HIST 103 - Debating HistorySemester Hours: 4
Fall, Spring
This course will examine the evolution of historical interpretation through a close critical and comparative reading of monographs and articles, providing historical explanations of a specific field of study or area of concentration. It will explore historical writing as a continually changing process of interpretation, revision, and reinterpretation conditioned by the social, political, and cultural changes and ideological forces that have shaped the direction of historical thought in a given era. It will consider how historians’ perspectives, sources, use of models, and reactions to other historians’ work have conditioned historical interpretation. Consideration will also be given to the varieties of historical writing styles and how they are determined by the anticipated audience for the work. Field of study or area of concentration will vary from semester to semester and will be determined by the instructor.
Current Special Topics:
Debating History: Liberal Reform and the Rise of the Right
The 1960s were the high watermark of liberal reform. There was a widely shared belief in the efficacy of the federal government, and its responsibility to promote greater equality and a range of social benefits for all Americans. Since then, this consensus has eroded, with a weakening of the liberal mission and rise of the political right. In this class, we will examine these changes, with all political perspectives welcome. We will be using films, memoir and biography, as well as historical works to explore the changes and their meaning for our lives.
Prerequisites: HIST 020 , HIST 014F or HIST 014S
View Course Offering(s):
Summer Session I 2026
Summer Session II 2026
Summer Session III 2026
Fall 2026
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