The Making of the Modern World
Courses
For course descriptions not found in the 2005-2006 General Catalog,
please contact the department for more information.
Traditions
1. Prehistory and the Birth of Civilization (4) This
quarter introduces students to what is known about early humans, including
the evolution of the human body and the reconstruction of Paleolithic
and Neolithic cultures. It examines contemporary hunting-and-gathering
and tribal societies and illuminates the complexity of such cultures
with respect to mythology and oral tradition, interpersonal relations,
and ecological practices. The course will conclude with an analysis
of the emergence of large agrarian societies and the earliest great
settled communities and civilizations. Three hours of lecture, one hour
of discussion. Open to Eleanor Roosevelt College students only. (Letter
grade only.) (F)
2. The Great Classical Traditions (6) An
introduction to five major classical civilizations of the ancient
world.
Equal attention will be given to the ancient Near East, Greece, India,
China and the Roman Republic, all of which have left legacies to the
present. The course covers the great early systems of religious and
social thought, using an approach that combines history and social
science.
This course includes intensive instruction in writing expository prose.
Three hours of lecture, two hours of writing and discussion sections.
Prerequisite: satisfaction of the UC Entry Level Writing requirement. Open
to Eleanor Roosevelt College students only. (Letter grade only.) (W)
3. The Medieval Heritage (6) A survey
of the period from about 29 B.C.E. to 1200 C.E., this quarter concentrates
on the development of China from the Han to the Sung Dynasties, the
growth and eventual dissolution of the Roman Empire, the development
of Christianity, and the rise of Islam. This course includes intensive
instruction in university-level writing. Three hours of lecture, two
hours of writing and discussion sections. Prerequisite: satisfaction
of the UC Entry Level Writing requirement. Open to Eleanor Roosevelt College
students only. (Letter grade only.) (S)
Transformations
4. New Ideas and the Clash of Cultures (4) An
examination of the world from 1200 to 1750, the course focuses on the
transition from medieval to modern by addressing philosophical, social,
political, economic, and technological changes in Asia, Europe, and
Islamic territories. Topics may include the Mongol invasions and their
impact; the European Renaissance, Reformation, and Scientific Revolution;
Islamic and Chinese empires; exploration and trade; and European expansion
into the Americas. Three hours of lecture, one hour of discussion. Prerequisites:
satisfaction of the UC Entry Level Writing requirement; successful
completion of
MMW 2 and/or MMW 3. Open to Eleanor Roosevelt College students only.
(Letter grade only.) (F)
5. Revolution, Industry, and Empire (4) A
consideration of the great changes in European society from the late
eighteenth century to the Russian Revolution, and their impact on the
non-Western world. Topics include industrialization, the rise of nationalism
and the nation-state, Western imperialism, and the colonial experience.
Developments in non-Western countries during this period will be examined
from their own internal perspective. Three hours of lecture, one hour
of discussion. Prerequisites: satisfaction of the UC Entry Level
Writing requirement; successful completion of MMW 2, MMW 3, and/or
MMW 4. Open to Eleanor
Roosevelt College students only. (Letter grade only.) (W)
6. Twentieth Century and Beyond (4) The
course begins with a consideration of the causes and consequences of
World War I, and then looks at the post-war crisis of liberal values
and institutions. It addresses the deepening of crisis in the thirties,
especially evident in the emergence of ideological politics and extreme
nationalism in the context of world-wide depression. This period of
crisis provides the background for understanding World War II. Attention
is then devoted to the Cold War, the competition between capitalism
and communism, and the process of decolonization. The course ends with
a discussion of the collapse of communism and the emerging world order
(or disorder). Three hours of lecture, one hour of discussion. Prerequisites:
satisfaction of the UC Entry Level Writing requirement; successful
completion of
MMW 2, MMW 3,MMW 4, and/or MMW 5. Open to Eleanor Roosevelt College
students only. (Letter grade only.) (S)
The Making of the Modern World
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