HIST1015W: The Global History of the Twentieth Century

This course offers a rigorous exploration of the human past through the turbulent transitions of the "long twentieth century." By tracing the evolution of global societies over this 122-year period, you will study the diverse beliefs, practices, and relationships?ranging from imperialist ideologies to revolutionary economic models?that have fundamentally shaped the modern human experience. The syllabus is structured specifically to highlight change over time, moving from the "High Imperialism" of the late 19th century through the ideological total wars of the mid-20th century, and finally to the fractured neoliberalism of the early 21st century. By situating these shifts in specific contexts, such as the collapse of the Gold Standard or the non-alignment movement in Bandung, you will learn that historical outcomes are never inevitable but are the products of complex human agency and structural constraints. A central pillar of this course is the introduction and critical assessment of historical methods and concepts. You will not simply memorize dates but will engage with the conceptual frameworks of geopolitics, uneven development, and ideological conflict to produce nuanced historical knowledge. This interpretive work is driven by independent engagement with primary sources. Each week, you will be tasked with extracting meaning from diverse materials?from the imperialist poetry of Kipling to the revolutionary manifestos of Lenin and the populist rhetoric of 2016. Through these assignments, you will learn the "craft" of history, evaluating the uses and limitations of documents while recognizing that every source offers a specific, often biased perspective. Ultimately, the course empowers you to see history as a dynamic process of inquiry rather than a static collection of facts, helping you understand how historical knowledge is constructed and why its significance remains a site of constant debate.

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