s victory in 1939 initiated a long period of military dictatorship and repression.
Prerequisite: Written permission from the Chair of the Department of History
Courses in World History:
2260 Cultural Encounters in the Modern World/one unit
Fall/Winter Monday/Wednesday 8:30 to 9:45
Jonathan Roberts
An exploration of the history the modern world, from the fifteenth century to the Second World War. The course will focus on the convergence of different civilizations through a series of cultural encounters between major historical figures.
3360 Selected Topics in World History: Sources of the Early African Past/half unit
Fall Tuesday/Thursday 12:05 to 1:20
Jonathan Roberts
This course will compare professional western historiography with African conceptions of historical consciousness. Some topics will include the deconstruction of “race,” the diffusion and convergence of cultures, historical linguistics, and the study of oral epics and traditions, and memories of the slave trade.
Students may take both HIST 3360 and HIST 3361, but do not need to take HIST 3360 in order to take HIST 3361.
3361 Selected Topics in World History: Modernity in Africa/half unit
Winter Tuesday/Thursday 12:05 to 1:20
Jonathan Roberts
“I don’t want to miss a good chance of getting us a slice of this magnificent African cake.” King Leopold II (1896)
Over the winter of 1885-1886, the major powers of Europe met in Berlin to carve up the African continent into colonies and spheres of influence, initiating new and oppressive forms of colonialism. This event came to be known as the “Scramble for Africa” and it is now a turning point in Western narratives that emphasize a legacy of European exploitation of the continent. In this course students will be asked to challenge this conventional narrative of modern Africa and conceptualize a history of modernity from an African perspective.
Students may take both HIST 3360 and HIST 3361, but do not need to take HIST 3360 in order to take HIST 3361.
4480 (01) History Seminar - Religions in African History/half unit
Fall Thursday 4:30 to 7:00
Jonathan Roberts
Over the past 5000 years, the people of the African continent have had many rich and diverse ways of understanding the spiritual world. This course will look at themes of divinity on the continent that can be found through the study of archaeological evidence, historical linguistics, oral traditions, and sacred texts. Some topics include the pantheons of Sub-Saharan Africa, the Jews of Ancient Ethiopia, the shrines and spirits of Old Mali, and the spread of Islam and Christianity. The goal of the course is to highlight the “this-worldly” concerns of African religious practices, as well as the role of the moral economy within African culture. The course will conclude with a discussion of the modern religions of the African Diaspora, such as voodoo, Rastafarianism, Muslim brotherhoods, and Pentecostal Christian fellowships.
Prerequisite: Written permission from the Chair of the Department of History.
Courses in North American History:
1120 Canada/one unit
Fall/Winter Monday/Wednesday 11:05 to 12:20
David Campbell/Janet Guildford
This is an introductory survey of Canadian history, from the contact period to the present day. Lectures are designed to acquaint students with major issues and problems in Canadian history, range widely in theme and content, and delve into economic, social, political, and cultural history. Major issues covered in the first term are the confrontation between Native and non-Native cultures, the relationship of the colonies to the empires of France and Great Britain, the growth of colonial identities and self-government, and confederation and the early nation-building process. The second term focuses primarily on the attempt to adapt the federal system to meet competing demands of region and nation, French and English, rich and poor, as well as the external demands of the international arena.
(This course is also listed under Canadian Studies).
2217 Canadian-American Relations: The Formative History/half unit
Section 01 Fall Tuesday/Thursday 9:05 to 10:20
Section 20 Fall Contact the Department of Distance Learning and Continuing Education
Reginald Stuart
This course runs from the American Revolutionary Era when “Canada” was a few colonies to 1931. In between, the course explores cultural, social, economic and political developments in relations between Canadians and Americans in North America. Social and economic themes are especially important. Lectures and assigned readings cover a variety of topics. These include economic and migratory patterns as well as how developments in the United States and the British North American colonies interwove. Assignments focus on effective reading and the interpretation of historical events and themes.
(This course is also listed under Canadian Studies).
2218 Canadian-American Relations: Continental Nations/half unit
Section 01 Winter Tuesday/Thursday 9:05 to 10:20
Section 20 Winter Contact the Department of Distance Learning and Continuing Education
Reginald Stuart
This course combines Political Studies and History to explain the evolution of cultural, social, economic, and political themes to current times. We look at Prime Minister-President relations, North America’s mass entertainment system, Free Trade, and eternal issues such as Softwood Lumber. We consider how the constitutional and political structure and domestic systems of each country influence the relationship and illustrate that continental nations have waltzed with each other in the post-September 11, 2001, climate. Students will explore contemporary affairs and historical events through various assignments.
(This course is also listed under Canadian Studies and cross-listed as POLS 2218).
2219 Canadian Foreign Policy/half unit
Fall Monday/Wednesday 11:05 to 12:20
Reginald Stuart
This course begins with an historical treatment of Canadian foreign affairs and policy-making since the early 20th Century to modern times. Throughout, constitutional, political, and bureaucratic developments are related to foreign affairs and policy developments through the 20th Century to modern times. The course closes with a focus on contemporary issues and how Ottawa attempts to cope with them.
(This course is also listed as POLS 2219 and under Canadian Studies and is a Peace and Conflict Studies Emphasis Course).
2222 Canadian Women in Historical Perspective/half unit
Fall, Monday/Wednesday, 8:30 to 9:45
Janet Guildford
This course offers a broad survey of the history of women in Canada from the early contact period to the present day. Themes include women’s paid and unpaid work, the changing status of women in law and in the wider society, and changing attitudes toward women’s bodies. Women’s activism–especially the first and second waves of feminism–will be an especially important theme. Finally, the diverse experiences of Canadian women over time will be investigated.
(This course is also listed under Canadian Studies and as a women-emphasis course).
2230 History of the Maritime Provinces to Confederation/half unit
Section 01 Fall Monday/Wednesday, 3:05 to 4:20 Emily Burton
Section 02 Fall Tuesday/Thursday, 9:05 to 10:20 Robert Harding
This is a survey of the history of the Maritime region from the contact period down to Confederation in 1867. Attention focuses initially on the first contact between Europeans and Native peoples, thereafter on the strategic importance of the area for the rival empires of France, Great Britain, and the United States of America, and the consequent effect this had on economic, social, and political change in the region. Students are asked to explore how, within this general imperial and regional context, individuals struggled to wrest a living from sea, land, and forest, and, in the process, establish distinctive communities. Themes pursued include Native and non-Native interaction, the pattern and pace of European immigration (with particular emphasis on the expulsion of the Acadians), the bases of unity and diversity within the region, and provincial attempts to reach some measure of economic prosperity, social cohesion, political maturity, and cultural sophistication. This course culminates with an examination of the impulses that led the region to participate in Confederation.
(This course is also listed under Canadian Studies).
2231 History of the Maritime Provinces since Confederation/half unit
Section 01 Winter, Monday/Wednesday 3:05 to 4:20
Janet Guildford
A survey of the history of the Maritime provinces since Confederation, this course focuses on the integration of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island into the Canadian nation. Themes include the region’s persistent economic problems, the failure of industrialization in the Maritimes, and the ups and downs of primary industries such as the fishery. The social and cultural history of the region will also be addressed, with an emphasis on the diverse experiences of Maritimers.
(This course is also listed under Canadian Studies).
2231 History of the Maritime Provinces since Confederation/half unit
Section 02 Winter Tuesday/Thursday 10:30 to 11:45
Section 20 Winter Contact the Department of Distance Learning and Continuing Education
Michael Earle
This course provides a survey of the history of the Maritime provinces since Confederation. It focuses on the integration of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island into the Canadian nation, and their subsequent political, economic, social, and cultural development.
(This course is also listed under Canadian Studies).
2234 Women's History: The American Experience/half unit
Fall Tuesday/Thursday 1:30 to 2:45
Frances Early
This course will examine the historical experiences of women in U.S. society in the modern era. Discrete topics will stress women as historical actors, notably in social change movements. The personal as well as public aspects of women’s lives in contrasting historical circumstances will be explored. A survey text will provide a narrative account of U.S. women’s history in modern times, and two collections of primary documents--one a text, the other a CD-ROM--will help students appreciate the diversity of women’s experiences through a variety of mediums including texts, photographs, and film clips.
(This course is also listed as a women-emphasis course).
2282 History of Childhood: The North American Experience/half unit
Section 01 Fall Tuesday/Thursday 10:30 to 11:45
Section 20 Fall Contact the Department of Distance Learning and Continuing Education
This course examines selected aspects of the history of childhood in North America from the beginning of European settlement to the twenty-first century. We will consider the experiences of children in rural, pre-industrial and modern urban-industrial settings; as well, children’s experiences of war will be examined with focus upon the World War II era. Other themes and topics include changing perceptions of children and interpretations of the meaning of childhood; the place of children in the family and their role in the economy in different eras; children under enslavement in the U.S. ante-bellum South; and social and educational policies pertaining to children, notably aboriginal Canadian children. We will also study the North American experience of growing up in a female body over the course of the twentieth century and consider how popular culture at the beginning of the twenty-first century is negotiating the challenge of Third Wave Feminism.
3322 Maritime Women’s History/half unit
Fall Monday/Wednesday 3:05 to 4:20
Janet Guildford
This course will focus on the changes and continuities in all aspects of women’s lives in the Maritime provinces in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In addition to examining women’s economic roles and the legal regulation of women, the course will place particular emphasis on the late nineteenth-early twentieth century women’s reform movement and the second wave of feminism in the region. Students will have the opportunity work with primary documents, including newspapers, personal correspondence, diaries and autobiographical writing.
(This course is also listed under Canadian Studies and as a women-emphasis course).
3325 Selected Topics in the History of Atlantic Canada [ST]: Maritime Workers and Unions/half unit
Section 01 Winter Tuesday/Thursday, 1:30 to 2:45
Section 20 Winter Contact the Department of Distance Learning and Continuing Education
Michael Earle
This is a course on trade union history, but an attempt will be made throughout to relate this topic to the economic, social, and political history of the Maritimes and of Canada. The course will deal with the history of the Maritime trade union movement from the mid-19th Century to the present, dealing with the transformations of the unions throughout this period, and the local unions' relations with national and international unions. While the main concentration will be on the labour history of Nova Scotia, some reference will be made to developments elsewhere in Atlantic Canada. Particular attention will be given to the history of unions of great regional importance, such as those of the coal miners. In addition, other aspects of labour history will be touched on, such as the role of women in unions, the relationship of unions to politics and to the state, and the condition of unorganized as well as unionized workers in the region.
(This course is also listed under Canadian Studies).
3326 Selected Topics in the History of Atlantic Canada: War and Society in the Atlantic Region/half unit Winter Tuesday/Thursday 9:05 to 10:20
David Campbell
This course explores the impact of the First and Second World Wars on the Maritime Provinces and Newfoundland. Through examining the ways in which people responded to the challenges of global war, the course will investigate issues of continuity and change in the complexion of societies, economies, and politics in the Atlantic region. The experience and influence of service in the armed forces, both at home and overseas, will also be considered.
(This course is also listed under Canadian Studies).
3329 Modern Canada/half unit
Winter Tuesday/Thursday 12:05 to 1:20
Cara Spittal
Particular emphasis will be placed on the vagaries of the concept of the Canadian nation in response to the aspirations of Quebec, regional tensions, charter groups, and globalization.
(This course is also listed under Canadian Studies).
4481 (01) History Seminar: The War of 1812/half unit
Fall, Thursday, 4:30 to 7:00
Reginald Stuart
This seminar will explore aspects of the War of 1812. Topics covered include how Anglo-American relations deteriorated after 1800 and resulted in war; how social and political themes interwove with military events; comparative considerations of social and military affairs; the impact of the war on subsequent Canadian-American history; and how the war marked the continental orientation of both the United States and the British colonies in North America.
Prerequisite: Written permission from the Chair of the Department of History.
4481 (02) History Seminar: North America/half unit
Fall, Thursday, 4:30 to 7:00
Janet Guildford
The focus of this seminar is women’s work, both paid and unpaid, in 19th and 20th century Canada. The concept of women’s work is defined very broadly and will encompass productive and unproductive labour as well as women’s roles as volunteer community builders and activists. The seminar is intended to familiarize students with the historiography of women’s work and the major debates in the field. Students will also have the opportunity to do primary research for their seminar papers.
Prerequisite: Written permission from the Chair of the Department of History
Other:
3390 Historiography/half unit
Section 01, Fall Tuesday, 4:30 to 7:00
Section 02, Fall Wednesday, 4:30 to 7:00
Kenneth Dewar
This course will examine history as a particular way of understanding the past and making it meaningful to the present. Weekly readings will consider such questions as what constitutes history, the nature of historical explanation, the relationship of history to other disciplines, and the uses of historical study. Attention will also be paid to the question of how the discipline has changed over time. These general and theoretical questions will be discussed in the context of modern historiographical practice, as exemplified in three major works: Garrett Mattingly's The Armada, Fernand Braudel's The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II, and Natalie Zemon Davis's The Return of Martin Guerre. The course will be conducted as a seminar.
Prerequisite: Written permission of the Chair of the Department of History.
3391 Historical Methodology/half unit
Section 01, Winter Tuesday, 4:30 to 7:00
Section 02, Winter Wednesday, 4:30 to 7:00
Frances Early
This seminar course for history majors examines contemporary approaches to history on a variety of topics and focuses on the conceptual frameworks and practical problems associated with historical research and analysis. Course readings will be diverse, and evaluation will be based on a range of assignments that are designed to sharpen and deepen the critical intellectual skills required of students who are engaged in the practice of historical research and writing.
Prerequisite: Written permission of the Chair of the Department of History