History (HIST)
This is a list of the History (HIST) courses available at KPU.
For information about transfer of credit amongst institutions in B.C. and to see how individual courses transfer, go to the BC Transfer Guide bctransferguide.ca
HIST 11003 Credits
Reel History: History through Film
Students will watch films that portray watershed moments in human history. They will be asked to rethink the relationships between “reality” and “representation,” and to think critically about “history,” film, “fact” and “fiction.” Students will be guided in the use of films as ways to understand and critique the stories we tell ourselves about our own past, and the purposes behind our particular versions of our past. This course will focus on skills building through a variety of different assignments such as film reviews and blogs.
HIST 11133 Credits
Canada to 1867
Students will study the political, social, cultural, and economic history of pre-Confederation Canada. They will examine topics such as indigenous relations, imperial rivalries, the impact of wars and rebellions, political reform, and social conflict. Students will gain an understanding of Canada's past, as well as an appreciation of how historical forces have shaped Canadian society today.
HIST 11143 Credits
Canada since 1867
Students will be introduced to the political, social, cultural, and economic history of post-Confederation Canada. They will examine change and conflict in a variety of areas including government policies, native rights, social welfare, Canadian-American relations, cultural nationalism, women's roles, international affairs, Quebec separatism, labour relations, and multiculturalism. Students will examine a variety of perspectives on each of these topics and will gain an understanding of Canada's past, as well as an appreciation of the role of historical forces in shaping our current society.
HIST 11203 Credits
Europe 1900 to 1939
Students will study the major political, social, economic, and intellectual currents in European history from the beginning of the twentieth century to 1939. They will consider the origins and impact of the First World War and its role in shaping Europe's history after 1918. Students will also examine the impact of the Bolshevik Revolution and of the rise of fascism. They will learn to construct and develop historical arguments and to assess primary and secondary sources.
HIST 11213 Credits
Europe since 1939
Students will examine the major political, social, economic, and intellectual currents in European history from 1939 to the present. They will identify the causes and consequences of the Second World War and the connection between the war and the development of the Cold War. Students will also consider the impact of decolonization, as well as the role of European integration in this era. They will learn to construct and develop historical arguments and to assess primary and secondary sources.
HIST 11303 Credits
Twentieth Century World 1900 to 1945
Students will examine important global developments in the first half of the twentieth century. They will evaluate the impact of imperialism, the causes and effects of the First World War, the nature of revolutionary movements in China, Japan, and Russia, as well as the global results of the postwar settlement. Students will also analyze the appeal of fascism in Europe and South America, the global impact of the Great Depression, and the factors leading to war in Asia and in Europe.
HIST 11313 Credits
The World before Us: Twentieth Century World 1945-2000
Students will examine some of the major global developments in the latter half of the twentieth century, including the devastating impact of the Second World War, genocide, and the atomic bomb. They will also analyze key issues in the postwar world, including the emergence of a bipolar world and the global impact of the power wielded by the Soviet Union and the United States; the causes and consequences of decolonization and the roots of neo-colonialism; the results of the fall of Soviet-style communism; and the impact of globalization.
HIST 11453 Credits
Expansion, Revolution, & Civil War: American History 1607-1865
Students will examine the development of the United States from the colonial era to the Civil War years. They will study the origins of the Thirteen Colonies, the impact of the Revolutionary War, the development of the early Republic, slavery, the origins of the Civil War, and early industrialization. Students will pay special attention to the evolution of American politics, economic and social trends, race relations, and westward expansion.
HIST 11463 Credits
World Wars, Reform, & Cold War: American History 1865-1974
Students will examine the major political, economic and social developments in the United States from 1865 to the 1970s. They will study the growth of the United States into a superpower and the accompanying changes in domestic society which have taken place since the Civil War era.
HIST 11503 Credits
Beyond the Middle Kingdom: Introduction to East Asian History
Students will examine select themes in the history of East Asia. They will examine major developments in China and Japan to approximately 1600, focusing on religious, social, cultural, economic, and political developments, as well as the interactions among the cultures and states of this region.
HIST 11603 Credits
A Passage to South Asia: Introduction to South Asian History
Students will examine major developments in South Asian society, economics, and culture from the beginnings of civilization on the subcontinent, through the development of new political structures under the early and medieval kingdoms, the establishment of the Mughal Empire, and the period of the British Raj. They will also examine the origins and growth of the independence movement and the emergence of post-colonial independent states on the subcontinent.
HIST 11703 Credits
From Early Settlement to the Post-Colonial Era: An Introduction to African History
Students will analyze major developments on the African continent, from the formation of the earliest societies to the creation of independent nation-states in the twentieth century. They will study migration trends and patterns, the evolution of internal trade routes and linkages to international trade, the rise and fall of African kingdoms and empires, and the gradual acquisition of African territory by European imperial powers. The course concludes with an examination of the resistance to European colonization which would eventually lead to the creation of new African states throughout the continent.
HIST 21013 Credits
(Formerly
HIST 1101)
Europe in the Middle Ages
Students will examine the evolution of medieval society and its institutions from the end of the Roman Empire to the later Middle Ages. They will evaluate the contributions made by the medieval world to the modern era, and will be asked to challenge traditional assumptions about the "Dark Ages". Students will examine and analyze key developments in this time period including the rise of the Frankish Empire, the agricultural revolution, the evolution of the Western Church, the 12th Century Renaissance, and the catastrophes of the 14th Century. They will also evaluate the vital relationship between the West and its neighbours, in particular the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic world, during this era.
Prerequisites: Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 21023 Credits
(Formerly
HIST 1102)
Europe 1450 to 1789
Students will survey the major political, social, economic and cultural trends in European history from the Renaissance to the French Revolution, focusing on some of the key issues which emerged during this period. They evaluate the nature and impact of the eras of Renaissance and Reformation, and will examine the development of Western influence in the world. Students will also focus on the connections between the early modern world and later historical developments.
Prerequisites: Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 21193 Credits
(Formerly
HIST 1119)
Europe 1789 to 1914
Students will examine the revolutionary era which began in France in 1789 and evaluate its political, economic, social, and cultural impact across Europe. They will also study the impact of the Industrial Revolution and the ways in which it rewrote Europe's socio-economic history and created new challenges for its political system. Students will also identify those elements of tradition that transcended the constant upheavals of this period.
Prerequisites: Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 21503 Credits
Tea in China and Japan
Students will explore the rich history, material culture, and practices related to the Chinese and Japanese "way of tea". They will examine the ways in which tea(s) from China and Japan have shaped East Asian history, including economic trade routes, social practices, and governments. Students will learn that tea in China and Japan is not just a historical artifact - it is a practice and way of life. They will be introduced to the discovery and establishment of tea and tea culture in China and Japan as well as the cultural connections and practices related to tea as a living tradition, including links to East Asian religions, aesthetic traditions and art. Students will develop an understanding of the multi-faceted and rich cultural basis for what Japanese Tea Master Kakuzo Okakura called "a cup of humanity", through lectures, tea demonstrations, readings, and other activities. Note: It is recommended that students complete HIST 1150 prior to taking this course. Note: This course is cross-listed with ASIA 2150. Students may only receive credit for either HIST 2150 or ASIA 2150.
Prerequisites: Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 21563 Credits
Martial Arts of China and Japan
Students will challenge the portrayal of East Asia martial arts as ancient, timeless, and even mystical, by examining the history of the martial arts. They will examine how military techniques intended for use in war, policing, and the control of banditry came to be practiced as methods of moral, spiritual, and physical self-cultivation. Students will examine the historical origins of martial arts in Japan and China, their evolution over time, and how they both subverted and served stage agendas in the modern era. They will also examine the role of martial arts in popular culture. Note: This course is cross-listed with ASIA 2156. Students may only receive credit for either HIST 2156 or ASIA 2156.
Prerequisites: Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 23003 Credits
Introduction to World Civilizations
Students will analyze the rise and fall of some of the major civilizations of the world. They will focus primarily on non-western civilizations including China, Japan, Islam, India, and the civilizations of Africa and the Americas. Students will conclude by examining the rise of Western Civilization and the resultant struggles between tradition and westernization which have become an increasingly prominent feature of the modern world. They will also evaluate the nature and adequacy of terms such as "civilization," "tradition," and "modernity."
Prerequisites: 3 credits of HIST or ASIA at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 23013 Credits
The Ancient World
Students will survey the major cultures of the Near East, Egypt, Greece, and Rome in antiquity, focusing on the rise of civilizations, the development of social, political, religious, and philosophical systems, and the transmission of culture. They will consider the origin of cities, the rise and fall of empires, the relationship between citizen and state, between religion and politics, and between politics and art. Students will evaluate the contributions these ancient civilizations have made to the modern world, and will learn to evaluate both primary and secondary sources in order to assemble evidence in support of an historically sound argument.
Prerequisites: Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 23023 Credits
Consuming Passions: A Global History of Food
Food is perhaps the most basic of all human needs, but how often do we pause to consider the ways in which food has transformed the world around us? In this course, students will focus on key periods in global history, from the Paleolithic era to the post-industrial world, and study the ways in which food and its production have shaped, transformed, and enhanced global development. This course has been designed to encourage students from a variety of disciplines to contribute their knowledge to the class.
Prerequisites: 6 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 23043 Credits
Canadian-American Relations
Students will examine the major events and themes which have shaped the Canadian-American relationship from the American Revolution to the present. They will identify how this relationship has affected culture and the mass media, trade and investment, resource policies, defence, external affairs, and trade unionism.
Prerequisites: Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 23073 Credits
Twentieth Century Britain
Students will thematically examine the socio-political impact of the First World War; the inter-war period and the rise of leftist politics; the trauma of the Great Depression; appeasement and the Second World War; post-war recovery and Britain under the American shadow; the impact of the decline of the British Empire; the social upheaval of the sixties; the gradual swing to the right under Margaret Thatcher; and, the rise of "New Labour". They will conclude this course with an examination of Britain in the new Europe.
Prerequisites: Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 23153 Credits
Canadian Crime in Historical Perspective
Students will examine the history of crime, criminals, and criminal justice from the 17th to the 21st centuries. They will focus on the way crime has been defined and managed over time and assess how factors such as class, ethnicity, race, religion, and gender have affected criminal justice and the people accused or convicted of crime. Students will gain an understanding of how historical forces have shaped modern Canadian views of crime and its treatment.
Prerequisites: Any 6 credits at the 1100-level or higher
HIST 23353 Credits
War in the Modern World
Students will analyze the role of warfare in modern history. They will consider the relationship between war and society and the ways in which changes in one area produce changes in the other. Students will examine the "military revolution" of the sixteenth century, and trace the subsequent developments in the evolution of modern warfare up to and including the age of Total War. Students will analyze these developments within a broader global context where appropriate.
Prerequisites: Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 23503 Credits
Late Imperial China
Students will examine the history of the late Imperial period in China from the Qing conquest of 1644 to the Boxer Rebellion of 1900 and the fall of the dynasty in 1911. Students will examine the strengths and weaknesses of traditional society from political, economic, social, and cultural perspectives, in order to understand China's resilience in the nineteenth century. Students will also examine the role of key personalities who guided China's various attempts to come to grips with the new challenges of foreign imperialism and internal collapse.
Prerequisites: Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 23513 Credits
Opium, Alcohol, & Tobacco in Asian History & Culture
Students will examine the very different ways in which drugs and alcohol have been looked upon over time in different cultural contexts. They will analyze differing interpretations of drugs and alcohol at pivotal moments in Asian history, where arguably, opium, alcohol, and tobacco (among others) have played important economic, geo-political, and social roles, not just as drugs but as strategic resources and cultural ‘habits’. Students will also examine the ways in which drugs and alcohol have shaped Asian history, including local and regional economies, social practices, material cultures, imperialisms, and even contemporary governments. Note: Students may earn credit for only one of HIST 2351 or ASIA 2351, as they are identical courses.
Prerequisites: 6 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 23553 Credits
The Chinese Overseas: A Global History of Chinese Migration
Students will undertake an analysis of migration in modern Chinese history, with an emphasis on overseas migration. They will be introduced to relevant theories concerning migration, diaspora, and transnationalism before examining and analyzing the development of ethnic Chinese communities abroad over the past two centuries.
NOTE: This course is cross-listed as ASIA 2355. Students who have taken ASIA 2355 may not receive credits for both HIST 2355 and ASIA 2355.
Prerequisites: Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 23653 Credits
Pathways to Nirvana: Cultural History of Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion, a philosophy, a ritual system, and a set of cultural practices in play throughout Asia. Students will examine the cultural history of select aspects of Buddhist thought and practice. They will examine philosophy, ritual, and other impacts of Buddhism within Asian culture including its role in politics and its impact on women, diet, and other key aspects of Asian society. Note: Students may earn credit for only one of HIST 2365 or ASIA 2365, as they are identical courses.
Prerequisites: 6 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 23753 Credits
Japan under the Shoguns, 1600 to 1868
Students will critically examine the history of Japan during the Tokugawa era (1600 to 1868). They will analyze the creation and structure of the Tokugawa shogunate, as well as Japan's interactions with the West and China during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Students will analyze intellectual, cultural, and economic developments during the long Tokugawa peace, including the emergence of Bushido; Genroku culture and the Floating World; and, the Japanese response to Western imperialism in the mid-nineteenth century.
Prerequisites: Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 23803 Credits
Global Environmental History
Students will engage with the intellectual diversity of environmental history, its varied approaches, and its treatment of regions across the globe. They will study key issues such as land use, agriculture, water, fire, forests, grasslands, fisheries, animals, rural, peri-urban, and urban environments, and environmentalism. Students will also investigate environmental science and history, conservationism, environmental historiography, and technology and degradation in a global context.
Prerequisites: Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 31403 Credits
Environment and Society in East Asia
Students will critically analyze the interaction between environments and societies in East Asia. They will critically examine environmental history, institutional politics, property rights, and political ecology. Students will analyze the historical background of specific environmental problems, examine the legacies of late imperial, early twentieth, and late twentieth century policies on the use and abuse of natural resources. They will critically examine a broad range of issues including agriculture, forests, wildlife and biodiversity, grasslands, water, and the impact of "mammoth projects". NOTE: HIST 3140 is cross-listed with ASIA 3140. Students may only receive credit for either HIST 3140 or ASIA 3140.
Prerequisites: 27 credits at the 1100 level or higher including 6 credits of ASIA or HIST or ANTH
HIST 31493 Credits
Hong Kong: Past, Present, and Future
Students will undertake an in-depth analysis of Hong Kong's history from its days as a remote fishing outpost and pirate haven, through its development as a British-administered trading port and colony, and finally to its emergence as a Pacific Rim economic powerhouse. They will place historical developments in Hong Kong into a broader regional and global context. Students will also critically analyze contemporary issues such as the impact of Hong Kong's liberation from colonial rule, the role of "One Country - Two Systems" in protecting Hong Kong's unique character, the region's economic prospects following the opening of China's economy, and the ongoing struggle for democratic reform. NOTE: This course is cross-listed with ASIA 3149. Students may only receive credit for either HIST 3149 or ASIA 3149.
Prerequisites: 27 credits at the 1100 level or higher including 6 credits of ASIA or HIST or ANTH
HIST 31503 Credits
East Asian Immigrants to North America
Students will critically analyze East Asian immigration to North America over the past two hundred years. They will also examine settlement experiences in North America, with a particular emphasis on the connections between immigrants and their homelands, interactions among East Asian immigrants and other groups in North America, and the development of ethnic communities. Students will critically examine issues including discrimination and racism, anti-immigrant legislation, the creation of ethnic enclaves, Japanese internment, the struggle for civil and political rights, assimilation and multiculturalism, inter-generational tensions within ethnic communities, transnationalism, and contemporary migration issues. Note: ASIA/HIST 2355 strongly recommended. Note: HIST 3150 is cross-listed with ASIA 3150. Students may only receive credit for either HIST 3150 or ASIA 3150.
Prerequisites: 27 credits at the 1100 level or higher including 6 credits of ASIA or HIST or ANTH
HIST 31803 Credits
North American Environmental History
Students will critically analyse the ecological, historical, and political diversity of environmental history in North America. They will engage with issues related to land use, agriculture, hydro and wind power, forestry, fisheries, rural-urban development, resource extraction, and environmentalism. Students will investigate and analyse the development of environmental policy, environmental science and technology, issues related to the impact of the Cold War, and environmental degradation in the United States and Canada, and within a global context.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including either (a) HIST 2380 or (b) 9 credits from courses in HIST
HIST 33103 Credits
The Fibre of Society: Textile Production in Global History
Students will critically analyze the connection between the production of textiles and global development. They will learn that textile production has created, shaped, and transformed the world in which we live since the Paleolithic era. Students will analyze topics such as the Paleolithic string revolution; textile production in Ancient Egypt, Greece, and China; the role and impact of the Silk Road; and the interconnections among textiles, slavery, colonialism, industrialization, and capitalism.
Prerequisites: 60 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 33133 Credits
Canadian Social History: Order and Disorder
Students will critically analyze a key element of Canadian social history, namely protest, and the resulting responses by Canadian governments to activities ranging from strikes and riots, to campaigns for free speech, native rights, gender equality, environmental protection, and treason. They will critically examine the landmark legal cases that have crystallized these issues. Students will evaluate trials to reveal not only a society's practice of adjudication and system of jurisprudence, but also its often hidden beliefs, customs, and cultural values.
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 33203 Credits
(Formerly
HIST 2400)
The Balkans from 1543 to 1918
Students will critically analyze the history of the Balkan Peninsula and its peoples from the period of Ottoman rule to the establishment of independent states after the First World War. They will evaluate the impact of Ottoman domination, on the forces that led to its disintegration and the region and analyze the subsequent struggle to achieve independence. They will also analyze the ways in which historians have approached the history of the Balkan Peninsula.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 33273 Credits
(Formerly
HIST 2327)
History of Russia to 1917
Students will critically analyze the major developments in, and the role of individuals who shaped pre-Bolshevik Russia. They will evaluate and analyze political, cultural, and social developments beginning with the rise of Muscovite Russia and the evolution of Russian absolutism, and concluding with an analysis of the last years of Imperial Russia, war, and revolution. Students will focus on the relationship between the autocratic state and Russian society. Students will also be introduced to the historiography of Imperial Russia.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 33283 Credits
History of the Soviet Union
Students will critically analyze the major developments in, and the role of the individuals who shaped Soviet history from 1917 to 1991. They will evaluate and analyze political, cultural, and social developments, including the revolutionary era, the New Economic Policy, Stalinism and its implications, Destalinization under Khrushchev, and the Brezhnev era. Students will critically evaluate the Gorbachev era and analyze the reasons for and implications of the eventual disintegration of the Soviet Union. They will also analyze the ways in which historians have approached the history of the Soviet era.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 33303 Credits
Germany in the Long Nineteenth Century (1789 - 1914)
Students will critically analyze key issues in the creation, expansion, and ultimately the collapse of Imperial Germany, a process which consumed much of what historians have labeled the 'long nineteenth century'. They will critically examine questions of national identity, state formation, economic, social, and cultural development, with specific focus on issues such as militarism, religious conflict, the evolution of political ideologies, 'the history of everyday life', and the vitality of German culture. Students will also examine and analyze important historiographical debates throughout the course.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 33313 Credits
Twentieth Century Germany
Students will analyze the political, economic, social, and cultural development of Germany in the twentieth century. They will critically examine the impact of the First World War on the creation and ultimate failure of the Weimar Republic. Students will also examine the connection between the failure of Weimar and the rise of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialists. They will critically analyze the global impact of the rise of Nazism and of the Holocaust, linking these events to the postwar development in East - West Germany and the events which led to reunification in 1990. Students will also examine and critique important historiographical debates throughout the course.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 33403 Credits
The Civil War and Reconstruction
Students will critically analyze the events leading to the American Civil War (1861-1865), the four years of the conflict, and Reconstruction through 1877. They will critically evaluate and analyze the development of the Southern plantation economy versus the industrial North, the growing division between North and South over the issue of the expansion of slavery into the west, the breakdown of the major national parties, the rise of the Republican Party, and secession. They will critically analyze the social, economic, political, and military nature of the war and its effects on race and gender in the United States. Students will also evaluate the impact of the freeing of slaves and the consequences of Reconstruction on American society up to 1877. They will examine and critique the latest scholarship on the Civil War and Reconstruction.
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 33443 Credits
Colonial America
Students will critically analyze the social, cultural, religious, economic, and political development of Colonial America from the time of contact between indigenous peoples and the European explorers and colonizers to the eve of the American Revolution. They will evaluate the growth and nature of the Southern, Middle and New England colonies, the interaction between indigenous, European, and African peoples; and the imperial struggle between the English, French, and Spanish empires in America. Students will examine in detail the diversity of peoples in Colonial America and the formation of an American political culture by the 1760s. They will also analyze the ways in which historians have approached the history of Colonial America.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 33453 Credits
History of the American West
Students will critically analyze the history of the American West, from the time of colonization to the twentieth century. They will critically examine key topics such as the interaction of diverse peoples west of the Mississippi River, the policies of the United States government in directing western settlement, the rise of territorial governments and communities, exploitation of natural resources, the role of women and ethnic minorities in western life, and the significance of the West in the history of the United States as a whole. Students will critically analyze various historical perspectives on the American West throughout the course.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 33463 Credits
History of the American Revolution 1760-1791
Students will examine the various causes and consequences of the American Revolution. They will explore the political, social, economic, and cultural impact that the War for Independence had upon the formation of the United States. Students will develop critical reading and research skills by evaluating the historiography of the American Revolution.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 33503 Credits
China in the Twentieth Century: Reforms and Revolutions
Students will examine the tumultuous history of the world's largest country from the Boxer Rebellion to the dawn of the twenty-first century. They will critically analyze the interplay between indigenous culture and institutions and external models which has marked this period of Chinese history more than any other. They will examine in detail how and why China attempted to use what had worked in other countries to force external solutions onto intractable Chinese reality. Throughout the course they will also critically appraise the historiographical debates on the ways that Chinese leaders, intellectuals and citizens from the Qing dynasty to the Communist Party creatively adapted and even changed what they had received from abroad into their own unique syntheses.
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 33603 Credits
British India 1857 to 1947
Students will critically examine developments in Indian society and culture during the period of British Raj, including the establishment and structure of British rule, the origins and growth of the independence movement, the evolution of political institutions, and the emergence of post-colonial independent states on the subcontinent.
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 33613 Credits
Indian Subcontinent since 1947
Students will critically analyze the political, social, and cultural developments since independence in 1947 in the states of the Indian subcontinent: India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. They will examine developments such as the evolution of nationalism, the construction of political and administrative systems, cultural and social changes, inter-state relations, and major political and economic events and developments to the end of the twentieth century.
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 33703 Credits
History of Modern Japan
Students will critically examine the history of Japan during the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. They will analyze the impact of the West, the formation of the modern imperial state, social conflict during the Taisho period, the creation of the Japanese empire, the China and Pacific Wars, the Occupation Era, and the structural realignments of the postwar period. In addition to exploring social, cultural, political, and economic changes during this period, students will also critically examine the evolution of Japanese understandings of 'modernity' and 'tradition' and the construction of modern Japanese identity.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 33803 Credits
World War Two in the Pacific
Students will critically examine the history of the Second World War in the Pacific. They will analyze various aspects of the conflict, including the rise of militarism in Japan, the origins of the Sino-Japanese War, the Rape of Nanjing, the attack on Pearl Harbor, the reasons for the early Japanese victories, the Allied counter-offensive, the war at sea, the role of race and propaganda, strategic bombing, the decision to drop the Atomic Bombs, and the aftermath of the war in Asia. Students will also explore the impact of the war on individuals through the critical examination of memoirs from participants on all sides of the conflict.
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 33923 Credits
The Home Front: Britain during World War II
Students will critically analyze key events and developments in British society during the Second World War. In particular, they will scrutinize the mythology of the 'People's War' through an examination of public participation and morale during the conflict. Students will critically examine leisure, the arts, propaganda, gender, class, and social identity, as well as the more tangible aspects of a nation at war: the Blitz and the impact of the war fought on the home front, rationing, the presence of foreign troops on British soil, law and order, politics, and the emergence of a more egalitarian vision for the post-war era.
NOTE: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 33973 Credits
Guerillas in the Mist: Terrorism in the Modern World
Students will critically examine the role and impact of guerilla organizations and terrorist groups in the modern world. They will weigh popular claims that terrorist groups accomplish little of substance against the actual achievements of guerilla organizations and terrorist groups in the twentieth century and at present. Students will analyze movements which emerged in such places as China, Japan, the Middle East, Europe, Central and South America, Africa, and Central Asia. They will also critically examine the major theorists of guerilla warfare including Mao Zedong, Vo Nguyen Giap, Carlos Marighella, and Che Guevara and will critically examine the nature and implications of terms such as 'guerilla', 'terrorist', and 'freedom fighter'. Note: HIST 2335 recommended
Prerequisites: 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 44003 Credits
Applications of History
Students will critically evaluate whether the pursuit of an understanding of the past is either a desirable or an attainable objective. They will undertake a critical examination of historical methodology as currently practiced, analyzing key issues such as the nature of historical thinking; the validity of historical research and evidence; the uniqueness of historical analysis; and the significance of competing schools of historical interpretation. Students will also critically analyze why the past is so often the subject of controversy in popular and public culture; the nature of history outside the classroom; and the relationship between popular presentations of the past and scholarly writings about history. Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 44073 Credits
British Society and Culture, 1900-2000
Students will interpret key issues in the development of Britain's social and cultural history through the twentieth century. They will critique the concept of the nation in decline, in light of Britain's continuing cultural contributions. Students will also explore the changing face of social class and the interplay between this and the development of modern British culture—both 'high-' and 'low-brow'. Students will analyze developments as far-ranging as the decline of aristocracy and the emergence of Pop Art in the 1960s, to the emergence of a middle class hegemony and the creation of Margaret Thatcher's "nation of home owners".
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 44203 Credits
Europe in the "Age of the Dictators"
Students will undertake an in-depth analysis of European dictatorships from 1918 to 1945. They will examine and critically analyze the phenomenon of dictatorship within its European political, social, economic, and cultural context. Students will focus primarily on the dictatorships of the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, but other European dictatorships will receive consideration as well. Students will develop a stronger and more sophisticated understanding of European dictatorship through an examination of the extensive and controversial literature that exists on the topic.
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 44303 Credits
The Holocaust in History
Students will critically analyze the origins, causes, progression, and development of the National Socialist campaign against the Jews and the so-called "Undesirables" who found themselves living in Hitler's Europe. They will utilize an interdisciplinary approach to examine and analyze the groups and individuals involved in the Holocaust, including perpetrators, victims, bystanders, resistance fighters, and rescuers. Students will also critically evaluate the meaning, impact, and aftermath of the Holocaust through readings, films, and discussions, paying particular attention to the interrelationships among technology, bureaucracy, and genocide. They will evaluate in-depth the historiographical debates concerning the origins, evolution, impact, and memorialization of the Holocaust.
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 44353 Credits
Genocide in the Twentieth Century
Students will utilize an interdisciplinary approach to critically analyze the phenomenon of genocide. They will undertake a comparative evaluation of a number of outbreaks of genocide during the twentieth century. Students will also critically examine and evaluate the historiographical and philosophical debates on this topic, especially in regard to how genocide has been defined and the relationship between definition and the interpretation of historical events.
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 44453 Credits
(Formerly
HIST 2370)
The United States since 1945
Students will critically examine the emergence of the United States as a global superpower in 1945. They will analyze the impact of rising national prosperity, coupled with growing tensions with the Soviet Union, and the profound changes which these two factors brought to American society. Students will examine the pressures placed upon an enlarged federal government to expand social programs and civil rights, even as many Americans deplored the growth of the welfare state. Students will undertake an in-depth analysis of the impact of the Cold War on American foreign policy and society, the politics of the social welfare state, the civil rights struggles, the war in Vietnam, cultural trends, Watergate, environmentalism, the neo-conservative revolution, and the challenges of a changing world order since the 1990s. Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Note: This is a seminar-based course
Note: For graduation purposes, students may not receive credits for both HIST 2370 and 4445
Prerequisites: 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 44503 Credits
China and the West
Students will critically analyze the mutually influential relationship between China and the West from early medieval contact through to the end of the twentieth century. They will examine and analyze both sides of this 'Great Encounter' through a combination of chronological and thematic perspectives. Students will investigate myths such as China's supposed backwardness or its reputedly 'monolithic, unchanging, and isolationist' attitudes towards other cultures. They will also apply the same critical perspective to the examination of the West's own periodic bouts of Sinomania and Sinophobia.
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 44603 Credits
Gandhi in History
Students will critically analyze the evolution of Mohandas K. (Mahatma) Gandhi's concept of Satyagraha, or non-violent non-cooperation. They will critically analyze the application of this concept during Gandhi's political activities in South Africa and as the recognized leader of the independence movement in India. Students will also critically evaluate Gandhi's influence on other non-violent, non-cooperative methods of political activism during the Twentieth Century, including the Civil Rights movement in the United States and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 44703 Credits
Warriors of Japan: The Samurai
Students will examine and critically analyze the unique history and culture of Japan's samurai warrior class, from its ancient origins to its transformation under the Tokugawa regime and its spiritual reincarnation in modern times. They will also critically examine the construction and transformation of bushido (the way of the warrior) from pre-history to the present. Students will focus on two central themes: the historical reality of the samurai and the construction of samurai mythology both in Japan and abroad. They will analyze the course material through a variety of sources, including primary documents relating to samurai life, the samurai tales of the pre-modern period, and Japanese and foreign cinematic portrayals of the samurai and bushido.
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 44803 Credits
The Vietnam War in Historical Perspective
Students will analyze key issues related to the history of American involvement in Vietnam. They will critically examine topics such as the French role in Indochina and the outcome of the first Indochinese War; the motivations behind American involvement in the region; the nature of the war itself; cultural assumptions underlying the war; the impact of the war both within the United States and in Indochina; the legacy of the war with respect to regional and global history; and the representations of the war in film, literature, music, and monuments. Note: This is a seminar-based course. Note: HIST 1146 strongly recommended.
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 44853 Credits
The Great Strategists
Students will critically analyze the evolution of military strategy around the world, its relationship to technology, politics, and culture, and its impact on the conduct of warfare throughout history. They will critically analyze the influence of selected writings by strategists such as Sun Zi, Thucydides, Chinggis Khan, Khalid ibn al-Walid, Napoleon, Carl von Clausewitz, Antoine-Henri Jomini, Alfred Thayer Mahan, Ivan Bloch, Giulio Douhet, Hans Guderian, and Mao Zedong. Students will also critically analyze the concept of "Just War", the role of morality in war, and the writings of influential pacifists and critics of war such as Leo Tolstoy and Aldous Huxley.
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 44903 Credits
History of British Columbia
Students will critically examine some of the most significant social, cultural, political, and economic developments in British Columbia's history, including colonization, settlement, ethnic relations, environmental issues, women's roles, government policies, counterculture, and public education. Students will assess the province's past and, through this, gain an understanding of how historical forces have shaped our society. Students will critically analyze B.C.'s distinctive development, guided by the 1870 dictum of Dr. John Sebastian Helmcken, who stated that "British Columbia is in, but not of Canada".
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 44913 Credits
Québec in Canada
Students will critically examine the development of Québec society since 1867, focusing on the interplay between tradition and modernization in the development of the modern Québec identity, as well as the sometimes stormy relationship between French- and English-speaking Canadians within modern Canada. They will critically evaluate the contrast between the optimistic hopes of the Confederation period and the realities of building a transcontinental nation out of two vastly different cultures. Students will critically examine original documentary material, in translation, on issues such as the role of Catholicism in society, the tensions and cleavages within the French-speaking community, the importance of the independence movement, and the place of non-Francophone minorities.
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 44963 Credits
(Formerly
HIST 3390)
Canada and World War I
Students will analyze key issues related to Canada's participation in the First World War. They will critically examine the impact of war on Canada including topics such as propaganda, military leadership, conscription, pacifism, government programs, the suspension of civil liberties, reform movements, and the legacy of the war. Students will critically analyze questions such as whether Billy Bishop was a Canadian hero; whether Canada achieved international recognition and emerged as a distinct nation due to its role in the war; and how the war has been remembered in film, literature, music, and monuments. Students will learn to evaluate both primary and secondary sources in order to assemble evidence in support of a historically sound argument. Note: this is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 45 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 44973 Credits
Canada and World War II
Students will analyze key issues related to Canada's participation in the Second World War including patriotism, morality, leadership, propaganda, state intervention, the suspension of civil liberties, technology, foreign relations, gender roles, and the legacy of the war. Students will focus on the homefront as well as the battlefield.
Note: This is a seminar based course.
Prerequisites: 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 44993 Credits
Selected Topics in History
Students will engage in the study of a particular issue in the discipline of history. They will critically analyze the topic from a broad variety of perspectives, thereby developing a comprehensive understanding of both the issue itself and the related historiography. Students will critically evaluate a number of methodological approaches, assess the implications of these approaches, and identify their strengths and weaknesses.
Note: This is a seminar course. This course may be repeated more than once for credit, to a maximum of 12 credits.
Prerequisites: 45 Credits at the 1100 level or higher courses, including 9 credits of HIST