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Concentration: U.S. / Period: Modern
HST 300/LIT300: Mystics, Knights and Drunks - Van der Meer
This course introduces students to the surprising width and depth of medieval literature from the Mediterranean and Western Europe, debunking a great deal of commonly held assumptions, such as that these times were ’dark ages’, obsessed with life-denying religiosity, and full of valiant crusaders. Instead, we will discover the cosmopolitan nature of many texts and authors, we will engage with the political and social – at times remarkably advanced - aspects of medieval literatures, and indulge in some really great humor.
Concentration: Europe / Period: Pre-modern
HST 301 Practicum - Cheta, Diem, Hagenloh
What is History? How do scholars “do” history? This seminar introduces history majors to the methods and goals of historical study, and to the skills needed to conduct independent historical research. The first part of the course will be spent discussing what exactly history is and has been. We will then move on to discussing the kinds of history that have developed across the century in the American Historical profession. Finally, students will spend a large portion of the course familiarizing themselves with the analytical and practical skills needed to develop their own research projects.
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HST 354/LIT 300 Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire - Van der Meer
At its height in the second century CE, Rome was one of the most powerful states the world had ever seen. By the sixth century, however, the Western part of the Roman world had fractured into a number of smaller kingdoms and the Empire’s Eastern half was forced to reinvent itself, away from the West. The question of how to interpret these dramatic changes and the literary products generated in this time has occupied ancient historians and literary scholars alike. This class will examine the political, social, religious, and literary transformations of the Roman world, west and east. We will not only focus upon the political, military, and social changes that accompanied Rome’s decline, but also devote attention to the impact that these developments had on the lives of individual Romans. We will discuss such themes as the relationship between paganism and Christianity, the impact of social and political change on daily life, and role of violence in the lives of Romans. Students will come to appreciate both the variety of source materials that historians and literary scholars use to analyze details of ancient life and thought, and the challenges that these materials can present.
Concentration: Europe / Period: Pre-Modern
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