Canada to 1867
Students will be introduced to the political, social, cultural, and economic history of pre-Confederation Canada. They will examine topics such as native-white 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.
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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 through selected readings 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.
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
Europe 1900 - 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 also learn to construct and develop historical arguments and to critically assess primary and secondary sources.
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
Europe since 1939
Students will examine the major political, social, economic and intellectual currents in European history from 1939 to the present. They will also learn how to assemble evidence in order to produce and present an historically sound argument through a major essay and oral presentation.
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
Twentieth Century World 1900 to 1945
Students will examine the most important global developments of 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 results of the postwar settlement. Students will also analyze the causes of the rise of fascism in Europe and South America, the impact of the Great Depression, and the factors leading to war in Asia and in Europe.
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
Twentieth Century World 1945 to 2000
Students will examine some of the major global issues 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 developments in the postwar world, including the emergence of the bipolar world and its impact, decolonization and the roots of neo-colonialism, the fall of Soviet-style communism, and the changing nature of global culture.
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
American History 1607-1865
Students will examine the development of the United States from the colonial era to the post-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. Students will also learn how to assemble evidence in order to produce and present an historically sound argument through a major essay.
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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. Students will also learn how to assemble evidence in order to produce and present an historically sound argument through a major essay.
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
Introduction to Traditional East Asia
Students will examine some of the main themes in the history of East Asia. They will examine major developments in China, Japan, and Korea to approximately 1800. Students will focus on religious, social, cultural, economic, and political developments, as well as the interactions among the nations of this region.
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
Introduction to Modern East Asia
Students will examine the development of modern East Asia from approximately 1800 to the present. They will focus on the religious, economic, literary, artistic, and political developments in this region. Students will also observe the nature of interactions among the peoples and nations of East Asia, as well as the impact of external forces in this region.
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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.
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
Introduction to African History
Students will examine 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. Students will conclude by examining the resistance to European colonization which would eventually lead to the creation of ‘new’ African states throughout the continent
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
HIST 2101 (formerly 1101) CR-3
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 late Middle Ages. They will evaluate the contributions made by the medieval world to the modern era, and will challenge traditional assumptions about the “Dark Ages” and the superstitious medieval world. 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 during this era.
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
HIST 2102 (formerly 1102) CR-3
Europe 1450-1789
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 will consider the rebirth of humanism during the Renaissance, religious reform, and the development of Western influence in the world. By examining the material thematically, students will be able to identify the links between the early modern period and our own time.
Prerequisites: HIST 2101 recommended
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
HIST 2119 (formerly 1119) CR-3
Europe 1789-1914
Students will examine the disturbances that began in France in 1789 and which signified the beginning of a new era where tradition and stability gave way to revolution and questioning. They will also study the impact of the Industrial Revolution and the ways in which it rewrote Europe’s socio-economic history, creating new challenges for its political system. Students will examine the revolutionary changes that dominated the era 1789 to 1914, while at the same time identifying those elements of tradition that transcended the constant upheavals of this period.
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
Introduction to World Civilizations
Students will analyze the rise and fall of some of the great 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 last few decades. They will also evaluate the nature and adequacy of terms such as “civilization,” “traditional,” and “modern.”
Prerequisites: Any 1100 HIST course
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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.
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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. Students will also learn how to assemble evidence in order to produce and present an historically sound argument through a major essay/case study.
Prerequisites: HIST 1114 or HIST 1146 recommended
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
Twentieth Century Britain
After a brief introduction to the guarded optimism of the Edwardian Age, students will thematically examine the socio-political impact of the First World War; the inter-war period and the rise of leftist politics; the impact of the decline of the British Empire; the trauma of the Great Depression; appeasement and the Second World War; post-war recovery and Britain under the American shadow; the social upheaval of the sixties; and the gradual swing to the right under Margaret Thatcher. They will conclude this course with an examination of Britain in the new Europe.
Prerequisites: (HIST 1119 or 1120 or 1121 recommended)
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
War in the Modern World
Students will examine and analyze warfare and its role in modern history. They will begin with a consideration of the relationship between war and society and the factors that have contributed to changes in warfare. Beginning with the “military revolution” of the sixteenth century, students will trace the emergence of mechanized mass warfare and the developments that led to the age of Total War. They will analyze these developments within a broader global context where appropriate. Students will also be introduced to the methodology of history through primary source analysis, oral presentations, and the writing of essays based on both primary and secondary sources
Prerequisites: 3 credits of 1100-level HIST courses
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
Modern Chinese History
Students will identify and analyze the main trends in Chinese political, economic, social, cultural and intellectual history in the Late Imperial Era (1800-1911), the Republican Period (1911-1949), and the Communist People’s Republic (1949 to the present). They will evaluate the role of key personalities and ideas, the effects of social disintegration, foreign imperialism, and the struggles between traditional and modern forces.
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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: (HIST 1150 recommended)
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
The Fibre of Society: Textile Production in Global History
Students will critically analyze the connection between the production of textiles and global development. From the Paleolithic era to the post-industrial world, textile production has shaped the world in which we live. Students will critically examine key eras in historical development and will study the ways in which the production of textiles has shaped, transformed, and enhanced global development. 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 connection between textiles, slavery, colonialism, industrialization, and capitalism.
Prerequisites: any 1100-level HIST course or 60 credits at 1100-level or higher
Transferable (refer to transfer guide
Canadian Social History: Order and Disorder
Students will critically analyze a key element of Canadian social history by examining protest and the legal responses of 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 crystallize 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 coursedescription
Prerequisites: Six HIST credits including HIST 1114
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
HIST 3320 (FORMERLY 2400) CR-3
The Balkans from 1543-1918
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: HIST 1119 or 1120 or 1130 or 2102
HIST 3327 (formerly 2327) CR-3
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:HIST 1101 or 1102 or 1119 or 1120
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 of 1100-level or higher, including 6 HIST credits
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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.
Note: This is a seminar-based course
Prerequisites: 18 credits of 1100-level or higher, including 6 HIST credits
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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.
Note: This is a seminar-based course
Prerequisites: 18 credits of 1100-level or higher, including 6 HIST credits
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
HIST 3340 CR-3
(This new course is effective May 2009)
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.
Prerequisites: 6 HIST credits (HIST 1146 strongly recommended) plus 18 credits at 1100 level or higher
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
HIST 3344 CR-3
(This new course is effective May 2009)
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: 6 HIST credits (HIST 1145 strongly recommended) plus 18 credits at 1100 level or higher
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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: 6 credits of HIST including one of HIST 1145 or 1146 or 2304
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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: HIST 2345 or 2350
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 of 1100-level or higher, including 6 HIST credits (HIST 1160 strongly recommended)
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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.
Prerequisites: 9 HIST credits, including 3 at the 2000 level
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 of 1100-level or higher, including 6 HIST credits
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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.
Prerequisites:12 HIST credits (including 6 credits at the 2000-level or higher) (HIST 2335 and/or HIST 3770 highly recommended)
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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: 9 credits of HIST 1100 level or higher including HIST 1114
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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, 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. Students will learn to evaluate both primary and secondary sources in order to assemble evidence in support of an historically sound argument. NOTE: this is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 12 credits of HIST 1100 level or higher, including HIST 1120 or 1130 (HIST 2307 strongly recommended)
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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 and Ché Guevara and will critically examine the nature and implications of terms such as ‘guerilla,’ ‘terrorist,’ and ‘freedom fighter’.
Prerequisites: 12 HIST credits (including 6 credits at the 2000-level or higher) (HIST 2335 strongly recommended)
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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 questions such as: Does history provide authentic and relevant knowledge? What constitutes valid historical research and evidence? What is unique about historical analysis? What is the significance of competing schools of historical interpretation? Why is the past so often the subject of controversy in popular and public culture? How do we come to know history outside the classroom? What is the relationship between popular presentations of the past and scholarly writings about history? Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: HIST credits, including 6 HIST Credits at the 2100 level or higher
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
British Society & Culture, 1900-2000
Students will interpret key issues in the development of Britain's social and cultural history through the twentieth century. They will understand that the typical interpretation of this period, that of a nation in decline, is superficial and needs significantly more sophisticated analysis. Students will determine whether a nation in an evolutionary state of democratization, and one that today gives cultural cues to much of the rest of the world, cannot be dismissed as solely a nation in decline. They will understand that the common thread stitching the course together will be 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 from 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: 12 HIST credits, including 6 at the 2000-level (HIST 2307 strongly recommended)
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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 under Hitler's New Order. 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, film, and discussions, paying particular attention to the interrelationship of 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: 12 HIST credits, including 6 at the 2000-level
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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: 12 credits of HIST including 6 HIST credits at the 2000-level
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
The United States since 1945
Students will critically examine the emergence of the United States as a global superpower in 1945. They will critically 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. Throughout this course 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. They will develop critical intellectual skills through an understanding of current historical interpretations of the US since 1945.
Note: This is a seminar-based course
Prerequisites: 9 credits of HIST at the 1100 level or higher and HIST 1146
Note: For graduation purposes, students may not receive credits for both HIST 2370 and 4445
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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: (12 HIST credits including 6 credits HIST 2100-level or above) and HIST 2350
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
Sages and Statecraft in China
Students will critically examine a variety of Chinese historical texts in translation dealing with subjects such as the art of governing, the role of government, the ethical basis of rulership, and the relationship between the state and the people. They will analyze selections by authors such as Lord Shang, Confucius, Mencius, Lao Zi, Han Fei Zi, Liang Qichao, Sun Yat-sen, and Mao Zedong. Students will use primary documents to conduct guided research on questions such as the following: Is there a Chinese concept of human rights? Is democracy alien to the Chinese political tradition? To what extent did Maoism reflect the Chinese political tradition? Have historians been able to identify a unique Chinese political tradition? What are the problems associated with applying concepts derived from Western political theory to the study of Chinese history? NOTE: This is a seminar-based course
Prerequisites: (12 HIST credits including 6 credits HIST 2100-level or above) and (HIST 2345 and 2350)
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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: HIST 2361 or HIST 2362 or 12 credits of HIST courses (6 at 2000 level or higher)
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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 course.
Prerequisites: 12 credits of HIST, including 6 at the 2000-level (HIST 1150 or HIST 1151 strongly recommended)
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
The Vietnam War in Historical Perspective
Students will analyze key issues related to the history of the war in Vietnam. They will critically examine topics such as the French role in Indochina, 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 memorialization of the war in film, literature, music, and monuments. Students will learn to evaluate both primary and secondary sources in order to assemble evidence in support of an historically sound argument.
Note: this is a seminar-based course
Prerequisites: 12 credits of HIST at the 1100 level or higher. (HIST 1146 strongly recommended.)
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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.
Prerequisites: 12 HIST credits, at least 6 credits at the 2000-level or higher (HIST 2335 strongly recommended)
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
History of British Columbia
Students will analyze the political, social, and economic history of British Columbia. They will critically examine topics such as aboriginal culture, the fur trade, gold rushes, settlement and immigration patterns, ethnic relations, the development of the fishing and lumber industries, the evolution of transportation systems, the growth of metropolitan centres, the labour movement, and federal-provincial relations. Students will examine the province’s past in order to evaluate the ways in which historical forces have shaped British Columbian society. They will critically evaluate British Columbia’s unique identity and its place in Canada with particular emphasis on local history, historical methods, and evidence.
Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Prerequisites: 12 HIST credits including 6 credits at the 2000 level
(HIST 1113 or 1114 or GEOG 1160 strongly recommended)
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
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
Prerequisites: 12 HIST credits; at least 6 credit at the 2000 level or higher (HIST 1113 or 1114 strongly recommended)
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)
HIST 4497 CR-3
(This new course is effective May 2009)
Canada and World War II
Students will analyze key issues related to Canada's participation in the Second World War. They will critically examine topics such as government leadership, the suspension of civil liberties, propaganda, women's roles, conscription, industrial development, social reform, ethnic minorities, prisoners of war, and the legacy of the war. Students will focus primarily on critically examining the Canadian army, navy, and air force during the war years.
Prerequisites: 12 HIST credits including 6 HIST credits at the 2XXX level or higher (HIST 1114 or HIST 2335 strongly recommended) plus 18 credits at 1100 level or higher
Transferable (refer to transfer guide)