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2018 - 2019 Academic Catalog

History

Historians study temporal dynamics, or the ways in which societies and cultures change (and sometimes remain the same) over time. Through application of Lasell's Connected Learning philosophy, History majors develop the skills necessary to think critically about the complex interrelationships and inequities that characterize human societies and cultures, and how those structures have impact on all aspects of human experiences.

The History major is flexible, enabling students to devise individual programs tailored to their specific interests. The foundation requirements provide students with a solid grounding in the methodologies employed by historians as they carry out their investigations.  In-depth courses across a broad spectrum of themes give students the opportunity not only to develop and employ their analytical skills, but also to pursue their own interests. Students are encouraged to take classes in disciplines outside of history to complement their studies within the major and prepare for their career goals. During the senior year, students complete a capstone project and an internship in an area related to their individual interests. The capstone is completed in a two-semester sequence; students read and research their chosen topic during a semester-long individual tutorial and write a capstone essay during the following semester.  For many of our students, this thesis has served as a stepping stone to graduate school.

Students receive extensive training in the development of writing, research, critical thinking and analytical skills that are essential to success in a wide variety of careers. The major prepares students to pursue careers in history, education, law, politics, business, international relations, public service, and many others. Students who are interested in preparing to be teachers at the secondary level should follow the program plan for Secondary Education Major (Grades 5-12) and History Major  to ensure that they meet requirements for licensure. 

By planning early in consultation with an academic advisor, students may be able to reduce the time it takes to complete a bachelor's degree in History to 3 or 3 ½ years.

Course Code Course Title Credits
Core Courses
HIST103 World Civilization I 3
HIST352 Nature & Meaning of History 3
HIST400 Individual Seminar in Reading & Research 1
HIST401 Tutorial in History 3
HUM103 Invitation to the Humanities 3
HUM399 Humanities Internship Seminar 1
HUM400 Humanities Field Experience 4
PHIL101 Introduction to Philosophy 3
Choose 2 from the following:
HIST123 American Civilization I 3
HIST124 American Civilization II 3
HIST203 The History of Women in U.S. 3
HIST204 Recent American History 3
HIST207 African American History 3
HIST210 Latin Amer Colonial Period to Present 3
Choose 2 from the following:
HIST208 Sub-Saharan Africa after 1800 3
HIST209 China from 1600 to Present 3
HIST211 Middle East & Islamic World Since 1800 3
HIST212 Mod Japan: Culture & History 3
HIST330 Europe & The World/ Age of Expansion 3

Additional Courses 

6 credits of any 200 or 300 level HIST course
3 credits of any 300 level HIST course
Literature elective: 3 credits from any of the following:
ENG201,209,210,211,212,214,217,218,222,223,224,225 OR any 300 level ENG course

Foreign Language: 0-12 credits  (The Foreign Language Proficiency requirement is detailed in the Academic Information section)

A minimum of 120 credits is required for graduation. This total includes the Core Curriculum Requirements as described elsewhere in this catalog. Some courses required for the major meet Core Curriculum requirements. 
For a complete explanation of graduation requirements, see Graduation Requirements in the Undergraduate Academic Policies section of this catalog.



HIST103 - World Civilization I

Beginning with prehistory, this course explores early civilizations and then follows developments in a global context, showing interconnections between Asia, Africa, and Europe. Emphasis is placed on cultural, social, economic, religious, and political developments.

HIST104 - World Civilization II (KP)

This Knowledge Perspective course will provide students with the opportunity to interpret and analyze the complex interrelationships and inequities in human societies in a global historical context. Emphasizing the interrelatedness and mutuality of influence between East and West, we examine questions of exclusiveness, intolerance, and cooperation. Prerequisite: ENG101 with a C or better

HIST105 - History of Human Rights

This course surveys the complicated history of human rights from its origins to the modern era. Emphasis is on the historical forces, movements, and events, especially in the last three centuries, that have moved this concept from the realm of intellectual theory and conjecture to practical implementation and application. This course may also touch on some of the major philosophical, ethical, and moral questions intertwined with human rights.

HIST123 - American Civilization I

This course examines the chief political, social, and cultural features of American society as they have developed through the period of Reconstruction. Emphasis is on Colonial America, the War of Independence, the Constitution, and the emergence of the Republic through the Civil War.

HIST124 - American Civilization II

This course is a continuation of HIST 123 from the period of Reconstruction to the present. Emphasis is on reconstruction, industrialization, immigration, constitutional issues, and the emergence of American foreign policy. There is some examination of American political life in the nuclear age.

HIST203 - The History of Women in U.S.

This course explores the social history of women in the United States, beginning in the colonial period and ending with an examination of twentieth-century issues. Emphasis is on the image of women held during these periods, in contrast to actual conditions. Contributions of women to social change and the growth of women’s movements are also analyzed. This is a presentation-intensive course.

HIST204 - Recent American History

This course focuses on the presidencies from the Kennedy era to the present. Work is divided roughly into three areas: foreign affairs; domestic politics; and economic, social, and cultural needs. Topics range from the Vietnam War to the Iraq War, the weakening of Congress and the expansion of the presidency, the women's movement, changes in popular culture, and domestic economic developments.

HIST207 - African American History

This course explores the history of African Americans in the United States from their African beginnings to the present. It traces the lives and status of African Americans, enslaved and emancipated, as they confronted the barriers of legal, institutional, and cultural prejudices; it examines the socioeconomic and political experiences of blacks in America and investigates strategies of accommodation, resistance, and protest in the struggle of African Americans to gain human and first-class citizenship rights. This is a writing-intensive course.

HIST208 - Sub-Saharan Africa after 1800

This survey of sub-Saharan African history explores the ongoing story of African political, social, and economic developments from the post-transatlantic slave trade period to the present. The course considers the impact of European merchants, missionaries, and adventurers on Africa from the time immediately preceding imperialism and colonialism up through the emergence of nationalism and the decolonization and liberation movements. The new nation-states, their postcolonial economies, and their developing systems of justice, education, and rule are investigated. Finally, topics such as soil erosion, disease, conservation, famine, and Africa’s relationships with the wider world are discussed.

HIST209 - China from 1600 to Present

This course is a survey of modern Chinese history from the founding of the Qing Dynasty in the seventeenth century to Deng Xiaoping's economic reforms of the 1990s. Special attention will be paid to modernization, Western and Japanese imperialism in China, and the rise of Communism under Mao Zedong. In addition to learning about important milestones in Chinese history, students will be introduced to aspects of Chinese art, culture, and women's issues through primary sources translated into English. This is a writing-intensive course.

HIST210 - Latin Amer Colonial Period to Present

This survey looks at Latin American history from pre-Colombian to contemporary times. Emphasis is on native cultures, the “discovery” of the New World, European presence, colonialism, imperialism, the creation of the peasantry, wars of independence, the formation of nation-states, the role of the military, slavery and racism, development and underdevelopment, the Catholic Church, liberation theology, poverty, and revolution. Major emphasis in South America is on Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, and the Portuguese-speaking nation of Brazil. The course also examines foreign intervention and inner instability in Mexico, including struggles for democracy, economic rights, and social justice. In the Hispanic Caribbean and Central America, especially with regard to Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama, land and labor systems, gender relations, race and ethnicity, and varied forms of rule are discussed. This is a writing-intensive course.

HIST211 - Middle East & Islamic World Since 1800

This course looks at the Middle East and its relations with the wider world, from the appearance of Napoleon to the present. Topics include attempts at reform and modernization in the Ottoman Empire; the impact of Western imperialism on the region as a whole; and twentieth-century developments in the area, including nationalism, pan-Arabism, pan-Islamism, the cult of the personality, coup, revolution, Zionism, and the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation. The economic and social impact of oil, the influence of fundamentalism, and the Great Power rivalry down through the position of the United States toward the area are investigated. The efforts of Iran to gain acceptance in/by the contemporary world are examined, as is the shifting attitude of Egypt toward modernity. Finally, connections between the region and the rest of the Islamic world are explored. This is a writing-intensive course.

HIST212 - Mod Japan: Culture & History

This course is a survey of Japan's modernization from the fall of the warring states period to the economic bubble of the 1980s. Special attention will be paid to the contributions of the early modern Tokugawa Shogunate, the Meiji period of cultural borrowing from the West, and the cultural nationalism of the Japanese empire until 1945. In addition to learning about important milestones in Japanese history, students will be introduced to aspects of Japanese art and culture through a variety of primary and secondary sources and film clips. This is a writing-intensive course.

HIST218 - Global History of Childhood

This course introduces students to the ways in which cultural ideas about childhood and childrearing have changed over time. Using Western history as a departure point, the course will compare and contrast key topics of childhood, such as child labor and child rights, in various cultures. This is primarily a discussion seminar, in which students present and discuss a variety of academic readings. There is also a service-learning component. This is a presentation-intensive course.

HIST223 - Special Topics in History

In this course, a single topic in history is explored for the entire semester. Possible topics include Islamic civilization, India in the twentieth century, nationalism and imperialism in the last two centuries, United States and the world in the twentieth century, and the African American in the development of the United States. This course may be repeated for credit, as different special topics are offered.

HIST231 - Revolutions & Revolutionary Thought

This course provides an analysis of many types, facets, and styles of revolution, including political, cultural, and scientific meanings of the concept. The readings are taken from literature as well as from history and the social sciences.

HIST323 - Special Topics in History

In this course, a single topic in history is explored at a level appropriate for the serious and experienced history student. Possible topics in this advanced course include microhistory, gender in African history, and European intellectual history. This course may be repeated for credit, as different special topics are offered. Prerequisite: A 200-level history course or instructor permission.

HIST325 - The Intellectual Origins of Western Civ

This seminar traces the roots of modern Western thought from ancient Greece through the Enlightenment by discussing and analyzing selections from the writings of major European thinkers. The seminar focuses on dominant figures representative of an historical epoch and examines their ideas in light of existing and future political, social, economic, and intellectual developments. Prerequisite: a 200-level history course or permission of instructor.

HIST330 - Europe & The World/ Age of Expansion

This course examines political, economic, social, scientific, and religious developments that contributed to European desire for land and power, and also to fantasies and phobias directed by European conquerors toward those whom they subdued and subjected to Western rule. The reaction toward the white Westerners on the part of those exploited is also explored. The period covered is from the mid-fifteenth century through the eighteenth century. Prerequisite: a 200-level history course or permission of instructor.

HIST352 - Nature & Meaning of History

The first half of this course examines selective theories of history from Herodotus through Braudel. The second part investigates the historiography of a single topic according to student interest. Readings are selected to introduce the student to interpretive issues surrounding the selected topic. The perspectives of several practicing historians are considered. Students write a research paper. This course is intended for history majors and as a capstone course for history minors; it is open to others who have successfully completed at least three history courses and have the permission of the instructor. This is a writing-intensive course. Prerequisite: a 200-level history course and permission of instructor.

HIST400 - Individual Seminar in Reading & Research

This course will serve as the first semester of a two-semester individualized history capstone sequence. Students will work closely on an individual basis with a full-time faculty member, meeting weekly to define a topic for in-depth examination through reading, research, and writing. Reading and research will begin during HIST 400 and will continue during the following semester in HIST 401. Students must complete HIST 400 before enrolling in HIST 401. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing and HIST 352 (can be taken concurrently).

HIST401 - Tutorial in History

This capstone course focuses on research methodology and practice in history. The student must gain the written agreement of the faculty member who oversees the project. Each student defines a topic by the end of the first week of the semester. Subsequent weekly meetings address progress and problems encountered in research of the topic. The finished product is a substantial paper (ca. 30 pages) with full scholarly apparatus. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing, HIST 352, and HIST 400.

Joseph Aieta III

Professor Emeritus

Stephanie Athey

Professor of Cultural Studies, Director of the Honors Program

Office: Winslow

Steven Bloom

Professor Emeritus, English

Dennis Frey Jr

Dean of Curricular Integration, Director of Rosemary B Fuss Teaching and Learning Center, Professor of History

Office: Winslow

Jose Guzman

Professor of Humanities, Coordinator of World Language Program

Office: Winslow

Sharyn Lowenstein

Associate Professor Emerita, Humanities

Lizbeth Piel

Chair of Humanities; Associate Professor of Humanities

Office: Winslow

Thomas Sullivan

Professor Emeritus

HIST103 - World Civilization I

Beginning with prehistory, this course explores early civilizations and then follows developments in a global context, showing interconnections between Asia, Africa, and Europe. Emphasis is placed on cultural, social, economic, religious, and political developments.

HIST352 - Nature & Meaning of History

The first half of this course examines selective theories of history from Herodotus through Braudel. The second part investigates the historiography of a single topic according to student interest. Readings are selected to introduce the student to interpretive issues surrounding the selected topic. The perspectives of several practicing historians are considered. Students write a research paper. This course is intended for history majors and as a capstone course for history minors; it is open to others who have successfully completed at least three history courses and have the permission of the instructor. This is a writing-intensive course. Prerequisite: a 200-level history course and permission of instructor.

HIST400 - Individual Seminar in Reading & Research

This course will serve as the first semester of a two-semester individualized history capstone sequence. Students will work closely on an individual basis with a full-time faculty member, meeting weekly to define a topic for in-depth examination through reading, research, and writing. Reading and research will begin during HIST 400 and will continue during the following semester in HIST 401. Students must complete HIST 400 before enrolling in HIST 401. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing and HIST 352 (can be taken concurrently).

HIST401 - Tutorial in History

This capstone course focuses on research methodology and practice in history. The student must gain the written agreement of the faculty member who oversees the project. Each student defines a topic by the end of the first week of the semester. Subsequent weekly meetings address progress and problems encountered in research of the topic. The finished product is a substantial paper (ca. 30 pages) with full scholarly apparatus. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing, HIST 352, and HIST 400.

HUM103 - Invitation to the Humanities

This course invites students to consider what it means to be human from manifold scholarly perspectives. As such, students are introduced to the many disciplines included in the humanities. Arguably, there are eight: art, communication, history, language, literature, music, philosophy, and religion. Taking a thoroughly interdisciplinary approach, this course investigates how humanists employ these varied disciplines in studying and expressing humanness.

HUM399 - Humanities Internship Seminar

This seminar helps students to develop objectives and identify potential sites for the senior internship. Topics include the application of humanities course work to a professional career and the development of skills necessary to locate an internship. The final goal of this course is to locate an appropriate internship. Junior or senior standing is required; this course is designed for Humanities Department majors only.

HUM400 - Humanities Field Experience

This course provides individually arranged participation in a work setting related to students' majors. Students spend 150 hours at the internship site over the course of the semester. Primary responsibility rests with students in identifying and pursuing an area of interest in consultation with the instructor. Students participate in a one-hour seminar each week that focuses on reflective activities that enhance the internship experience. Students complete written exercises about and evaluations of the experience. Evaluation of the field experience is based on student performance as reviewed by the employer and instructor at the internship site, as well as participation in the seminar and written assignments. Prerequisites: junior or senior standing, approval of instructor, HUM 399. Humanities Department majors only.

PHIL101 - Introduction to Philosophy

This course is an introduction to the basic problems of philosophy, such as the sources of knowledge, the relationship between mind and body, freedom as opposed to determinism, and the nature of values.

HIST123 - American Civilization I

This course examines the chief political, social, and cultural features of American society as they have developed through the period of Reconstruction. Emphasis is on Colonial America, the War of Independence, the Constitution, and the emergence of the Republic through the Civil War.

HIST124 - American Civilization II

This course is a continuation of HIST 123 from the period of Reconstruction to the present. Emphasis is on reconstruction, industrialization, immigration, constitutional issues, and the emergence of American foreign policy. There is some examination of American political life in the nuclear age.

HIST203 - The History of Women in U.S.

This course explores the social history of women in the United States, beginning in the colonial period and ending with an examination of twentieth-century issues. Emphasis is on the image of women held during these periods, in contrast to actual conditions. Contributions of women to social change and the growth of women’s movements are also analyzed. This is a presentation-intensive course.

HIST204 - Recent American History

This course focuses on the presidencies from the Kennedy era to the present. Work is divided roughly into three areas: foreign affairs; domestic politics; and economic, social, and cultural needs. Topics range from the Vietnam War to the Iraq War, the weakening of Congress and the expansion of the presidency, the women's movement, changes in popular culture, and domestic economic developments.

HIST207 - African American History

This course explores the history of African Americans in the United States from their African beginnings to the present. It traces the lives and status of African Americans, enslaved and emancipated, as they confronted the barriers of legal, institutional, and cultural prejudices; it examines the socioeconomic and political experiences of blacks in America and investigates strategies of accommodation, resistance, and protest in the struggle of African Americans to gain human and first-class citizenship rights. This is a writing-intensive course.

HIST210 - Latin Amer Colonial Period to Present

This survey looks at Latin American history from pre-Colombian to contemporary times. Emphasis is on native cultures, the “discovery” of the New World, European presence, colonialism, imperialism, the creation of the peasantry, wars of independence, the formation of nation-states, the role of the military, slavery and racism, development and underdevelopment, the Catholic Church, liberation theology, poverty, and revolution. Major emphasis in South America is on Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, and the Portuguese-speaking nation of Brazil. The course also examines foreign intervention and inner instability in Mexico, including struggles for democracy, economic rights, and social justice. In the Hispanic Caribbean and Central America, especially with regard to Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama, land and labor systems, gender relations, race and ethnicity, and varied forms of rule are discussed. This is a writing-intensive course.

HIST208 - Sub-Saharan Africa after 1800

This survey of sub-Saharan African history explores the ongoing story of African political, social, and economic developments from the post-transatlantic slave trade period to the present. The course considers the impact of European merchants, missionaries, and adventurers on Africa from the time immediately preceding imperialism and colonialism up through the emergence of nationalism and the decolonization and liberation movements. The new nation-states, their postcolonial economies, and their developing systems of justice, education, and rule are investigated. Finally, topics such as soil erosion, disease, conservation, famine, and Africa’s relationships with the wider world are discussed.

HIST209 - China from 1600 to Present

This course is a survey of modern Chinese history from the founding of the Qing Dynasty in the seventeenth century to Deng Xiaoping's economic reforms of the 1990s. Special attention will be paid to modernization, Western and Japanese imperialism in China, and the rise of Communism under Mao Zedong. In addition to learning about important milestones in Chinese history, students will be introduced to aspects of Chinese art, culture, and women's issues through primary sources translated into English. This is a writing-intensive course.

HIST211 - Middle East & Islamic World Since 1800

This course looks at the Middle East and its relations with the wider world, from the appearance of Napoleon to the present. Topics include attempts at reform and modernization in the Ottoman Empire; the impact of Western imperialism on the region as a whole; and twentieth-century developments in the area, including nationalism, pan-Arabism, pan-Islamism, the cult of the personality, coup, revolution, Zionism, and the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation. The economic and social impact of oil, the influence of fundamentalism, and the Great Power rivalry down through the position of the United States toward the area are investigated. The efforts of Iran to gain acceptance in/by the contemporary world are examined, as is the shifting attitude of Egypt toward modernity. Finally, connections between the region and the rest of the Islamic world are explored. This is a writing-intensive course.

HIST212 - Mod Japan: Culture & History

This course is a survey of Japan's modernization from the fall of the warring states period to the economic bubble of the 1980s. Special attention will be paid to the contributions of the early modern Tokugawa Shogunate, the Meiji period of cultural borrowing from the West, and the cultural nationalism of the Japanese empire until 1945. In addition to learning about important milestones in Japanese history, students will be introduced to aspects of Japanese art and culture through a variety of primary and secondary sources and film clips. This is a writing-intensive course.

HIST330 - Europe & The World/ Age of Expansion

This course examines political, economic, social, scientific, and religious developments that contributed to European desire for land and power, and also to fantasies and phobias directed by European conquerors toward those whom they subdued and subjected to Western rule. The reaction toward the white Westerners on the part of those exploited is also explored. The period covered is from the mid-fifteenth century through the eighteenth century. Prerequisite: a 200-level history course or permission of instructor.