History

Course List

Code Course Description
HIST 1101

History of World Societies, 3000 BCE to 1500 CE

HIST 1101, History of World Societies, 3000 BCE to 1500 CE introduces students to a globally integrated survey of world history, focusing on interconnection and diversity, transformation, conflict, and connection, trade and commerce among different societies in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Oceania. Themes include: first migrations and early human societies; transition to agriculture and the development of sedentary civilizations; river civilizations in Western Asia, North Africa, India, and China; classical civilizations in Han China, Mauryan India, Persia, Greece and Rome; the rise of philosophy and world religions (Buddhism, Christianity and Islam); the post-Imperial era in Europe, Byzantium and China, frontier civilizations in South East and North East Asia, Africa, Mesoamerica, and Oceania; the era of crises in Asia and Europe, from the rise of Mongol Empire, climate change and the Black Death, to popular revolts and urban unrest; European exploration and the beginning of the first era of globalization.

HIST 1102

A History of World Societies, 1500 to 1914

HIST 1102, A History of World Societies, 1500 to 1914, introduces students to a globally integrated survey of the development of a common world history, focusing on diversity and interconnection in the early modern world to the transformation, conflict, and integration of the modern era, from empires to globalization. Themes include Europe’s mercantilist expansion, including African slavery and the creation of neo-Europes in the Americas; the first republican revolutions in England and the Netherlands; the Islamic Empires of the Middle East and India; the dynasties of China and feudal Japan; the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution and political revolutions in America and France; national unification and nation building in Europe; imperialist expansion in Africa and Asia; the challenges of modernity in Qing China and Meiji Japan; new imperialism and settler states in North America and Asia-Pacific; and struggles to redefine modern market societies in terms of gender roles, social wages, and workers’ rights.

HIST 1103

World History, 1900-1945

HIST 1103, World History 1900-1945, examines political, social, cultural, ideological, economic, and military themes in World History from the turn of the twentieth century to the conclusion of the Second World War. The course focusses on the significant events, ideologies and processes that shaped global history from 1900 to 1945. Topics include imperialism in Africa; global empires and the alliance system; the First World War; the Russian Revolution and the Soviet Project; the transformation and re-mapping of Eastern Europe and the Middle East; the independence movement in India; the political struggle in China; the emergence of Imperial Japan; the Great Depression; nationalist and corporatist movements in Latin America; the Struggle for Women’s Rights; the emergence of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy; the Second World War; genocide and the Holocaust.

HIST 1104

World History Since 1945

HIST 1104, World History Since 1945, examines political, social, cultural, ideological, economic, and military themes in World History from the end of the Second World War to the present. Reviewing significant events, ideologies and historical trends, spotlighted topics include the Cold War and armed conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, and Africa, decolonization and national liberation movements around the world, and socio-economic development-cum-globalization. Cultural issues addressed include Soviet totalitarianism, the question of Americanization, 1960s youth rebellion, global varieties of feminism, and the dawn of environmental consciousness.

HIST 1105

Global Issues in Historical Perspective

HIST 1105, Global Issues in Historical Perspective, introduces students to the historical background of contemporary transnational issues using a case-study method. The course takes a comparative historical approach to global issues such as terrorism and national security, environmental protection and degradation, resource distribution and trade, health and welfare, indigeneity and self-determination, cultural and religious diversity, and human rights, in various temporal and geographical contexts. Not a chronological survey, the course explores the nature of historical change and continuity. Students will have multiple opportunities to apply historical methods of research and analysis as they investigate the formation and development of particular global issues, and compare historical and contemporary perspectives on these issues. The specific case studies and themes in the course will vary by term and instructor.

HIST 1113

Canada Before Confederation

HIST 1113, Canada Before Confederation, examines political, social, cultural, and economic themes in the history of Canada from pre-contact Indigenous societies to Confederation in 1867. Topics include the changing lives of Indigenous peoples; European exploration; the fur trade; political and economic evolution in New France and British North America; colonialism and patterns of settlement and immigration; social reform and the impact of education and religion; gender roles and family structures; imperialism, transnational and transborder influences and policies; and the emergence of regional and national cultures.

HIST 1114

Canada After Confederation

HIST 1114, Canada After Confederation examines political, social, cultural, and economic themes in the history of Canada since Confederation in 1867, focusing on important and controversial issues, events and processes that have shaped Canada as a nation. Topics include industrialization; urbanization; immigration; changing gender and family roles; Indigenous peoples and the state; the impact of two world wars on Canadian society; multiculturalism and transnationalism; Québec, nationalism and federalism; regionalism; and Canadian foreign policy in a globalized world.

HIST 1120

Modern Africa

History 1120 is a survey of the broad political, economic, social, and cultural patterns that have shaped the diverse and complex histories of sub-Saharan Africa from the beginning of the nineteenth century to the present day. Major themes include: an introduction to land, people and climate; the slave trade; the impact of colonialism and imperialism; modernity, nationalism and the long struggle for independence; de-colonization, neo-colonialism and foreign aid; ethnicity, gender, health and sexuality in contemporary Africa; economic development and globalization; and current challenges facing diverse African nations.

HIST 1125

The Modern Middle East

The Modern Middle East is a survey of the political, social, cultural, economic, and intellectual developments of the Middle East from the early nineteenth century to the present day. Beginning with a survey of the Ottoman Empire in 1800, the course charts the development of national movements and the emergence of nation-states after World War I. The course covers Egypt, the Levant, the Arabian Peninsula, Asia Minor, the Fertile Crescent, Iran, and Afghanistan. Canada’s relations and policies toward the region will also be examined.

HIST 1140

American History: An Introduction

HIST 1140: American History: An Introduction is a survey of the broad political, economic, social, and cultural patterns that have shaped the United States from earliest times to the present day. Topics include: Indigenous peoples and early European settlements; the American Revolution and the Early Republic; westward expansion and “frontier” violence; slavery and the Civil War; industrialization and immigration; the New Deal; the Civil Rights movement; and the rise of America as a global power.

HIST 1155

Asian History: An Introduction

HIST 1155 Asian History: An Introduction, is a survey of the major civilizations of Monsoon Asia (South, South East, North East, and East Asia) from earliest times to the present day, focusing on key political, social, and cultural developments. Course topics include an overview of the region's physical, environmental and cultural diversity; the religious cultures of Hinduism and Buddhism; the emergence of states and empires, including the Mughal and Khmer empires in India and Cambodia; the evolution of dynastic China, Japan and Korea and their mutual interactions; encounters with the west; twentieth-century struggles for self-determination; the development of the region into a global market centre; and contemporary Pacific Rim issues.

HIST 1160

History of Sexuality

HIST 1160, History of Sexuality, explores sex and sexuality chronologically and thematically from the early modern period to the present day. Students will be introduced to sexuality as a topic of historical study and gain an understanding of how historical evidence challenges the idea that sexuality is driven by biology, fixed in nature, and unchanging. Students will explore how debates about sexuality are embedded in ideas about gender, class and race, and located within broader socio-political, religious, economic, medical, and cultural frameworks. Major themes include: sexuality, science, and the state; reproduction and contraception; heteronormativity, marriage, and the family; sexual violence and slavery; Indigenous sexualities and Indigenous-settler relations; the medicalization of sexuality; moral panics and the politics of protest; censorship, surveillance, and the criminalization of sexuality; capitalism and the commodification of sexuality; popular culture and desiring bodies; intersectionality and gay/lesbian/queer/trans identities; sexuality and transnational histories.

HIST 1165

Health and Medicine in History

This introductory course is a general survey of health and medicine, particularly in Western societies, from antiquity to the twentieth century. Themes and topics will include: the changing role(s) of practitioner and patient; disease and disability; religion and medicine; perceptions of the body; evolution of modern medicine; evolution of health care; public health and the role of the state; technology and science; gender, race, class, and sexuality in medical perception and experience; medical education; and mental health.

HIST 1170

Global Indigenous Histories

HIST 1170, Global Indigenous Histories, introduces students to the complex and diverse histories of Indigenous peoples, and the global contexts of colonialism. Students will explore similarities and differences in the histories of Indigenous-colonial relation, past and present, employing both chronological and thematic analysis of selected topics. Students will engage with Indigenous worldviews, and develop a critical awareness of the ways in which Indigenous and non-Indigenous historians construct arguments, use evidence, interpret, and represent the past. Specific course content will vary according to the instructor’s selection of themes and regions. Areas of study may include comparisons between and among the Indigenous peoples of North America; Central and South America; the circumpolar North; Africa; Asia; Australia, New Zealand and Oceania. Learning opportunities may include guest speakers, and community engagement activities.

HIST 1180

History and Film: The Past Rehearsed on Page and Screen

HIST 1180 introduces students to the study of history and debates about history and historiography (the “history of History”) through the depictions of the past in primary documents, scholarly texts, films, novels, games and other media. Weekly case studies explore major historical movements and people (e.g. Joan of Arc, the US Civil War; the Russian Revolution), and consider the challenges of popular depictions of historical events. Major themes include: what are the differences and similarities between history, legend, myth, propaganda, nostalgia, journalism and other forms of rehearsing the past; the “history of History” and approaches to understanding the past; methods of historical analysis; historians and accountability; challenges to traditional academic history and claims to truth; film and history; the history of film.

HIST 1190

The History of Advertising and Consumer Culture

HIST 1190 surveys the history of advertising and modern consumer culture, from the early nineteenth century to the present. Major themes include: the development of advertising and marketing techniques; consumer culture and urbanization; marketing and gender roles; the development of mass media; consumer culture and technology; capitalism and the global economy; consumer culture and commodification.

HIST 1195

Environmental History

Environmental History is a survey of interactions between humans and the natural environment from the time of early homo sapiens to the present day. The course explores how humans have shaped the natural world around them and how it has shaped them. Beginning with the relationships with the environment and early human organizations, the course examines, amongst other topics, the agricultural revolution, the Columbian exchange and European imperialism, the impact of fossil fuels, urbanization, disease, and climate change. Special attention will be given to local environmental history, Indigenous worldviews and histories, and the emergence of environmental movements.

HIST 2201

Early Modern Europe

HIST 2201, Early Modern Europe, explores the social, political, and cultural developments that shaped Europe from the mid-fifteenth century to the French Revolution. Major themes include: conflict and cooperation between Church and State; the cultural and intellectual worlds of the Renaissance; religious and political conflict from the Reformation and the Counter-Reformation to the Thirty Years’ War; absolute monarchies and republics; commerce and long-distance trade; global travel and the creation of overseas empires; the Scientific Revolution and technological change; the role of reason in the age of Enlightenment; ideas of political order and social change.

HIST 2202

Europe, 1789-1914

HIST 2202, Europe, 1789-1914, explores the social, political, and cultural transformation of Europe, from the French Revolution to the outbreak of World War One. Major themes include: the origins of the French Revolution; the Napoleonic legacy; industrialization; imperialism; revolutionary struggles; the rise of nationalism; militarism; suffrage movements, socialism and modernism; diplomacy, warfare, and the balance of power.

HIST 2203

Europe in the Early Middle Ages

HIST 2203 explores the early medieval history of Europe, covering the period from the decline of Rome to the year 1100. Major themes include: the late Roman world and the transformation of the Roman empire; the early history of the Christian church and the evolution of monasticism; Celtic and Germanic worlds; the Byzantine empire; the rise of Islam; the Carolingians and the empire in the west; the Vikings, borderlands, migration, raids and invasion; the expansion of regional and trans-regional monarchies and the emergence of Papal leadership; the establishment of new forms of political, economic, social, cultural and religious organization; the transmission of learning and cultural revival; the visual arts, architecture, and material culture of the period.

HIST 2204

Europe in the High Middle Ages

HIST 2204 explores the history of Western Europe from 1100 to 1500. Major themes include: the lived experience of men and women in feudal society; the Crusades and interaction among Christian, Muslim and Jewish populations in Europe and the Middle East; monasticism; the conflict between Church and State; popular and high culture and the shaping of new intellectual and artistic ideas; the transformation of the economy and the growth of cities; mysticism, new religious movements, and popular religion; the crisis of the fourteenth century; popular revolts and the Hundred Years’ War; the recovery and renewal of Late Medieval society; the beginning of the Renaissance in Italy and Northern Europe; the visual arts, architecture, and material culture of the period.

HIST 2205

The History of Greek Civilization

HIST 2205, The History of Greek Civilization, surveys political, social, cultural, economic, and intellectual developments of the Hellenic world and the eastern Mediterranean region, from the earliest Aegean civilizations to modern Greece. The course covers the earliest migration period, the Mycenaean and Classical eras, the Byzantine Empire, Ottoman rule, the revival of Hellenism, and the modern Greek state. Greek civilization has had a lasting global influence on laws, languages, architecture, religion, politics and culture. Students will be introduced to the importance of Greek thought for the Western tradition, including the Greek contribution to the development of democracy, philosophy, drama, and historiography, and consider the overall impact of the Greeks on civilization and the modern world.

HIST 2206

History of the British Isles

HIST 2206, History of the British Isles, surveys the political, social, cultural, economic, and intellectual development of the countries of the British Isles – England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales – from Celtic Britain to the present day. Major themes include: the British Iron Age; the Roman province of Britannia; the Anglo Saxon Kingdoms; the Scandinavian frontier; Norman Britain; the expansion of the Tudor state and religious reforms; Stuart absolutism, civil war, constitutional monarchy and the creation of a United Kingdom; Britain’s emergence as an imperial power; industrial revolution and the social, political and cultural reforms of the Victorian era; nation, race, gender, citizens, subjects and modernity in the Imperial state; the Irish question; World War and the modern welfare state; de-colonization, de-industrialization and devolution; Britain, Ireland and the European Union.

HIST 2207

Rome from Republic to Empire

HIST 2207, Rome from Republic to Empire, introduces students to the political, social, cultural, economic, and intellectual developments in the history of Rome from its foundation on River Tiber to its conquest of the Mediterranean World. The course covers the rise of the aristocratic Republic; civil war; monarchy, with its "mixed" constitution, the civil war amongst aristocratic warlords, and Rome's transformation into a monarchy the expansion of Rome; Republic into Empire; social unrest, wars, revolts, and the power of the military; Roman culture and daily life; religious beliefs and worship practices; social hierarchies, gender roles, sexuality and family structures; slavery; popular entertainment and mass spectacles; urban spaces and the challenges of administration. Students will be introduced to the various political figures and events that influenced the expansion of Rome, including the Punic Wars, Sulla, Spartacus’ Revolt, Julius Caesar, Augustus, and Nero. In addition, students will explore different aspects of Roman culture and daily life, including religion, banquets, the role of women and families, and entertainment such as gladiator shows, chariot races, and the theatre.

HIST 2209

Western Canada

HIST 2209, Western Canada, surveys the historical experiences of the diverse Indigenous and immigrant peoples who have lived in and around the prairie region of Canada (present-day Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba), from time immemorial to present day. Topics include: the economies and cultures of the Indigenous peoples of the Plains; the bison hunt and the fur trade; colonization and resistance; immigration and resettlement; transportation and infrastructure; agriculture and industry; rural and urban communities; western alienation; contemporary Indigenous issues; and the current politics of energy resources. Students will be encouraged to consider how the geographic, economic, political, and social circumstances particular to Western Canada affected regional perceptions of ethnic, class, and gender identity over time. The specific thematic focus will vary by term and instructor.

HIST 2210

History of British Columbia

HIST 2210, History of British Columbia, examines political, social, cultural, and economic themes in the history of the Pacific Northwest (present-day British Columbia) from time immemorial to present day. Topics include Indigenous peoples’ experiences before and after colonization; the fur trade and exploration; the dynamics of settler colonialism, migration and institutional regulation; the intersectional role of race, gender, age, ethnocultural identity and sexuality in shaping social, cultural and economic worlds; rural settlement, resource economies and company towns; urbanization, transportation infrastructure and the environment; Indigenous land claims and treaties in the modern era; power, protest and politics in shaping the modern state; British Columbia, Canada and globalization.

HIST 2215

Canadian Lives: An Introduction to Social and Cultural History

Canadian Lives: An Introduction to Social and Cultural History explores the past from the perspective of the everyday lives, experiences and concerns of women, men and children at home, at work, and at play. Topics will be organized around the broad themes of identities, places and social relations, including: gender and sexuality; families and communities; urbanization, labour, and industrialization; social reform and moral regulation; immigration and racialized identities; religion and spirituality; education; consumption and commodification; leisure and popular culture; health and medicine; the environment; social memory, commemoration, and national identities.

Students will also be introduced to the historiography and research methodologies of social and cultural history, and the role of archives, oral history, digital history, and historic preservation in documenting everyday lives. The specific thematic focus of the course will vary by term and instructor.

HIST 2220

War and Society

HIST 2220, War and Society, introduces students to the study of warfare from early human societies to the present day. Major themes include: the role of violence in human nature, the evolution of warfare resulting from technological innovations and cultural change, and the complex relationships between war, culture, and society. Topics may include: warfare in ancient Greece; medieval chivalry; gunpowder and the transformation of military technologies; modern industrialized warfare, nuclear strategies; guerrilla warfare; peacekeeping.

HIST 2230

The History of Education in the Western World Since 1500

HIST 2230 explores the history of education in western societies from 1500 to the present, employing both chronological and thematic analysis of selected topics.
Major themes include: scholarly approaches to the study of education; the rise and transformation of educational institutions; the relationship between schools, professions, and society; the professionalization of teaching; educational policy, curriculum and pedagogy; the politics of education; streaming, vocationalism, testing, and inclusivity; and the ways in which gender, social class, and ethnocultural identity have shaped the experiences of students and teachers.

HIST 2231

History of Childhood and the Family

HIST 2231 explores the lived experiences of children and youth in different times and places in the West, focusing in particular on North America from the early period of resettlement and colonization to the present day.
Major themes include: changing ideas about childhood and adolescence; the intersection of social class, religion, gender, ethnocultural identity, and ability with children’s experiences; the legal and institutional regulation of children and childhood; children, families and the worlds of work; children's popular and material culture; contemporary childhood and the diversity of family lives and experiences.

HIST 2240

The United States to 1877

This course deals with the main themes in American History from the establishment of the colonies through the Civil War and Reconstruction. As well as political history, the course considers economic and social foundations of the United States and some of the cultural achievements of the nation.

HIST 2241

The United States Since 1877

This course deals with the main themes in American History from Reconstruction to the present. As well as political history, this course considers economic, social and cultural developments in the United States.

HIST 2245

Canadian-American Relations: Sleeping with the Elephant

HIST 2245: Canadian-American Relations: explores the Canada-United States relationship – politically, economically, environmentally, and culturally – from the colonial era to the present. Topics include: Indigenous societies and the consequences of colonialism; the origins, impact, and outcomes, from a North American perspective, of such military conflicts as the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the United States Civil War, the World Wars, and the Cold War; campaigns for and against continental economic integration; ecological transformations and crises; and the trials and triumphs, in both Canada and the United States, of marginalized communities, including women, workers, peoples of colour, and sexual minorities.

HIST 2250

Modern China: An Introduction

HIST 2250, Modern China: An Introduction, examines the development of modern China from the Qing dynasty to the People's Republic of China. The major themes are economic and political crisis under imperial, republican, communist regimes, modernization of Chinese society, and Chinese-western relations. Topics include Qing rule, opium wars, Taiping rebellion, self-strengthening and revolution in 1911, the Guomindang (Nationalist) ascendancy, the anti-Japanese and civil wars, emigration, Taiwan, and the Mao and Deng eras in the People's Republic (from the Great Leap Forward to the Cultural Revolution to Market Socialism).

HIST 2251

Modern Japan: An Introduction

Hist 2251, Modern Japan: An Introduction, introduces students to social, cultural political and economic change from the Tokugawa era to the present day. Topics include: the reunification of Japan under the Tokugawan Shogunate; the challenges of globalization in the nineteenth century; government, the economy and society in the Meiji Restoration; the imperialist project in East Asia; the military ascendancy of the 1930s; World War II, defeat and occupation; postwar recovery; the collapse of the “bubble” economy; and Japan’s changing role in the contemporary world.

HIST 2252

Modern South Asia: An Introduction

Modern South Asia: An Introduction, surveys the history of the Indian subcontinent from the Mughal empire to the present day. Major themes include the society and economy of pre-colonial South Asia; European incursions; the Great Resistance; the structures of British colonial rule; the emergence of anti-colonial struggles, independence movements and nationalism; colonial economies, agriculture, industry and famine; the path to independence; the impact of British imperialism; partition and independence; rural-urban dynamics; caste and belief, class, gender and social reform; regionalism and nationalism; modernity, decolonisation, socialism and neoliberalism; and the new nation states of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.

HIST 2260

Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Canada, 1600-1870

This course examines the history of gender and sexuality in Canada from precontact to the industrial revolution, with a particular focus on Canadian women’s lives, work and place in the historical record. It examines the intersectional experiences of women within the family, the labour force, and religious, political, social and cultural movements. It investigates the intertwining constructions of gender ideology and sexual identity, exploring the diversity of women’s experiences, and interrogating how class, race, ethnicity, age, and region shaped the contours of women’s and men’s lives in different historical periods in Canada. Topics to be considered include the role of gender in Indigenous-colonial relations, women in European colonization, family economies and the gendered development of colonial legal and educational structures.

HIST 2261

Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Canada, 1870 to the present

This course examines the history of gender and sexuality in Canada from industrialization to the turn of the millenium, with a particular focus on Canadian women’s lives, work and place in the historical record. It examines the intersectional experiences of women within the family, the labour force, and religious, political, social and cultural movements. It investigates the intertwining constructions of gender ideology and sexual identity, exploring the diversity of women’s experiences, and interrogating how class, race, ethnicity, age, and region shaped the contours of women’s and men’s lives in different historical periods in Canada. Topics to be considered include gendered experience in wartime, sexual identity and militarism, efforts by women to achieve equality through the suffrage, paid and unpaid work, sexuality and reproduction, changing family structures, women’s changing relationships with the state, and the impact of and challenges to feminism.

HIST 2270

History of Indigenous Peoples in Canada

HIST 2270, History of Indigenous Peoples in Canada, focuses on the historical experiences of Indigenous peoples from time immemorial to the start of the twenty-first century. Topics include: Indigenous cultures, origin stories and oral traditions; interactions with explorers, traders, missionaries, soldiers, and settlers; shifting economies in expanding colonial empires; Indigenous spirituality and missionization; the rise and resistance of the Métis; resource allocation and management; treaty-making, legislation, and state regulation; education and the legacies of residential schools; Indigenous health and welfare; Indigenous protest movements; representation and portrayal of Indigenous peoples; assertion of Indigenous rights; and cultural reclamation.

HIST 3300

The Atlantic World: Africa, Europe, and the Americas, 1500-1900

HIST 3300, The Atlantic World, considers the interconnected histories of encounter, conquest and exchange between Africa, Europe, North America, and South America, from the beginnings of transatlantic travel and trade to the abolition of slavery in the western hemisphere. Topics include: the rise of European empires and the responses of Indigenous populations; the transatlantic trajectories of certain plants, animals, and pathogens; race, slavery, and the development of the Atlantic economy; gender and the evolution of colonial societies; and the disintegration of imperial regimes and the emergence of colonial independence movements.

HIST 3305

Europe Since 1945

History 3305 examines the political, social, and cultural history of Europe from the end of the Second World War until the present. Key themes include the Nazi legacy and recovery from the ruins of war; the origins and course of the Cold War; decolonization and its socio-cultural ramifications; European integration and its discontents; the collapse of Soviet Communism; Americanization and anti-Americanism; major social and cultural developments - ranging from 1960s youth rebellion to today's resurgence of populist ethnic nationalism; and the future role of Europe in a changing world.

HIST 3306

Modern Germany: From 1871 to the Present

HIST 3306, Modern Germany, explores the social, economic, political and cultural forces that shaped Germany from unification in 1871 to the present day. Major themes include: geography, borderlands and peoples; German national identity and state formation; liberalism, militarism and absolutism; industrialization, imperialism and foreign expansion; Germany and the shifting balance of power in Europe; gender, sexuality, and social change; economic, political and cultural upheavals; National Socialism and the Third Reich; global wars and genocide; reconstruction and the division of Germany; East and West Germany in the Cold War; reunification and the creation of the European Union; remembrance, commemoration and public memory of modern German history; Germany in the twenty-first century.

HIST 3315

Canada Since 1945

HIST 3315, Canada Since 1945, examines the political, social and cultural history of Canada from the end of World War II to the present day, focusing on the changing nature of Canadian society; the evolving role of the state in the lives of Canadians; and Canada’s place in the world.
Topics include: optimism and uncertainty in the postwar period; the demographic changes brought about by the post-war baby boom; the Cold War and consumer society; the Americanization of Canada; the emergence of new social movements and the social, political and ideological upheavals of the 1960s; Aboriginal people, land claims and the struggle for public voice; immigration, diversity and multiculturalism; francophones, anglophones and Quebec sovereignty; regional resistance to federal policies and politics; the emergence of environmentalism; and questions of national identity and national unity. Particular emphasis is placed on the social experiences of the generations born after World War II.

HIST 3320

World War Two

History 3320 introduces students to the central causes, unfolding events and overall impact of the Second World War as a global phenomenon, from the Paris Peace Conference at the end of World War I to legacy of war in the post-1945 world. Major themes include diplomatic, military and political events in Europe, Asia and the Americas; the social and cultural contexts of war; the varied experiences of military participants in the theatres of war; home fronts and the lives of civilians affected by war; the intersection of national and ethnocultural identity, religion, gender and sexuality in wartime experiences; the human cost of warfare; and important controversies and debates in the scholarship about the war.

HIST 3321

World War One

HIST 3321 seeks to provide students with the opportunity to explore the global experience and significance of World War One. The course examines the central causes and military events of the war from the Balkan Crises through to the post 1918 conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East and the subsequent uneasy peace. Major themes include diplomatic, military and political events in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and Asia; the social and cultural contexts of war; the varied experiences of military participants in the theatres of war; home fronts and the lives of civilians affected by war in North America; the human cost of warfare; nationalism, the breakup of empires, and the war’s role in furthering radical ideologies; important controversies and debates in the war’s scholarly literature, the legacies of the war; and how the war is remembered and commemorated.

HIST 3325

Immigration, Diversity and Multiculturalism in North America

HIST 3325, Immigration, Diversity and Multiculturalism in North America considers immigration and nation-building in a comparative North American context, exploring concepts of race, ethnocultural identity, diversity, and multiculturalism chronologically and thematically. Major themes include: identity formation and identity politics; displacement of Indigenous peoples; immigration and resettlement experiences; immigration and nation-building; and evolving definitions of national identity and citizenship in global and transnational contexts. The specific thematic focus of the course will vary by term and instructor.

HIST 3390

Directed Studies in History: Comparative and Thematic

HIST 3390, Directed Studies in History: Comparative and Thematic, provides students with an opportunity to pursue a specific research interest through a structured and rigorous process of historical inquiry designed to refine critical reading and writing skills.
Directed studies projects are supervised and evaluated by a faculty member in the History department. Students must first meet with the faculty supervisor and receive written approval of the proposed directed studies project. Students must also provide a list of courses completed and in progress in History as part of the application process. Permission from the Department Chair and the approval of the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences is required before registration can be completed. NOTE: Students cannot take HIST 3390 and HIST 4490 in the same term.

HIST 3391

Selected Topics in Ancient History

HIST 3391 examines selected themes, topics, time periods, regions, and methods in the history and material culture of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Classical and Hellenic Greece, the Roman Republic and Empire, Persia, and the Byzantine Empire, from earliest civilizations to 600 CE. Content will vary according to the instructor’s selection of theme, topic, time period, or region. Consult the History department for the topic to be offered.

HIST 4480

The Holocaust in Modern Memory

HIST 4480, The Holocaust in Modern Memory, critically analyzes the history of National Socialist Germany (1933-1945) and the premeditated genocide of six million Jews and other targeted individuals and groups, and explores the representation and commemoration of the Holocaust in public memory. Major themes include: antisemitism and anti-Jewish violence in Europe; scientific racism, eugenics and social Darwinism; technology and the role of political, bureaucratic, legal and religious structures and institutions; ideology and obedience to authority; perpetrators, victims, and bystanders; resistance, collaboration, and survival; the categorization and interaction of gender, sexuality, class, disability, and ethnicity in experiences of persecution; medical experimentation and sexual violence; eyewitnesses, oral histories and survivor testimonies; memory, trauma, and personal narrative; human rights and commemoration.

HIST 4490

Directed Studies in Historical Research

HIST 4490, Directed Studies in Historical Research, enables students to complete an independent research project on a regional, thematic or comparative historical topic through a structured and rigorous process of historical inquiry. Students will gain experience in locating and working with original source materials, refine their writing and analytic skills, and practice communicating history to diverse audience. Students may choose to integrate a public history or digital history component into their project. Directed studies projects are supervised and evaluated by a faculty member in the History department. Students must first meet with the faculty supervisor and receive written approval of the proposed directed studies project. Students must also provide a list of courses completed and in progress in History as part of the application process. Permission from the Department Chair and the approval of the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences is required before registration can be completed. NOTE: Students cannot take HIST 3390 and HIST 4490 in the same term.