History/Government/Philosophy Courses
Undergraduate
Course Description: This course is a study of Western and Eastern civilizations from their Neolithic origins to the present, with emphasis on cultural and institutional developments. This course consists of the first part of a two-part course in global civilization. It attempts to "promote an understanding of the political and social systems developed by diverse cultures throughout history." To facilitate thinking and writing about the political and social systems that have characterized human history-the doing of history rather than the memorization of data-this course focuses on certain problems of phenomena that are representative of the human experience. Therefore, this course is not a survey of world history. Rather, it focuses on salient aspects of global history, specifically those that deal with political and social systems, and asks students to construct an understanding of these topics based upon the use of evidence.
Course Description: This course is a study of Western and Eastern civilizations from their Neolithic origins to the present, with emphasis on cultural and institutional developments. This course consists of the second part of a two-part course in global civilization. It attempts to "promote an understanding of the political and social systems developed by diverse cultures throughout history." In the process, it seeks to foster in students "a capacity to develop and maintain a global perspective (cultural, historical, and societal) from which a strong set of ethical and moral values can evolve." It seeks to promote "an ability to initiate inquiry, question conventional wisdom, and analyze problems."
