May 16, 2024  
2021-2022 Academic Catalogue 
    
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2021-2022 Academic Catalogue [ARCHIVED CATALOGUE]

Courses of Instruction

  

Topics Courses  
 

Environmental Studies
  

  • ENV 912 - Tanzania: Studies in Human Evolution and Ecology (1)

    see ACM Programs .
  

  • ENV 942 - Costa Rica: Tropical Field Research (1)

    see ACM Programs .

Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
  

  • GSS 171 - Gender, Power, and Identity (1)

    This interdisciplinary core course in the program analyzes how notions of race, gender, sexuality, class, nation, physical ability and other aspects of social location materially influence people’s lives. To conduct our analysis, we will consider various strands of feminism, divergent positions among queer theorists, and arguments drawn from other identity based fields (e.g ethnic studies, American studies, postcolonial studies) in order to survey and compare several perspectives on gender, race, sexuality, race and class. Placing gender and sexuality at the center of analysis, we will address some of the basic concepts in Gender, Sexualities and Women’s Studies. We will also explore questions regarding incorporating other social categories such as race, ethnicity, class and nationality. Throughout the course we will complete readings, watch films, and engage in exercises to explore the past, present and potential future understandings about gender and sexuality, paying close attention to political, cultural, and economic contexts.
    (Intercultural Literacy Intensive) (Writing Encounter)
  

  • GSS 270 - Social Justice Perspectives and Practices (1)

    Intersectional and interdisciplinary exploration of feminist and other social justice perspectives and practices relevant to understanding and responding to social oppression. Course discussions focus on power, privilege, oppression, and implications for social change. Activities and assignments focus on using social justice remedies or ‘tools,’ such as individual resistance, policy, advocacy, and social action, and collective struggle to propose solutions to contemporary problems. Areas studied might include critical race theory and critical race feminism, queer theory, women of color feminisms, transnational/global feminisms, disability studies, liberation theory, postcolonial theory, feminist ‘locational’ theories. Specific topics vary by instructor.
    (Intercultural Literacy Intensive) (Writing Encounter)
  

  • GSS 271 - Feminist Theories (1)

    Examination of a variety of theories about feminism, the nature of gender, and its relationship to biological sex, and women’s and men’s roles in society. Theoretical perspectives that posit reasons for the existence of privilege, oppression and various “isms” (e.g., sexism, heterosexism, and racism) will be examined as well as goals and strategies for social change associated with these diverse perspectives. Prerequisite: GSS 171  or any course approved for Women’s Studies major credit.
  
  
  
  
  
  

  • GSS 393 - Global Feminisms (1)

    The course will examine the meaning of “feminism” in a global context and study the ways in which local movements, national and international agencies have addressed the issue of gender oppression in the world. The course will also examine some of the issues that have become part of the global agenda for women over the last few decades. Particular attention will be given to women’s movements worldwide and the multiple ways in which women have organized to improve their lives. Prerequisite: GSS 171 , GSS 270 , GSS 271 , or PHI 352 . Alternate years.
    (Social Science)
  
  

  • GSS 487 - Project (1)

    A substantial culminating capstone for the Gender, Sexualities, and Women’s Studies major, typically completed in the senior year. Consists of an original research/criticism paper, a creative writing/performance/exhibition, or a practicum, and a public presentation and defense. Pre-requisites include GSS 171 , GSS 270 , at least four other courses to be counted toward the major, and the approval of the project proposal by the two advisors and instructor.
  
  
  

  • GSS 510 - Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies in Action (1/4)

    What is the relevance of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies? How does it intersect with other academic disciplines? How does it prepare you for life after Cornell? In this adjunct course, Cornell professors and alumni will share the relevance of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies to their own lives. In monthly gatherings, we will discuss how this interdisciplinary field intersects with and influences other disciplinary perspectives and how it prepares us for the future. Professors will share the ways that studying women, gender, and/or sexuality has shaped their own teaching, research, and activism. Alumni will also talk about the effect of GSS studies on their own lives and career paths.
    (CR)

Geology
  

  • GEO 101 - Earth Science (1)

    Phenomena and processes within, upon, and above the earth. The exploration of a dynamic planet with an immense history. Includes discussion of modern and ancient climate, geologic time, and the processes shaping the planet today. Not open to students previously enrolled in GEO 111  or GEO 114 . Alternate years.
    (Science)
  

  • GEO 102 - Extinctions of the Past, Present, and Future (W) (1)

    In this first-year writing seminar, we will explore the causes, consequences, and frequency of extinctions. This course will highlight Earth’s lost species: dinosaurs, dodo birds, sabretooth tigers, and countless other lifeforms that disappeared at some point in the past. Along the way, we will investigate the fundamental evolutionary processes that create biodiversity-speciation and extinction-and consider the scientific basis for our understanding of ‘mass extinctions’ (short intervals of time in the past when the majority of species on Earth, like dinosaurs, disappeared as a result of environmental changes). In the process, students will consider how fossils, anecdotal evidence, and popular culture affect our perception of extinction, and evaluate the prospect that life on Earth is current undergoing another ‘mass extinction,’ one caused by humans and climate change. Overall, the course involves critical reading of scientific studies, editorials, and books written for general audiences as well as use of contemporary films and television programs. Students will also learn about mass extinctions by examining real fossils and analyzing quantitative data from the Paleobiology Database (paleobiodb.org), an open-access resource used by paleontologists to study trends in fossil collecting around the world. Not open to students who have previously completed a First Year Writing Seminar.
    (First Year Writing Seminar (FYW)) (Science)
  

  • GEO 105 - Marine Life & Environments (1)

    This course was previously titled GEO 105 ‘Marine Science.’ An introduction to the global marine environment, with emphasis on sea floor dynamics, submarine topography and sediments, the nature and circulation of oceanic waters, coastal processes, marine biologic productivity, coral reefs and pollution, and exploitation of the oceans by humans.
    (Science)
  

  • GEO 111 - Dynamic Earth (1)

    The earth as a dynamic body whose materials and structures are continually being modified by the interactions of the geological processes; considers interrelationships between geological processes and human activity. Fieldtrips as weather permits. Not open to student previously enrolled in GEO 101 .
    (Laboratory Science)
  

  • GEO 114 - Investigations in Iowa Geology (1)

    Earthquakes, volcanoes, oceans, meteorite impacts, glaciers… in Iowa? Geology may not be the first thing you think of when you think about Iowa, but the geology of Iowa records valuable information about the geological formation and evolution of the Earth. Geologists are not only historians; however, but also detectives who use rocks, minerals, fossils, landforms, and Earth processes to piece together the physical history of the Earth. Because geology is active, the geology of Iowa is still changing today. This field- and laboratory-based course is designed to show how you can use your own observations and experimental data to interpret the changing Earth around you. Not open to students previously enrolled in GEO 111 .
    (Laboratory Science)
  

  • GEO 122 - Climate Change (1)

    An examination of changes in Earth’s climate with particular focus on the last 20,000 years. Topics include greenhouse and icehouse worlds, climate reconstruction techniques, and factors driving climate change. Offered as a writing-designated course (W) in alternate years.
    (Laboratory Science)
  

  • GEO 125 - Earth Resource Sustainability (1)

    An examination of the finite nature of Earth’s natural resources through the lens of sustainability. Students will investigate real-world problems in areas that may include fossil fuels, critical minerals, rock & mineral commodities, fresh water, land use, or global cropland.
    (Science)
  

  • GEO 130 - Earth and Life through Time (1)

    Origin and evolution of the solid earth, atmosphere, and ocean; the origin of life; and the succession of life through geologic time.
    (Laboratory Science)
  

  • GEO 160 - Geolocial Disasters & Sustainability (W) (1)

    Record hurricanes. Historic droughts, historic flooding. Devastating wildfires. Tornados… volcanic eruptions… landslides. We seem to be increasingly barraged with news about momentous natural disasters. Is there actually an increase in the occurrence (or the magnitude) of these geological disasters? How and when do geological hazards become classified as natural disasters? And how do we create resilient and sustainable societies in the light of these destructive occurrences? This course will highlight the active role of geology in our daily lives by exploring the natural hazards we see reported in the daily news. Students will learn about the geology of natural hazards, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, or drought, and will begin to investigate some of the widespread effects such geological hazards/disasters have on individuals, society, the economy, and politics. Significant time will be spent on the writing process, including critical reading of primary and secondary sources, and drafting and revising different types of academic writing. Not open to students who have previously completed a First-Year Writing Course.
    (First Year Writing Seminar (FYW)) (Science)
  

  • GEO 200 - Earth Resource Sustainability (SYS) (1)

    In order to fuel our explosive rise in population and living standards, humans are using natural resources much faster than they can be replenished. This course examines the finite nature of Earth’s natural resources through the lens of sustainability. Drawing from multiple disciplines, students will investigate real-world problems in areas that may include energy resources, such as fossil fuels, wind power, or geothermal power; critical minerals; rock & mineral commodities; fresh water; land use; or global cropland. Only open to sophomores.
    (Sophomore Year Seminar (SYS)) (Science)
  

  • GEO 212 - Mineralogy (1)

    An introduction to the physical, chemical, and structural properties of minerals. Will explore the significance of minerals across many fields, and will provide a hands-on approach, including growing minerals and using mineral hand-samples, crystal form models, atomic structure models, and polarizing microscopes to uncover even the subtlest properties of minerals. Prerequisite: any 2 100-level courses, OR any 1 100-level course AND permission of instructor
    (Laboratory Science) (Writing Encounter)
  

  • GEO 214 - Tectonics (1)

    An examination of plate tectonic processes on Earth. Topics will include the building of mountains, rifting of ocean basins, the structure of Earth’s interior, paleomagnetism, and the driving forces behind plate movement. Also includes introduction to structural geology and field mapping. Includes several field trips. Prerequisite: any 2 100-level courses, OR any 1 100-level course AND permission of instructor 
    (Laboratory Science)
  

  • GEO 224 - Sedimentology and Stratigraphy (1)

    Sedimentary processes and the stratigraphic record. Basics of correlation, particle transport, and facies models with emphasis on relative dating and paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Topics include sedimentary structures, basin analysis, and sea level change. Hand specimen and microscopic study of sedimentary rocks. Prerequisite: any 2 100-level courses, OR any 1 100-level course AND permission of instructor  Alternate years.
    (Science)
  

  • GEO 255 - Modern/Ancient Carb Systems (1)

    This field course explores the geologic and biologic processes occurring in a modern carbonate depositional system-the Bahamas archipelago-as well as the history of life and environments on the archipelago, as documented in limestones dating back to the Pleistocene age (2.5 million to 11,700 years ago). This course operates out of the Gerace Research Centre (GRC) on San Salvador Island, where students participate in field trips to investigate modern coastal and shallow marine environments (coral reefs, tidal flats, lagoons, beaches, and dunes) as well as ancient analogs represented by rock outcrops, caves, and sink-holes. Field trips are accompanied by readings, lectures, and laboratory work. Through these activities, students learn to distinguish modern marine environments; create maps and profiles of them; analyze sediment samples; classify various forms of marine life; log geologic sections of rock outcrop; and reconstruct ancient depositional environments through study of sediment, sedimentary structures, and fossils. Snorkeling experience is desirable but not essential; scuba diving opportunities will be available to certified divers. Although the Geology Department will subsidize the majority of the course, it does entail additional costs. Prerequisite: GEO 224  or permission of instructor.
    (Laboratory Science)
  

  • GEO 260 - Geographic Information Systems (1)

    An introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GISs), computer-based frameworks for capturing, storing, querying, and displaying geospatial data. Course includes lecture and hands-on laboratory components exploring an array of topics, such as, geospatial data acquisition; cartography; topology and terrain mapping; vector and raster data models; coordinate systems; data mining and exploration; geocoding; dynamic segmentation; and network, least cost path, and shortest path analyses. Through hands-on assignments, students learn the basics of creating, reading, interpreting, and analyzing maps, with particular emphasis on the use of GIS tools in Earth, life, and social sciences. Guided exercises are complemented by end-of-class projects tailored to the interests of each student (e.g., archaeology, biology, economics, geology, politics, or sociology). Students require no prior coding or computer expertise.
    (Science) (Quantitative Reasoning Intensive)
  
  
  
  

  • GEO 306 - Igneous Petrology (1)

    Tectonic origins and geochemical evolution of magmas provide insight into the huge variety of igneous rocks. Hand sample and microscopic study of igneous rocks helps to determine compositions, structures and regional settings of the rocks. Prerequisite: GEO 212 . Alternate years.
    (Laboratory Science)
  

  • GEO 307 - Metamorphic Petrology (1)

    Tectonic origins, mineralogical and textural evolution of rocks that undergo changes in pressure, temperature and fluid-availability. Hand sample and microscopic study will provide insight into the processes and controlling influences of metamorphic change. Prerequisite: GEO 212 .
    (Laboratory Science)
  

  • GEO 317 - Quantitative Paleobiology (1)

    GEO 317 explores the union of life science and Earth science in the study of fossils. Topics include ecological structure and succession; habitats and niches; trophic relationships; environmental gradients; form and function; growth and development; morphometrics; macroevolution; phylogenetics and cladistics; biodiversity and taxonomic turnover; time series analysis; time binning methods; and field sampling and data collection. This course counts as an intensive quantitative reasoning experience. Students learn to collect information on fossils and then analyze numerical data using univariate and multivariate statistical methods with common programming languages like R (but no prior experience with statistics or computer science is required). Students must fulfill one of the following four prerequisites: (1) GEO 130   and sophomore standing; (2) BIO 141  , BIO 142  , and sophomore standing; (3) GEO 326  ; or (4) Permission of Instructor. Alternate years.
    (Laboratory Science) (Quantitative Reasoning Intensive)
  

  • GEO 320 - Hydrogeology (1)

    The study of hydrogeology, landscape evolution, and earth surface processes. Particular attention will be paid to the dynamics of groundwater and surfacewater. Includes field- and laboratory-based group research projects on various local and regional topics, and reading of primary literature. Co-listed with ENV 301 .  Prerequisite: Any 100-level GEO course.   Alternate years.
    (Laboratory Science) (Quantitative Reasoning Encounter) (Writing Encounter)
  

  • GEO 322 - Advanced Paleoclimatology (1)

    An in-depth examination of Quaternary climates around the globe and the methods used to reconstruct them. Topics include ice cores, marine sediments, speleothems, pollen, tree rings, and geochemical techniques. Involves hands-on paleoclimate projects including computer simulations. Will also entail significant reading of the primary literature. Prerequisite: Any introductory course in ENV or GEO.  Alternate years.
    (Science)(Writing Encounter)
  

  • GEO 325 - The Origin of Mountains (1)

    Mountains are formed by a variety of geological processes. This class will explore methods of mountain building, focusing on a specific mountain belt. We will read and discuss current literature on a range of related topics, including tectonistratigraphy, petrology, structural geology, thermobarometry, and geochronology. Multi-day field trip is possible. Prerequisite: GEO 306  or permission of instructor.  Alternate years.
    (Laboratory Science)
  

  • GEO 326 - Paleontology (1)

    GEO 326 explores fossils from an Earth science perspective. Topics include fossilization (taphonomy); macroevolution; taxonomy & systematics; phylogenetics and cladistics; index fossils and biostratigraphy; bio facies; paleoenvironmental reconstruction; paleoecology; and major events in the history of life on Earth. Students learn about the invertebrate animals that make up the majority of the fossil record in addition to microfossils, trace fossils, plants, and vertebrate animals.  Students must fulfill one of the following prerequisites: (1) GEO 130   and sophomore standing; (2) GEO 224  ; or (3) Permission of Instructor.
    (Laboratory Science) (Quantitative Reasoning Encounter)
  

  • GEO 329 - The Geology of New Zealand (in New Zealand) (1)

    Application of geologic principles in the field to explore the geology of a New Zealand: stratigraphy, structure, geomorphology, and tectonic history. Interpretation of geologic maps. Offered on the South Island of New Zealand. Registration entails additional costs. Junior and senior Geology majors only. Prerequisites: Permission of instructor, GEO 214  and GEO 306 . Alternate years. This course is pre-approved for transcript notation in the Ingenuity in Action category, Civic Engagement. To participate and earn notation of completion on your transcript, please complete the Ingenuity in Action application.
  
  
  
  

  • GEO 485 - Geological Research

    Serves as the capstone for the geology major. Research on a subject or problem selected by the student and approved by the instructor, involving library and field or laboratory study. Comprehensive term paper and oral report. May be repeated once for credit. This course is pre-approved for transcript notation in the Ingenuity in Action category, Civic Engagement. To participate and earn notation of completion on your transcript, please complete the Ingenuity in Action application.
    (Writing Intensive)
  
  
  

  • GEO 511 - Extended Research in Geology (1/4)

    Two semesters to be taken in conjunction with capstone project, GEO 485 . Extended reading during the first semester and writing of a capstone research proposal. Extended writing with construction and delivery of a public presentation of the capstone research results during the second semester. Prerequisites: Registration in GEO 485  during the end of the first semester or beginning of second semester. Permission of Instructor.

History
  

  • HIS 101 - Europe: 800-1300 (1)

    This course explores medieval Europe from the reign of Charlemagne to the Black Death. We will examine how people lived during these tumultuous centuries, as well as tracing continuity and change in spirituality, economics, and political ideas over these 500 years. We’ll explore topics including the role of the church, the culture of the nobility, peasant life, and encounters with people outside Europe as European society took shape.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 102 - Europe: 1300-1700 (1)

    This course examines the impact of the Black Death upon European society and the development of the Renaissance and Reformation. What does it mean to have a Renaissance? How did the Black Death change European society? What effects did these new intellectual and religious ideas have on politics, society, and culture? How did ordinary people shape the Reformation? We will consider these questions as we explore art, literature, and documents from the period. Not open to seniors without permission of the instructor.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 104 - Modern Europe and Its Critics (1)

    The course will examine the fundamental events and processes in European politics, war, economics, culture, and society from the eighteenth century to the present. We will attempt to explain the origins of the contemporary world; how Europeans and the European world have arrived at where they are today. We will also strive to understand how Europeans lived and gave meaning to their lives in the “modern” era. The course is both topically and chronologically organized and emphasizes the common characteristics of European civilization rather than specific national histories. It traces threads of continuity while also examining the vast changes experienced by European society in the past 250 years. We will focus on particular cases that illustrate important patterns of change and conflict that have shaped the European world as we know it now. In doing so we will also examine how the idea of Western Civilization has changed over the centuries and what it means today in the early 21st century. Not open to seniors without permission of the instructor. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 111 - Civil War Women (W) (1)

    Traditionally the history of war focuses on the soldiers. Often forgotten are the homefront and the role of women. The American Civil War (1861-1865) elicited a wide variety of responses from women, North and South, African American and white. We will examine those responses and connect them to the larger history of women in America. Course reading assignments include works by historians, portions of diaries, former slave narratives, and fiction. Students will write several papers with the goal of constructing well- organized arguments supported by evidence. There will be a particular focus on sentence construction, effective paragraphs, and revision. Not open to students who have previously completed a First-Year Writing Course.
    (First Year Writing Seminar (FYW)) (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 112 - Writing International History (W) (1)

    This is a first-year writing seminar course that will focus on creating the necessary reading, writing, and critical thinking skills students will need to succeed academically at Cornell, as well as professionally in their chosen career paths after graduation. The larger theme of the course will be international history. This course will examine some of the political, economic, and military relations between major world powers from the early 20th century to the breakup of the Soviet Union. Largely through the prism of writing, students will seek to understand the ways in which the Great Powers attempted to balance their national needs for economic and military security, with their desire for international prominence and stability. Coursework will consist of in-class discussion, shorter informal and formal writing assignments, as well as longer staged writing projects. Not open to students who have previously completed a First-Year Writing Course.
    (First Year Writing Seminar (FYW)) (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 141 - Latin American History (1)

    Introduction to Latin American studies, with special attention to major themes and selected countries. Not open to seniors without permission of the instructor. Same course as LAS 141 . No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 153 - Origins of the American Nation (1)

    From colonial origins through Reconstruction, with emphasis on the formation of local, sectional, and national communities. Not open to seniors without permission of the instructor. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities) (Intercultural Literacy Encounter)
  

  • HIS 154 - Making of Modern America (1)

    The late nineteenth century ushered in a plethora of momentous changes in the economic, political, and social spheres of American life that heralded the birth of modern society. Massive upheavals brought about by revolutions in American industry, transportation systems, immigration patterns, and urbanization fundamentally altered the very structure of American society. This course examines the underlying changes that gave rise to a new era in American history epitomized by the “mass” character of modern life by focusing on mass production, mass consumption, mass culture, and mass movements (including civil rights and women’s rights) from the mid-nineteenth century through the late 1960s. Not open to seniors without permission of the instructor. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities) (Intercultural Literacy Encounter)
  

  • HIS 154 - Making of Modern America (W) (1)

    The late nineteenth century ushered in a plethora of momentous changes in the economic, political, and social spheres of American life that heralded the birth of modern society. Massive upheavals brought about by revolutions in American industry, transportation systems, immigration patterns, and urbanization fundamentally altered the very structure of American society. This course examines the underlying changes that gave rise to a new era in American history epitomized by the “mass” character of modern life by focusing on mass production, mass consumption, mass culture, and mass movements (including civil rights and women’s rights) from the mid-nineteenth century through the late 1960s. No alternative grade option. Not open to students who have previously completed a First-Year Writing Course.
    (First Year Writing Seminar (FYW)) (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 210 - Warfare and Society in Modern Times (1)

    This course will examine various components of modern military history, ranging from the 18th century through to the 21st century. While the specific conflagrations in each course will vary, we will explore such conflicts as the Napoleonic Wars, the American Civil War, the World Wars, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the other conflicts from the larger Cold War. Students will examine some of the traditional aspects of military history, such as tactics, weapons, and battles, but also examine the impact of broader themes in military history, such as social, ideological, gender, and ethnic aspects. One of the major themes of this course will be the plight of the individual - the individual as a soldier or the individual as a civilian - during wartime in various conflicts and eras in history. This course will also focus on the larger role that warfare has played in the course of history, specifically war’s ability to accelerate social, political, ideological, and technological change. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 220 - History of Spain, 700-1600 (1)

    This course examines Spanish history from the Arab invasion through its “Golden Age.” The two major themes that this course explores are 1) the shift from a frontier society to a colonial empire, and 2) the multi-religious, multi-cultural nature of Iberian society during this period. The course examines the dynamics of violence, competition, and coexistence, between Muslims, Christians, and Jews, as well as within Muslim and Christian society. How did those dynamics, and the ideology of Reconquest, shape Spanish society and Spain’s early colonial efforts? How has this period of Spanish history been remembered and interpreted?
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 221 - Trials and Transitions of the Renaissance (1)

    This course explores the political, social, and religious changes of the Renaissance period (roughly, 1400-1600) through immersive simulations in which students adopt the personas of historical individuals. Topics may include Florentine politics, the Reformation Parliament called by Henry VIII, and others.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 240 - Public Memory and Public History (1)

    The American public has an insatiable appetite for representations of the nation’s past, as demonstrated by the popularity of historic sites, museums, historical re-enactments, televised historical documentaries and Hollywood films. Yet, despite its growing audience, the discipline of history seems to be in a state of crisis. Political debates have engendered a public furor over how American history is being taught and remembered. This course will examine the often contentious relationship between popular presentations of the past for the general public and professional historians’ scholarly interpretations and provide an introduction to the growing field of museum studies. The course may include the “hands-on” experience of a mini-internship at local historical societies, libraries, and museums and the opportunity for students to create their own online exhibits on different historical topics. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or permission of the Instructor. Alternate years. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities) (Intercultural Literacy Intensive)
  

  • HIS 251 - Federal Indian Policy (1)

    Relations between Native American nations and the federal government. Central theme is the clash of cultures in the westward movement. Treaties, removal, land allotment, federal recognition in the twentieth century, and a review of the current scene. Offered subject to availability of faculty. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 252 - Baseball: The American Game (1)

    In many interesting ways the history of baseball from the mid-1800’s onward reflects the history of the United States. This seminar will examine the origins of the game, its evolution to a professional sport and then big business, legal aspects of the game, integration, and unionization. Students will write several papers and do a little research project about baseball and American society. Find out how Cornelius McGillicuddy, Jackie Robinson, Alexander Cartwright, Curt Flood, John Montgomery Ward, Alta Weiss, and Andy Messersmith - ballplayers all - reveal something important about American history and society. The relationship of the national game to changes in the country such as industrialization, urbanization, labor unionism, and integration. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities) (Intercultural Literacy Encounter)
  

  • HIS 255 - American Lives (1)

    American history through autobiographies, memoirs, and biographies. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities) (Intercultural Literacy Intensive)
  

  • HIS 256 - Reel History: The Cold War and American Film (1)

    This course explores Cold War politics and culture through Hollywood films, examining how Americans’ fears of communism, atomic energy, and nuclear warfare were expressed in a diverse range of genres including film noir, documentary, and science fiction (such as Them! in which giant mutating ants threaten to take over Los Angeles). Despite its production of anti-communist films, Hollywood came under attack from the House Committee on Un-American Activities. As a result, many people working in the film industry were denied their civil liberties and black-listed. We will also examine how Cold War ideologies about race and gender played out onscreen and off. In addition to film screenings, there will be a large amount of course readings. Prerequisite: First-year writing course (W)
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 258 - Topic: India’s Road to Independence (1)

    In 1945, India and Britain faced a critical juncture: the departure of British colonial government, leaving India to self-government. But what would that independence mean? Who would to take power? How could the needs of India’s different population groups - Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Untouchables -be balanced? Could India even be governed as one nation? This course explores the critical moment of India’s independence and partition through readings and intensive simulation. Readings will include background on India’s history and the writings of notable Indian leaders, including M. Gandhi, J. Nehru, and M. A. Jinnah. Students have the opportunity to develop a better solution than the historical outcome… if they can. The course may include other scenarios as well, if time permits.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 260 - Topics: Modern Propaganda and Media Manipulation in the 20th and 21st Centuries (1)

    This course will examine the use of poropoganda during the 20th and 21st centuries. We will examine the different ways in which states such as Nazi Germany, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and the Russian Federation have used propoganda for their own purposes. This course will also examine the use of propoganda and media manipulation in less state-centric contexts, such as in advertising and the reporting of news. There will be a specific focus on the different mechanics of propoganda production and dissemination that countries and various entites have employed in the past, as well as the effect of propoganda on its intended audience. For their final grade, students will design and present their own propoganda campaign on an approved topic. There are no prerequisites, but familiarity with European, Russian, or American history is highly recommended.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 262 - Topics: American Liberties, American Wars (1)

    What rights do civilians have in war time? This seminar will examine incidents and some legal cases in American history from the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror, with particular focus on the Civil War. There are no prerequisites, but a general familarity with American history is desirable.
    (Humanities) (Writing Encounter)
  
  
  
  

  • HIS 304 - Europe: the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries (1)

    This course focuses on the tumultuous period of the Reformation and religious wars, examining the connections between religion and politics, changing social and family structures, and new spiritual ideas and fears. Readings include primary sources and microhistory to explore the beliefs and experiences of ordinary Europeans in this period. Prerequisite: any 100 level History course or permission of instructor. Alternate years.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 315 - International Relations in Modern West (1)

    This course will examine the political, economic, and military relations between the major powers of the world from the early 20th century to the breakup of the Soviet Union. Starting from the collapse of the nineteenth century international system in 1914, we will examine the reasons why the system that was constructed to replace it failed in 1939 with the onset of World War II. We will explore, from a multinational perspective, the ways in which the dominant nation states competed for both power and security in what was perceived to be the new world order. We will seek to understand the ways in which the Great Powers attempted to balance their national needs for economic and military security, with their desires for international prominence and stability.

    This course will also examine the origins of the Cold War in Europe and Asia. We will trace the expansion of the Cold War from its origins in Europe to its extension to the peripheral states in Asia and Latin America. Some themes that we will cover will include: (1) the importance of the proxy conflicts as both Cold War front lines and Cold War determinants; (2) decolonization and the end of the modern European empires; (3) the rise of China and the significance of Sino-Soviet competition; (4) the nuclear age and the arms race; (5) the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union; and (6) the struggle to construct the post-Cold War international order.  Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 316 - Enlightenment and the French Revolution (1)

    Intellectual, social, and political history of Europe, 1715-1815. Emphasis on France. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor. Offered subject to availability of faculty. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 317 - The Crusades (1)

    This course traces the crusading experience of western Europeans in the Middle Ages: the origins and development of the idea of crusade in the 1090s, followed by the failure of later Crusades and the change in the concept over time. More broadly, the class considers the relationship between violence and religion, and the legacy of the Crusades, including the consequences of the crusading phenomenon in Europe and how it has affected interactions between Muslims and Christians. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 318 - Growth of Industrial Society (1)

    Economic history of Western Europe from the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution to the end of World War II. Change from a traditional to an industrial society, effect of industrialization on the working class, and impact of the Great Depression. Prerequisites: junior standing or permission of instructor; ECB 101  is recommended. Offered subject to availability of faculty. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 319 - Women in Medieval Europe (1)

    This course examines how law, family structures, religious beliefs, and work shaped the experiences of European women between c. 500-1400. As we read various works for, by, and about medieval women, among the major questions we’ll examine are: What ideas about women’s bodies, minds, and social roles shaped women’s lives? What factors allowed women more or less agency to choose their own life’s course? In addition to reading medieval sources, in the course we will read, evaluate, and critique modern scholarship on medieval women. This course also counts toward the GSS major. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor.
    (Humanities) (Writing Encounter)
  

  • HIS 320 - Persecution, Tolerance, and Minorities in Medieval Europe (1)

    This course explores the marginalization and persecution of minority groups in medieval Europe, as well as the coexistence of minority and majority. Why was persecution a common reaction to minority groups, set apart by their religion, sexuality, or health, in medieval Europe? Can coexistence be described as tolerance? What laws and customs shaped interactions between majority and minorities? This course examines these questions through reading primary sources from the European Middle Ages in translation and diverse theoretical and methodological perspectives on the study of marginalized groups. This course also counts towards the GSS major. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor.
    (Humanities) (Intercultural Literacy Encounter)
  

  • HIS 321 - Muscovite and Imperial Russia (1)

    This course will examine the fundamental events and changes in Russian politics, intellectual thought, culture, and society from the reign of Peter the Great in the early 1700s, to the outbreak and ultimate collapse of the Russian Empire with the February and October Revolutions in 1917. We will work to understand how Russians lived and gave meaning to their lives during these years. Russia was an eclectic place during these roughly two centuries. The tsars in St. Petersburg ruled with incredible wealth and absolute power, while most of the population lived in grinding poverty as peasants. The Russian Empire came to stretch all the way from the forests of Poland to Alaska, and from the tundra of the Arctic all the way to the mountains and deserts of Central Asia and Afghanistan. This vast geographic expanse made the Russian Empire amongst the most diverse political entities in the world, with a unique mix of European, Asian, Christian, Islamic, and Jewish culture. A major theme of this course will be how Imperial Russia dealt with, or failed to deal with, the creeping advance of modernity. This conflict with modernity resulted in revolutionary violence, government authoritarianism, and the ultimate collapse of the empire in 1917, but it also spurred intellectual and cultural development, the likes of which the world had not previously seen. Prerequisite: junior standing or permisision of instructor. Offered every third year. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 322 - Revolutionary and Soviet Russia (1)

    This course will explore the history and complexities of the Soviet Union, which existed from 1917 to 1991. During its existence, the Soviet Union was the largest country in the world, one of two world-wide superpowers, and played an enormous role in the shaping politics and society in the 20th century. The Soviet Union was the world’s first Marxist and socialist state. It actively (and proudly) rejected capitalism and sought to build a workers’ and peasants’ paradise on earth. The Soviet Union was one of the main combatant powers in World War II, and was the decisive force in the ultimate defeat and destruction of Nazi Germany. The rivalry between the Soviet Union and the United States, known as the Cold War, was the defining world-wide political feature of the latter half of the 20th Century. The Soviet Union’s ultimate collapse and disappearance nearly 30 years ago was unforeseen and had a profound impact in world affairs, the effects of which we are still dealing with on a daily basis.

    This course will focus on a variety of themes such as ideology, economics, nationality, war, and peace within the larger Soviet experiment. Three central themes of this course will be on the supposed inevitability of the victory of communism over capitalism, the unfulfilled promise of the 1917 Revolution, and the genesis of the Stalinist dictatorship. Stalinism came to define the entire Soviet experience and was arguably the cause of the ultimate decline of the Soviet Union. There will also be a focus on the plight of the individual and their relationship with the Communist Party and the Soviet state.  Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor. Offered every third year. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 323 - Russia from 1941 (1)

    From the beginning of World War II to the present. Particular attention to successive attempts to reinterpret the revolutionary legacy in the light of contemporary problems. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor. Offered every third year. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 324 - Modern Germany: Sex in Modern Germany (1)

    Few would argue with the assertion that modern Germany played an extraordinarily large role in shaping the global twentieth century, not least because of the two World Wars, the Holocaust, the division of East and West in the Cold War, etc. But historians have argued more recently that German notions and expressions of sexuality from the nineteenth century to today have been equally influential in the creation of “modern” and, indeed, contemporary notions of sex and sexual identity, more specifically. This course will investigate the German history of sex and sexuality in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. By focusing on such topics as the “German invention of homosexuality” (Beachy); the birth of sexual science in Germany and Vienna; intimacy and dating technology at the turn of the twentieth century; the new visibility of alternative sexualities in the 1920s; Nazi and wartime sexuality; Beate Uhse and the commercialization of sex and sex toys; sexual revolutions in the 1960s; sexuality behind the Iron Curtain; etc., this course aims to understand not just modern German history but also (and more importantly) the way we as modern people understand and negotiate sex, intimacy, sexuality, and identity in the twenty-first century. Prerequisite: HIS 104  or junior standing. Offered subject to availability of faculty. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 326 - Women in Renaissance and Reformation Europe (1)

    This course examines the experiences of women during the tumultuous Renaissance and Reformation period (c. 1400-1700). Questions to be examined include: How did women participate in these movements, and how were they affected by them? What ideas about women were debated in this period? How did women’s experiences change during this period? In addition to reading historical documents, in the course we will read, evaluate, and critique modern scholarship on early modern women. HERDER Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of instructor.
    (Humanities) (Writing Encounter)
  

  • HIS 327 - Monasteries and the World of Medieval Europe (1)

    This course examines the ideal and the reality of the Christian monastic life in medieval Europe, particularly the clash between the ideal of spiritual retreat from the world and the reality that monasteries were frequently wealthy institutions that exerted considerable power in the world. Other topics covered include monastic learning, gendered experiences, and critiques of monastic ideals. Junior standing. Every third year.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 335 - Topics: The Early Modern Globe (1)

    In the 1500s, the world became interconnected as never before. People and goods crossed oceans and cultures, disrupting both the Old World and the New. Indian princes and Chinese officials bought New World gems and metals from European middlemen; ordinary people could afford imported foods, textiles, and china. New trade routes and gunpowder challenged or destroyed old state structures and built new ones. In this course, trace the movement of people, objects, and goods around the world, from indigenous miners, farmers, and artisans, through the hands of merchants and smugglers, to their destinations at luxurious courts or common people’s households. Explore the global impact of early colonization, migration, and enslavement, and understand how the patterns developed between 1500 and 1700 paved the way for the modern world. Prerequisite: Any 100 level HIS course, or permission of instructor.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 350 - Colonial America (1)

    The English colonies in North America to 1760. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities) (Intercultural Literacy Encounter)
  

  • HIS 351 - The Age of Revolution in America (1)

    The causes of the American Revolution, the writing and the implementation of the Constitution, and the War of 1812. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 352 - The United States in the Middle Period (1)

    America from 1815 to 1850, with emphasis on the growth and consequences of political and economic stability. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 353 - Civil War and Reconstruction (1)

    America at war with itself. The causes of the war and the attempt to rebuild the Union. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 354 - U.S. Social History Since 1940 (1)

    World War II as a turning point in civil rights, gender issues, class, foreign policy, and the consumer revolution. This course also counts towards the GSS major. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities) (Intercultural Literacy Intensive)
  

  • HIS 356 - African-Americans in U.S. History (1)

    Selected topics on the nature of the Black experience in America. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor. Alternate years. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities) (Intercultural Literacy Intensive)
  

  • HIS 357 - Topics in American History (1)

    Examination of a particular theme or set of themes in American history. Topics vary from year to year. Not offered every year. May be repeated for credit. See Topics Courses.  No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 358 - Work and Leisure in Modern America (1)

    Examines the relationship between Americans’ working lives and their pursuit of leisure in the transformation from the Industrial to the Post-Industrial Era (1880s-1980s). Topics will include women’s changing role in the workforce; the impact of popular and mass culture (such as film, radio, and television) upon the separation of work and leisure; the decline of public culture and the rise of privatized forms of leisure; the disappearance of industrial jobs in the emerging service-information economy; and the rise of corporate cultures, such as Disney, in the global context of the current economic revolution. We will explore how the forces of urbanization, immigration, production and consumption, technological innovation, and class stratification, contributed to the bifurcation of culture into “high” and “low” as well as engendering the evolution of popular to commercial to mass culture. This course also counts towards the GSS major. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor. Offered every third year. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities) (Intercultural Literacy Encounter)
  

  • HIS 364 - Documentary Imagination-Depression (1)

    Explores the relationship between historical truth and fiction through an examination of documentaries made of Depression Era America. Through our examination of different types of documentary expression (e.g., photography, ethnography, literature, film, and oral history), students will learn to interpret these texts as historical sources. Students may experience first-hand the stages of documentary production by conducting oral history interviews, which they videotape and edit into a final documentary narrative. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor. Offered every third year. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  

  • HIS 369 - Chicago: The Transformation of America’s Second City, 1880-1940 (1)

    This course offers students the opportunity to explore the history of Chicago and complete an original research project based upon a first-hand exploration of the city and the holdings of the Newberry Library. The seminar will examine the crucial years in Chicago’s evolution from regional center to metropolis by looking at the related themes of urbanization, industrialization, and immigration. All of these developments are richly documented in the Newberry’s collections, which include archival materials pertaining to urban planning and architecture, immigrant life, African American communities, industrial growth and labor relations, political development, and diverse civic and commercial cultures. Drawing upon the Library’s collections, students will discover how the spatial formation of contemporary Chicago still reflects its historical origins, and will have the opportunity to use these rare materials in crafting their individual research papers. Prerequisite: junior standing or permission of instructor. Offered every third year. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
  
  

  • HIS 380 - Internship in Public History (1)

    Application of historical concepts to an agency in the public sector (a museum, historical society, historic preservation program), a government agency, or a corporation with a history program. See Additional Academic Opportunities , All-College Independent Study Courses 280/380. Prerequisites: junior standing and three courses in American history, at least two of which must be at the 300 level. No alternate grade option.
  
  

  • HIS 394 - History and Theory (1)

    Survey of the influences in the field of history of Marxism, feminist theories, and theories of race and ethnicity. Prerequisites: junior standing and three courses in History, at least two of which must be at the 300-level. Offered subject to availability of faculty. No alternate grade option.
    (Humanities)
 

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