History

An introduction to the history of the American city as an important phenomenon in itself and as a reflection of national history. The course will take an interdisciplinary approach to study the political, economic, social, and technological patterns that have shaped the growth of urbanization. In addition to reading historical approaches to the study of American urban history, students may also examine appropriate works by sociologists, economists, political scientists and city planners who provide historical perspective.

In this introductory course, we will trace the history of the United States and the world from the late nineteenth century to the present. A global approach to U.S. history offers new perspectives on international relations, war, migration, labor, race, gender, and democracy. By exploring case studies from around the world, we will also practice crucial historical skills: asking questions about change overtime, finding evidence about the contexts of decision-making, and presenting arguments in an engaging form.This course is excellent preparation for any of WPI’s international project centers.

An introduction to historical analysis through selected periods or themes in the history of America before the Civil War. A variety of readings will reflect the various ways that historians have attempted to understand the development of America.

This course introduces students to the major currents that have defined modern European History. Themes and topics will vary and may include the philosophical impact of science on modern thought, the development of liberalism and socialism, the crisis of culture in the twentieth century. Students read selections on major episodes in European history and develop their skills in critical thinking, analysis, oral and written argument. No prior knowledge of European history is required. Some sections of this course may be offered as Writing Intensive (WI).

An introduction to the questions, methods and source materials that shape historical studies of science and technology. Sections vary in content and emphases; some may explore the interplay of science and technology across time, while other sections might exclusively develop themes within either the history of science or the history of technology. Students can receive credit only once for HI 1330, 1331, or 1332.

This introductory course reviews the history and legacies of Atlantic systems such a colonialism and migration that have connected Africa, the Americas, and Europe from the sixteenth century to the recent past. Taking a transregional approach to historical inquiry, the course places the Atlantic Ocean at its geographic center and explores the diverse people, cultures, ideologies, institutions, economies, and other phenomena that have traversed this ocean basin and connected the regions that line its shores. The course pays special attention to the technological, social, and political innovations, the systemic inequalities, and the heterogeneous notions of belonging that have emerged from transatlantic interactions and exchanges. The course can provide students with preparation for HUA depth in Global History and International and Global Studies as well as work at overseas project centers in regions often incorporated into Atlantic Worlds. No prior background is required.

An introduction to the questions, methods, and source materials that shape historical studies of the environment. This course will explore the influence of nature (i.e., climate, topography, plants, animals, and microorganisms) on human history and the reciprocal influence of people on nature.

This course surveys the interplay of social, economic, demographic, political and cultural forces in shaping the growth, decline and occasional rebirth of urban spaces. Emphasis is placed upon building chronological narratives while attending to the themes, approaches, and sources historians use to reconstruct the tangled infrastructures, stratified economies, segregated spaces and political/ administrative structures of cities. Geographies will vary across sections and topics may include Industrializing Cities, Race and Urban Space, Post-Industrial Cities, Urban Technological Infrastructures, or Social Justice in the City. Students can receive credit only once for HI 2310.

This course surveys early American history up to the ratification of the Constitution. It considers the tragic interactions among Europeans, Indians, and Africans on the North American continent, the growth and development of English colonies, and the revolt against the Empire that culminated in the creation of the United States of America.

This course surveys American history from the Presidency of George Washington to the Civil War and its aftermath. Topics include the rise of American democracy, the emergence of middle-class culture, and the forces that pulled apart the Union and struggled to put it back together.

This course surveys the transformation of the United States into an urban and industrial nation. Topics will include changes in the organization of business and labor, immigration and the development of cities, the peripheral role of the South and West in the industrial economy, politics and government in the age of “laissez-faire,” and the diverse sources and nature of late 19th- and early 20th-century reform movements.

This course surveys the major political, social, and economic changes of American history from 1920 to the present. Emphasis will be placed on the Great Depression, the New Deal, suburbanization, McCarthyism, the persistence of poverty, the domestic effects of the Vietnam war, and recent demographic trends.

This survey of American diplomatic history begins with World War I and World War II, continues through the early and later Cold War periods, including the Vietnam War, and concludes with an overview of 9/11 and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It includes traditional political and diplomatic history, but also broader conceptions of American foreign relations such as culture, economic development, and environment. It addresses the question of American empire, and stresses understanding U.S. policy and actions through a broad international perspective. This course is excellent preparation for any of WPI’s overseas project centers. Some sections of this course may be offered as Writing Intensive (WI). This course will be offered in 2022-23 and in alternating years thereafter.

This course treats law as a powerful social, economic and political phenomenon that cannot be fully understood apart from its history. Through a focus upon a particular theme and chronology, each section surveys the role of law (constitutional, statutory, regulatory and common) and legal institutions in shaping American society and culture, as well as how the law and its institutions have been shaped by individuals, advocacy groups, and broader social, cultural and political forces. Different sections of this course might explore constitutional law and social change (e.g. civil rights, abortion, and same sex marriage); criminal law and mass incarceration; law and the construction of race; law and gender; or patents, copyrights and intellectual property. This course may be repeated for different topics, and students who took HI 2317 may take HI 2318.

A survey of the major developments in European history from the nineteenth century to the present. The course will focus upon those factors and events that led to the formation of modern European society: revolutions, nationalism, industrialization, world wars, the Cold War, the creation of the European Union. No prior knowledge of European history is required. Especially appropriate for students interested in WPI’s global Project Centers in Europe. Students may not receive credit for HI 2320 and HI 2322.

A survey of some of the most important revolutionary movements of the twentieth century. We may consider topics such as racial, nationalist, feminist and non-violent revolutionary ideologies, communist revolution, the “green” revolution and cultural revolution. No prior knowledge of the history of revolutions is expected. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

This course takes a thematic approach to the history of European empires. Units focus upon important events and moments in European imperialism and decolonization from the perspective of both the colonizers and colonized. Specific topics may include slavery and emancipation, imperial racism, the civilizing mission, religious motivations, violence, gender and empire, disease and poverty, environmental degradation, empires at war, and postcolonial legacies. Especially appropriate for students interested in projects centers located in Europe or formerly colonized areas. No prior knowledge required.
Students may not receive credit for both HI 2324 and HI 2329.

This course surveys the interplay of science, technology and culture in American national development. Emphasis is placed upon building chronological narratives while attending to the themes, approaches, and sources historians use to explore Americans’ enthusiastic but sometimes controversial embrace of science and technology. Chronologies and themes will vary across sections covering topics such as Science, Technology and Culture in Early America; Science, Technology in Industrializing America; Science and Technology in Post-1945 America; and Technology and Culture in the Rise of Urban America. This course may be repeated for different topics. No prior coursework or background in the history of science and technology is required.

This course examines the historical origins of contemporary global crises and political transformations. Students keep abreast of ongoing current events through periodical literature and explore the underlying long-term causes of these events as analyzed by scholarly historical texts. Topics will vary each time the course is taught but may include such topics as the following: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Democratization in Africa, the Developing World and Globalization. No prior knowledge of world history is required. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

This course will explore two thousand years of Asian participation in an international system, in Asia and with the rest of the world. Whether ruled by Chinese, Turks, Mongols or Manchus, China has been the political and cultural center of East Asia. Understanding the role of this superpower is critical to Asian and world history. The course will focus on themes such as the cosmopolitan experience, the early development and application of ‘modern’ ideas such as bureaucracy, market economy, and paper currency, and the centrality of religious ideology as a tool in statecraft. No prior knowledge of Asian history is required. This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.

The Caribbean has been globally imagined and described as an everlasting Garden of Eden where the land, bodies, and cultures of its inhabitants are open to be consumed in various ways and where visitors can satisfy all their desires. In addition, hurricanes and other natural disasters have made headlines around the world, casting the region as a space of inevitable doom. But there is more to the story. In fact, the relationship between the U.S. and the Caribbean reveals an even more complex narrative characterized by imperialism, racism, migrations, and geopolitical strife. Through case studies, this course will interrogate the impact of U.S. imperialist stance in the Caribbean, as well as Caribbean peoples’ responses to that stance. By mapping out the many ways in which the histories of the U.S. and the Caribbean intersect, we will shape our own understanding of this relationship and assess its significance today.

This course surveys the major developments, research enterprise, controversies and cultural contexts of particular scientific fields while also engaging students in examining the questions, methods and sources that inform the history of science. Sections will vary in topic, focusing on the history of a subset selected from among the following fields: astronomy, cosmology, mathematics, biology, medicine, ecology, evolutionary ideas, the earth sciences, chemistry, physics, or the human sciences. This course may be repeated for different topics. No prior coursework or background in the history of science is required.

This course surveys the methods and sources that historians adopt to answer three questions central to environmental history: How have constantly changing natural environments shaped the patterns of human life in different regions? How have different human cultures perceived and attached meanings to the natural and built worlds around them, and how have those attitudes shaped their social, economic political, and cultural lives? Finally, how have people altered the world around them, and what have been the consequences of change for natural and human communities alike? Sections will vary in content and emphases alternating between North American, regional, or global approaches. This course may be repeated for different topics. No prior coursework or background in environmental history is required.

This seminar course examines topics related to gender and history. It seeks to examine gender-related theories and analytical concepts in the context of the historical periods and social movements from which contemporary ideas about gender emerge. Specific themes and topics will vary by section and instructor, and may include: gender and war, cultural history of gender, gender and intersectionality, gender and colonialism/decolonization, issues of sexuality, women’s history, and issues of masculinity, among others. No prior background is required. This course may be repeated for different topics. This course will be offered in 2021-22 and in alternating years thereafter.

This course focuses on modern capitalism as an economic, social, and cultural formation in global perspective. As capitalism has radically changed the way humans live and work, critics have articulated their various discontents. Topics to be discussed include colonialism, enslavement, industrialization, social movements, automation, climate change, and global inequality. In addition to our readings, students will directly engage with the rich materials on global labor history available at WPI and in Worcester. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

This seminar course examines topics in the cultural, socio-economic and political history of modern Europe. Topics may vary each year among the following: sport and society, film and history, nationalism, gender and class, political economy, environmental history Readings will include primary and secondary sources. This course may be repeated for different topics. No prior background is required. Students may not receive credit for both HI 3321 and HI 2921. This course will be offered in 2024-25 and in alternating years thereafter.

This seminar course examines topics in the history of Latin America. It bases those topics on issues in the region that are of critical importance in the present, and it outlines the historical origins and interrogates the historical contexts of those issues. Topics and course materials may vary each year depending on the issues addressed. The broad themes with which these topics may engage include: science, technology, and development; energy, sustainability, and the environment; inequality and social justice; migration and mobility; U.S.-Latin American relations; democracy, populism and nationalism; the Cold War and the post-Cold War global order. Readings will include primary and secondary sources. No prior background is required. This course will be offered in 2021-22 and in alternating years thereafter.

A seminar course on analysis of selected aspects of social organization in American history, with emphasis on the composition and changing societal character of various groups over time, and their relationship to larger social, economic, and political developments. Typical topics include: communities, families, minorities, and women. This course may be repeated for different topics.

This seminar course considers the social, political, and intellectual history of the years surrounding American independence, paying particular attention to the changes in society and ideas that shaped the revolt against Great Britain, the winning of independence, and the creation of new political structures that led to the Constitution.

In this advanced seminar course, students will explore one aspect of twentieth-century U.S. history in more depth. Topics vary each year but may include political movements such as the New Deal or the Civil Rights Movement, an aspect of American foreign policy such as the Cold War, a short time period such as the 1960s, a cultural phenomenon such as consumption, or a geographical focus such as cities or New England. The course will require substantial reading and writing. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

In this seminar course, students will explore one aspect of U.S. or global environmental history in more depth. Topics vary each year but may include environmental thought, environmental reform movements, comparative environmental movements, natural disasters, the history of ecology, built environments, environmental justice, New England environmental history, or the environmental history of South Asia or another region of the world. The course will require substantial reading and writing. This course may be repeated for different topics. This course will be offered in 2022- 23, and in alternating years thereafter.

A seminar course on the relationships among science, technology, and society in European culture, examined through a series of case studies. Topics from which the case studies might be drawn include: global scientific expeditions, mapmaking, and European imperialism; the harnessing of science for industrial purposes; the role of the physical sciences in war and international relations; the function of the science advisor in government; the political views and activities of major scientists such as Einstein. Students will use primary sources and recently published historical scholarship to analyze the case studies. This course may be repeated for different topics. This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.

This seminar will examine a particular issue or theme in the history of American science and technology. Topics will vary from year to year, but may include: technology and the built environment; science, technology and the arts; communications of science and scientific issues with the larger public; technology and scientific illustration; science in popular culture; science and the law; or close examination of episodes in the history of American science and technology such as the American Industrial Revolution; science and technology in the years between the world wars; the Manhattan Project; science and the culture of the Cold War; or science, technology and war in American history. This course will require significant reading and writing. This course may be repeated for different topics.

A seminar course on the relationships among science, technology, and society from cultures outside Europe and North America, examined through a series of case studies. Topics from which the case studies might be drawn include: Chinese medicine and technology; Arabic mathematics, medicine, and astronomy; Indian science and technology (including, for example, metalworking and textile production); Mayan mathematics and astronomy; Polynesian navigation; various indigenous peoples’ sustainable subsistence technologies (e.g. African agriculture, Native American land management, aboriginal Australian dreamtime). This course may be repeated for different topics. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

This seminar course examines topics in the history of European imperialism, colonialism, and the postcolonial aftermath. Topics vary each year among the following: culture and imperialism, the expansion of Europe, the economics of empire, travel and exploration narratives, imperialism in literature and anthropology, decolonization in Asia and Africa, postcolonial studies. Readings will include primary and secondary sources. This course may be repeated for different topics. This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.

This seminar course examines topics in the cultural, socio-economic, religious and political history of East Asia. Topics vary each year and may include the following: nationalism and the writing of history, travel and exploration narratives, cross-cultural contact, the role of religion and ideology in political history, development and the environment in Asia, film and history, and the place of minorities and women in Asian societies. This course may be repeated for different topics.

The Pacific Ocean covers a third of our earth’s surface. Home to over a thousand languages and thousands of years of rich histories, the Pacific has been and continues to be one of the most diverse regions of cultural, social, economic, and environmental interaction. The course focuses on both local connections to the Pacific, such as the New England whaling industry, and global issues, such as the impact of climate change on Pacific islanders. Other topics to be discussed include the environment, oceanic navigation, arts, colonialism, race, and migration. This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.