HIST 020 - (HP) Why History Matters

Semester Hours: 3

Current Special Topics

Crusading from the Middle Ages to Modernity

This course examines perspectives on crusading from its origins in the Middle Ages to the modern world. In particular, we will focus on portrayals of the Third Crusade (1189-1192) and its most famous Muslim leader, Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub (c. 1137-1193), more commonly known in English as Saladin. We will examine a wide variety of sources ranging from a medieval biography of Saladin by his follower Baha’ al-Din Ibn Shaddad to modern works such as the 1963 Egyptian film al-Nasser Salah al-Din (Saladin the Victorious).

Debating the Holocaust 

The Holocaust (or Shoah) is one of the most documented events in human history. Yet 80 years later, there are still contested debates about its significance.  This course will examine what happened as well as what historians have written, thought, and argued about the Holocaust, from its roots in European history to contemporary Holocaust denial.  We also turn to philosophers, political scientists, theologians, poets, and film directors to understand how they have struggled to make sense of the horror.

Race and Body Aesthetics

Same as AFST 187S  

Why Black History Matters

This course will embrace the 1619 framing of the United States and guide students through a (re)examination of its history. Through the lens of the Black experience, students will be immersed in the distinctive survival strategies and resistance movements of Black individuals who navigated racial discrimination, economic disruption, and social marginalization from 1619 to the present. 

 

Prerequisite(s)/Course Notes:
(Formerly Understanding Today’s World.)

View Course Offering(s):

Fall 2026

January 2027

Spring 2027