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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
HI 261 Modern Latin America and the Revolutionary Tradition (1)
An analysis of the role of revolutionary change in modern Latin American history,
including examination of Iberian colonial authority (contrasting Brazil's evolution to that
of the Spanish-American republics), the church-state conflicts of the nineteenth century,
and the major revolutions of the twentieth century. Social and economic inequality,
political and military authoritarianism, and revolutionary and cultural change will be
discussed from a historical perspective.
HI 265 The Middle East in the Twentieth Century (1)
A study of the history of the Middle East from the collapse of the Ottoman Empire until
the present day. The course offers an introduction to the geography, ethnography, and
religions of the region, followed by an investigation of British and French colonialism
and the inter-war independence struggles in the area. Emphasis is also placed on the
growth of modern Middle Eastern states and societies after 1945, with particular focus on
the topics of nationalism, modernization, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Iranian revolution,
and the Gulf War.
HI 282 Disputers of the Dao: Major Texts in the Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist
Traditions in East Asia (1)
The historical development of the major philosophical and religious traditions of East
Asia (Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism) taught through the reading of a selection of
their fundamental texts. The focus will be the texts, the major doctrines and schools of
these traditions, and the patterns of their historical development in China, India, Japan,
and Korea. Prerequisite: at least sophomore standing.
HI 283 Modern China (1)
An introduction to Chinese history from the Manchu conquest in the seventeenth century
to the People’s Republic. Emphasis is on the changing social, economic, and political
structure of Chinese society and how the Chinese explained to themselves the changes
taking place in their society.
HI 284 Modern Japan (1)
An introduction to Japanese history from the emergence of military rule in the thirteenth
century to the post-World War II democratic experience. Emphasis is on the changing
social, economic, and political structure of Japanese society and how the Japanese
explained to themselves the changes taking place in their society.
HI 287 Western Images of Asia (1)
A multimedia exploration of Western attitudes about the “orient.” Through scholarly and
fictional texts and a careful viewing of visual arts, this course analyzes the development
of Western attitudes toward the “east,” beginning with medieval explorers and
concluding with our present concerns with the Japanese and Chinese. Prerequisite: at
least sophomore standing.
HI 288 Remembering World War II: The War in Asia and the Pacific (1)
How World War II in Asia and the Pacific is remembered in several countries, including