History

HIST 001. Chair's Seminar. 1 Unit.

This course provides freshmen with some essential skills for success in either the History or Social Science major at Pacific. Topics include study, research and writing skills, internships and career planning. Along the way, freshmen are introduced to department faculty, staff, librarians, (who they come to know and love) and their fellow students.

HIST 010. Western Civilization I. 4 Units.

This course is an introductory survey of the history of Western Civilization that begins with the emergence of classical Greek culture and ending with the Reformation in the sixteenth century. The political, social and religious ideas of ancient Rome and Greece have shaped European culture and formed an enduring legacy for our societies until today. The course examines the life and interactions of men and women throughout the centuries and traces the development of political and social institutions in a geographic area that we know as Europe. Studying this fascinating history of war and peace, destruction and great achievements helps understand what our present life has to do with the past. (GE2B, GEWE)

HIST 011. Western Civilization II. 4 Units.

This course is an introductory survey of the history of Western Civilization from the sixteenth century to the present. The class explores some of the great political, social and economic transformations that led to the Western world as we know it today. The Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment permanently changed humans’ view of the world. Modern states and new forms of governments emerged as the French and Industrial Revolutions undermined the political and economic order. The rise of nationalism and totalitarianism led to catastrophes in the twentieth century. After the Cold War, we faced new problems that pushed us to take stock of where we are at the beginning of the new millennium. (GE2B, GEWE)

HIST 015. Global History of Sport. 3 Units.

This course critically examines the history of sport in a global and interdisciplinary historical perspective. We begin with global origins of the first contests of skill, strength, stamina and courage in the Mediterranean world, Afro-Eurasia and the Americas. Then we survey the development of modern sport since about 1800 and conclude with analysis of sport in society today. (GESO)

HIST 020. United States History I. 4 Units.

This is an introductory level course in U.S. history. It begins with Native American societies at the time of European contact and examines major social, political, and cultural issues in U.S. history through colonial settlement, the American Revolution, the early national period, the antebellum era, the Civil War, and Reconstruction. The course considers dominant cultural traditions and perspectives as well a minority cultures and dissent. (DVSY, GE1B, GEDI, GESO)

HIST 021. United States History II. 4 Units.

This is an introductory level course in U.S. history that considers the major social, economic, and cultural forces in American society from the Civil War to the present. It examines dominant cultural traditions and perspectives as well as minority cultures and dissent. Topics include the closing of the frontier, progressive reform, industrialization and urban life, the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, Civil Rights and social justice movements, the Vietnam War, and the Reagan years. Central themes are the U.S.'s increasing role in international affairs, political realignments, reform movements, race and racism, diversity, mass culture, and the historical legacies of the American past. (DVSY, GE1B, GEDI, GESO)

HIST 023. History of the Old Testament. 4 Units.

In this course we will investigate the texts comprising the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament. Utilizing various conceptual tools and historical methods, we will examine the individual books in this collection to understand their literary structure, major themes, and diverse relationships to their historical-cultural milieus. The course will be historical in orientation, but will touch upon issues traditionally assigned to the sphere of theology or religion. (GELN)

HIST 025. The Earliest Christians. 4 Units.

This course offers a socio-historical and literary introduction to the writings of the earliest Christians. It will emphasize the importance of the historical context of these writings and will investigate the ways these texts fit into Mediterranean cultures. Topics include: the Jewish origins of the “Jesus movement”; the formation of early Christian communities and their varying patterns of belief and practice; the development of oral and written traditions about Jesus, especially in the gospels and letters of Paul; and various images of Jesus and their significance. Students will learn how to read ancient texts closely, gain an understanding of the various methods of scholarly biblical interpretation, and learn how to evaluate these interpretations critically. Also offered as RELI 025. (GELN)

HIST 030. Asian Civilizations. 4 Units.

This course is an introduction to the history and cultures of East, South and Southeast Asia. Our course examines the origins of the modern states of China, Japan, India, Korea, Vietnam and Cambodia. Topics include philosophy, religions, government, literature, architecture, war, everyday life and gender roles. The course focuses on points of contact and the spread of civilization across the regions up to around 1900. (GE1C, GEWE)

HIST 031. Modernity, Identity, and Global Culture in Modern East Asia. 4 Units.

This course is an introduction to the intellectual and cultural developments and changes in East Asia since the beginning of the twentieth century. We study representative texts and cultural products in the broader sociopolitical and socioeconomic contexts to see how their intellectual and cultural changes have both been formed by and reflecting the historical transformations in the region. While approaching East Asia as a unity and exploring the intellectual and cultural interconnectedness of China, Japan, and Korea, we also investigate their unique intellectual and cultural discourses in their own national traditions and historical contexts. We will raise issues concerning the conceptualization of East Asian modernity, identity, culture, and the embedded intellectual/cultural tensions in regional and global contexts. We will learn to critically understand, reflect, and analyze East Asian contributions to the global modernity and culture. (GE1C, GEWE)

HIST 040. Colonialism in Latin America. 4 Units.

In this course, students learn about processes of colonialism in what is now Latin America. We analyze readings and primary sources including letters, memoirs, and others, to develop a fuller understanding of how the system of colonial rule changed the Americas over hundreds of years. Students will gain an understanding of the complex interactions between Indigenous, African, and European populations. During the last part of the semester, we will discuss concepts of post-colonialism and neo-colonialism in Latin America today. (GE1C, GESO)

HIST 041. Modern Latin America. 4 Units.

Since independence from Spain and Portugal in the early nineteenth century, Latin America seems to have been plagued with struggles to achieve political stability, social equality, and economic advancement. This course focuses on the history of the independent nations of Latin America from the 1800s to the present. We will examine issues of state-building, race, gender, labor movements, human rights, drug violence, and international relations. We will use a variety of sources — films, lectures, music, readings, and discussions — in our explorations of how social movements shaped and were shaped by economic and political forces. Finally, we will study how colonial legacies, neocolonial ties and globalization have affected Latin America and its people. (GE1C, GEND, GESO)

HIST 050. World History I. 4 Units.

This course is a broad survey of ancient civilizations (i.e. Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Hebrew, Greek, Indian, Chinese, Roman), social and economic structures and patterns of trade, cultural and religious traditions and intellectual contributions. The second half of the course covers the development of medieval and early modern civilizations to the 1500s. Particular emphasis is placed on the decline of the Roman Empire, the role and impact of Christianity and Islam, the European Expansion and global markets, and the European Scientific Revolution. (DVSY, GE2B, GEDI, GEWE)

HIST 051. World History II. 4 Units.

This course is a survey of World civilization from 1500 to the present which focuses on patterns of colonization, globalization and the impact of such forces as science and technology, consumerism, and intellectual movements on world history. Other topics include war, the impact of religious movements and the environmental impact of modernity. (GE2B, GEWE)

HIST 052. John Muir and the Environmental Movement. 3 Units.

John Muir (1838-1914) was a key figure in the beginning of the global conservation, preservation, and environmental movements. This course considers the historical context in which Muir lived and worked and examines the scientific, social, and political legacies of the movements he helped start. Students will conduct research in the world’s largest collection of Muir’s published and unpublished works in University of the Pacific’s Special Collections. Field trips to natural and historical sites such as Yosemite National Park are often a part of this course. (ENST, GE2B, GEGR)

HIST 060. A History of Medicine. 4 Units.

This course begins by objectively examining ancient medical systems across the globe: Chinese, Ayurvedic, Native American, and comes to focus on the Greek tradition in the West. Class discussions include the transmission of medical knowledge through Arab, Jewish, and medieval Christian authorities, and the impact of the discovery of the New World. The second half of the course traces the influence of the scientific revolution and the development of modern medicine in the 19th century and 20th centuries. Particular emphasis is placed on the subfields of physiology, nutrition and herbal lore; in the second half of the course emphasis is on anatomy, pathology and surgery. Biology, Pre-med. and Pharmacy students are encouraged to enroll, as well as non-science majors. No prerequisites or specialized knowledge are required. (GE2B, GEWE)

HIST 061. Global History of Food. 4 Units.

The scope of the course is global, covering civilizations of Asia, America, Africa and Europe and how these cultures domesticated unique staples, which literally enabled these civilizations to expand and flourish. The course covers history of the interaction of humans with food resources from earliest hunting and gathering societies to the present. The major theme of the course is the process of globalization, imperialism and the growth of capitalist enterprise and the cost to indigenous cultures and traditional farming practices and how these processes were shaped by trade in food. (GE1C, GEWE)

HIST 062. History of Warfare. 4 Units.

Humans began fighting wars before we learned to farm, write or build cities. Is warfare part of human nature? Taking a global approach, this course examines the history of warfare from ancient times through the present. We examine weapons, soldiering, tactics and strategy and how these were shaped by social, political and technological changes. The gunpowder revolution began in China and set warfare on a new course, propelled by firepower, rapid technological innovation, industrialization and killing at a distance. European political revolutions changed how and why we fight, starting with Napoleon and leading to world wars, anti-colonial wars, the Cold War and terrorism. This course examines warfare as part of the human experience and considers how we respond to it as individuals and communities. (GE2B, GEWE)

HIST 063. History of Science and Technology. 4 Units.

Almost every aspect of society, from the automobile to the Internet, from racial and class inequality to gender relations, from AIDS to global warming, includes an important scientific component and has deep historical roots. This course examines the global history of science and technology form antiquity through the present. It seeks to understand how science and technology shape human lives and how society and culture, in turn, shape the development of science and technology. (GE3C, GESO)

HIST 064. A History of Alcohol and Intoxicants. 4 Units.

A survey of how humans have used alcohol and intoxicants from ancient times to the present and how and why they have been central to religion, art, social interaction and many other endeavors. Discussion of the cultural and legal ramifications of intoxication and why standards differ greatly from society to society. (GE1A, GESO)

HIST 065. Women and War. 4 Units.

This course takes an international approach to studying the history of women and war. The objective is to better understand how women’s experience during war has changed over time and differed for women in a variety of countries. The class begins by studying the mythology of women and war, connecting ancient Greek war goddess Athena with present-day Hollywood depictions of women warriors. Lectures then focus on the theories positioning women in war history, and proceeds with a survey of women’s participation in several modern wars, comparing women’s experience in the U.S. with women in other parts of the world. Finally, the course ends with an in-depth discussion of several key themes in the histories of women and war: domestic ideology, prostitution, nursing, soldiering, war work, and protest/peace politics. (GEND)

HIST 066. Ancient Arithmetic. 4 Units.

This course traces mathematical and historical developments throughout the ancient world, ending with the Scientific Revolution. Students will gain mathematical knowledge through the analysis of historical problems and solution methods, while contextualizing these endeavors into a larger historical context. Students will read mathematical primary sources, and will learn to think about the development of mathematical primary sources, and will learn to think about the development of mathematics as an intellectual pursuit over time. This course is cross-listed with MATH 064. Prerequisite: Fundamental Skills.

HIST 067. Jerusalem through the Ages. 4 Units.

This course follows the history and culture of Jerusalem, a sacred city to three major world religions, from pre-history to the present. The course sets the city’s political, cultural, and religious history against the broader backdrop of the history of the region and, in the Common Era, the rise and interactions of various forms of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Along the way students will examine key primary documents as well as important material artifacts that illuminate both the city’s rich history as well as the religions that view it as sacred. Also offered as RELI 031. (GEWE)

HIST 068. Comparative History of Monotheisms: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. 4 Units.

This course compares the history and traditions of three major monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These three traditions are examined comparatively under seven rubrics: Scripture, Authority, Monotheism, Ritual and Worship, Ethics, Material Culture, and Political Organization. The various connections made throughout the course between and among the religions studied will enable students 1. to identify variations on ideas common to each, 2. to discern influences some have exerted upon others, and 3. to understand the various distinctives that have developed within each. Besides learning information about these three religious traditions, the goal of this course is to understand that even religious traditions that claim to be timeless and divinely revealed are affected by the ebb and flow of human activity within particular historical, cultural, and environmental contexts. Also offered as RELI 030. (GEWE)

HIST 070. Historical Imagination. 4 Units.

This course explores some of the ways people have thought about, represented, and used the part across time and space. It introduces students to modern historical practices and debates through examination and discussion of texts and archives that range from scholarly monographs and documents to monuments, oral traditions, and media. This course is required for history majors and minors and recommended at the sophomore level. It is open to others interected in the practice of the historical craft.

HIST 080. Digital Narratives. 4 Units.

This course is an introductory seminar in telling stories about the past through digital mediums and other public spaces that make history accessible. It places special emphasis on emerging digital technologies and new media for communicating narratives about the past while also providing background in the debates and theories of preserving and displaying local history in archives and museums. Local history is studied as a tool for community engagement and for educators wanting to bring primary sources into the classroom. The course’s experiential learning component gives students the opportunity to design and publish their research on the history of the Delta region, including Stockton, San Francisco and Sacramento, in virtual galleries. (GE3C, GEGR)

HIST 089. Public History Practicum. 1 Unit.

Students wishing to gain credit toward the Public History and Museum Studies Minor through selected upper-level history classes (HIST 112, 121, 122, 123, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 140, 144, 151, 167) may enroll in the Public History Practicum. Working under close faculty supervision, students gain valuable practical experience in applying public history and museum studies methods to the materials covered in the linked history course. (Notes: A student may not take more than 2 units of practicum credit toward the Public History and Museum Studies Minor; additional HIST courses may be combined with the HIST 093- Special Topics as History Practicum to satisfy the elective requirements with departmental approval.) Prerequisite: None.

HIST 093. Special Topics. 4 Units.

HIST 100. Renaissance and Reformation. 4 Units.

An in-depth examination of the cultural, intellectual and artistic forces which shaped Europe from 1300-1600. The first half of the course focuses on Renaissance Italy, the second on the various Reformations: German, Swiss, English, Radical and Catholic. (GE2B, GESO)

HIST 101. Tudor and Stuart England. 4 Units.

A multi-disciplinary approach to the history of England from 1485-1688 which examines the social, economic, political and religious forces which shaped this brilliant and barbaric era. The course focuses on the personalities, noble and base, which have shaped English history, and it traces the development of institutions (Crown Parliament, Church) and longtime trends in society and economy, intellectual and cultural history.

HIST 102. The Spanish Empire. 4 Units.

The course covers the late Middle Ages to the 18th century. This course attempts to objectively assess the emergence of the first world empire, its triumphs and tragedies, and its motivations for conquest: glory, greed and God. Social and economic forces are examined as well as diesease, warfare, slavery and statecraft in Spanish possession throughout Europe, the Americas and Asia. (GEWE)

HIST 103. Pirates, Sailors & Smugglers at Sea. 4 Units.

This course explores how oceanic exchanges shaped the early-modern and modern era from 1400 CE to the present. Beginning with the Mediterranean Sea and continuing with units on the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans, the course examines various political, religious, technological, cultural, economic, artistic, and military aspects of the maritime world connecting the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. We will pay particular attention to individuals—sailors, smugglers, pirates, etc.—to unravel how large bodies of water affected the lives of historical actors. Recognizing oceans as vibrant living spaces will challenge our conceptions of borders, empires, and the nation-state and help us define what we mean by the terms global and transnational history. (GE1C, GEWE)

HIST 107. History of Ancient Egypt and the Near East. 4 Units.

This course covers the history and cultures of the pre-Greek ancient world, namely, Egypt and the Near East from the third millennium BCE (3300 BCE) to the beginning of the Hellenistic period (333 BCE). After surveying the geography of the area under study, students examine primary and secondary sources to understand the political currents and social practices of Egypt, Sumer, Babylonia, and Assyria. Special emphasis is given to the origins, development, and social uses of writing / literacy. Also offered as RELI 102. (GEWE)

HIST 111. Europe in Turmoil 1900-1945. 4 Units.

The first half of the twentieth century was a period of turmoil for Europe. The First World War left the continent in ashes and devastated the political, social and economic order of Europe. The communist revolution in Russia shook the world. The new ideologies of Fascism and Nazism took root in several countries, while the democracies struggled with economic crisis and tried to hold on to their empires. We will explore how a half century of unprecedented political, cultural, and technological innovation and experimentation culminated in a second world war and in genocide. Through lectures, readings and discussions of a wide range of historical sources we will try to understand the origins of the conflicts, the sequence of events and the human behavior and values that lie beneath them. (GE1C, GESO)

HIST 112. History of the Holocaust. 4 Units.

The Holocaust remains a unique and ultimately incomprehensible event in human history. Nevertheless, or perhaps because of this dilemma, it teaches us many profound ideas that we should never forget. This course examines the role of the perpetrators, the attitudes of the bystanders, and the reaction of the victims. The class looks at the emergence of Nazism, the life and career of Adolf Hitler and his helpers, and the implementation and execution of mass murder. How did other countries respond to the Holocaust? How did survivors live with the memory of the horrific events? How do we remember the Holocaust today? The course also analyzes the portrayal of the Holocaust in popular film and media today. (DVSY, GEDI)

HIST 113. Global Europe from WWII to 9/11. 4 Units.

This course starts out with a look at the physical, economic, political and moral impacts of World War II on Europe and the world. The challenges of reconstruction led to a bipolar global order and a Cold War world of espionage and nuclear deterrence. We will analyze the politics and cultures of the new postwar societies in Europe that were divided by the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall. While nuclear war could be averted, violence accompanied the break-up of European empires in Asia and Africa. By the 1960s, a global youth movement rebelled against consumerism, gender norms, and traditional politics. In Eastern Europe, political oppression, economic stagnation, and environmental disasters, such as the nuclear accident at Chernobyl, triggered a civil rights movement that brought down the Berlin Wall. At the beginning of the 21st the new European Union faced the global impacts of migration and integration as well as the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the wars in the Middle East. (GE1C, GEND, GEWE)

HIST 114. Modern Germany. 4 Units.

This course addresses politics and the social and cultural movements that shaped German history. In the last one hundred years, Germany has decisively shaped the world we live in, The country's history is framed by two unifications; Bismarck's unification in 1871 and the reunification of Germany in 1989 after the forty year-long Cold War split. The time between these dates was like a terrible roller coaster. Twice Germany tried to become a world leader and dominate large areas of land and people, Both times it failed but not without first bringing war and destruction to tens of millions of people. Good times included the rapid industrialization in the last decades of the nineteenth century, the "roaring twenties" in the metropolis Berlin, the miraculous economic recovery after 1945, and the euphoric atmosphere after the fall of the Berlin Wall. How can we explain these events and developments? Who are the Germans?

HIST 119. History Goes to Hollywood. 4 Units.

This course examines how films shape our understanding of certain historical events. It provides students with the tools to watch films critically and to place them in the context of a broader historical time period. The films selected cover different time periods from the ancient to the modern world and portray a variety of national and cultural contexts. (FILM, GE2C, GEAP, GEND)

HIST 120. Native American History. 4 Units.

Taking an international interdisciplinary approach, this course examines the history of native peoples of different regions of North America from contact to the present. This course looks at how environmental change, disease, and biological vulnerability interacted with racial ideologies, economic, and social factors to facilitate European conquest. While this course is primarily concerned with the United States, considering the whole of North America enables students to see the similarities and differences between Indian experiences in a variety of regions. (DVSY, ETHC, GE1B, GEDI, GESO)

HIST 123. Civil War Era. 4 Units.

This course begins with an analysis of events and factors leading up to the Civil War. It then examines in depth the war years covering the development of technology, leadership, military medicine, and the social experience of war for men and women, free and slave. The course concludes with a study of the immediate post-war years of Reconstruction across the nation. (DVSY, ETHC, GE1B, GEDI, GEND, GESO)

HIST 124. History of the American West. 4 Units.

This course studies the causes and consequences of America's westward expansion and along with the beginnings of Spanish and French settlements to modern times, with emphasis on the people, the myths, and the technologies that have shaped western development and culture. (ETHC)

HIST 125. Early America: From Settlement to New Nation. 4 Units.

This class focuses on the period from the arrival of Europeans and Africans in British North America at the beginning of the seventeenth century through the establishment of the new United States. In a combination of lecture and seminar format, we explore the social, political, cultural, and environmental changes that occurred as the new arrivals and native peoples learned about each other. They created a new world and ultimately, formed a new nation born in blood and fire. But exactly what kind of nation that would be was something that still needed to be resolved. (ETHC)

HIST 130. History of California. 4 Units.

This course is a survey of the Golden State from its first description as a mythical island in the sixteenth century to the state's economic and political prominence in our own times. Native American beginnings, Spanish Mission Period, Mexican California, the Gold Rush and its consequences, and Modern California from World War II to the present are emphasized. In addition, we will also be exploring the immense diversity that created California, from its Native American origins up through its recently arrived immigrants. Class participants select famous "California History Makers" and present their own research with presentations on notable figures in the State's unique history from Spanish friars and explorers to politicians, inventors, scientists, Hollywood's most influential, and others in California's Hall of Fame. This class is especially recommended for future educators, but it is open to all. (ETHC, GESO)

HIST 132. American Immigration. 4 Units.

This course focuses on immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries exploring the experiences of the diverse immigrant communities in the United States. It also explores causes of immigration; experiences within the U.S.; effects of class, race and gender; and issues of identity. America's changing understandings of race and ethnicity over time are also central themes covered. Immigration and ethnicity are pressing social concerns in contemporary America. Congress debates "reform" bills while ordinary Americans protest current policy. While immigration policy issues impress us with their urgency, they are by no means new. (DVSY, ETHC, GE1C, GEDI, GESO)

HIST 133. Women in United States History. 4 Units.

The course examines the history of women in the United States from the colonial era to the present. In addition to examining political reform, it offers insights into the day-to-day lives of diverse American women at various points in the female life cycle. The course is organized chronologically and thematically to promote the study of women in relation to major historical events and to explore women's roles in families, communities, the nation, and the world. It examines cultural models of American womanhood, including maternal, domestic, sexual, and social models, their development and recent changes. The course uses various primary and secondary sources to evaluate both current and historical arguments regarding the status, roles, and experiences of American women. (DVSY, GE1B, GEDI, GEND, GESO)

HIST 135. Women in Time and Place. 4 Units.

This course applies gender studies methods to analyze current events related to women and LGBTQ+ individuals. It is global and comparative and uses historical analysis to understand several contemporary gender and/or women’s issues such as reproductive justice, women’s roles in wartime, political participation, sports and body image, health care, education, crime and punishment, and work. The course considers the perspectives and experiences of women from various social and cultural groups and understands their experiences to be intersectional. It introduces students to significant scholarship in the global history of women and gender. It also teaches the historian’s task of interpreting primary sources. (DVSY, GE2B, GEDI, GEND, GEWE)

HIST 136. American Environmental History. 4 Units.

This course is a topical survey of historical roots of environmental crises in contemporary North America beginning with Western concepts of natural history. The course mainly focuses on three centuries of changing American attitudes and policies and activities that led to the rise of the Conservation Movement by the late nineteenth century, With includes tensions between users and preservers, and the development of an ecological school of environmentalism beginning in the 1940's. (ENST)

HIST 137. His-panic USA. 4 Units.

When writer Oscar Hijuelos first set eyes on the word "Hispanic" he read it as "His-Panic," believing that this group of people caused alarm to Anglo society. Why do Hispanics cause so much panic? Hispanics have replaced African Americans as the largest minority group in the United States. Major news sources have written about the US government's preoccupation and concern with what "Hispanics"/Latinos do, eat, say, wear, and watch. Yet, and perhaps what is at the root of the "panic", the "largest minority" continues to be seen as "foreign." As a group, Hispanics represent all racial groups, while at the same time, they continue to identify with their country of origin rather than with a particular racial group, making it difficult to fit them into the United States' system of racial categorization. (ETHC)

HIST 138. United States Since 1945. 4 Units.

This course focuses on the U.S. since World War II and explores how the diplomatic, economic, social, and political changes shaped American culture and society. Specifically, the course examines the origins and characteristics (both domestic and international) of the Cold War, America's expanding role as a superpower, the struggles and legacies of the Civil Rights Movement, the emergence of the "culture wars," and the significance of America's increasing racial, ethnic, religious, sexual, gender, and class diversity. Moreover, the course reflects how America's past choices inform current debates such as those regarding the war on terror, immigration, and social reform.

HIST 139. Borderlands. 4 Units.

This course takes a unique approach by combining historical inquiry with analysis of contemporary issues in teaching this course. The relationship between Mexico and the United States has been one of conflict and codependency, constantly changing with the shifts in domestic politics and economics on each side of the border. The Mexican and U.S. communities located on or near the border frequently feel the strongest and most immediate impact of this (dis)union. The borderlands are the areas of intersections between cultures, nations, histories. The borderlands, straddling the periphery of two nations, are fundamentally different from either country. Moreover, the border and its culture have many implications that reach far beyond that region, affecting the lives of migrants, laborers, and, on a larger scale, governments and the environment. (ETHC)

HIST 140. Southeast Asia and the West. 4 Units.

This course examines the history of the "lands below the winds" - maritime and mainland southeast Asia - from their epochs of pre-modern greatness to the present as well as the lands of Southeast Asia as both a regional and global crossroads. Southeast Asians were connected with other civilizations through trade and religion early and consistently. Topics include the glories of Angkor and Khmer civilization, the spice trade and the world economy, and the spread of Islam. The course also focus on the European and U.S. colonization of the region's states and their subsequent independence struggles, with in-depth consideration of the Philippines, the Indo-Chinese wars and the events leading to the world's most destructive genocide under the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia.

HIST 141. Imperial China. 4 Units.

For much of its history, China was the most powerful empire in the world. It had the grandest cities, the most formidable armies, the best technology and the biggest economy. Today China is poised to retake its position as the world's superpower. What lessons does history teach us about China today? This course surveys the history of China as a great power in traditional times and ends with consideration of China in the world today. Topics include foreign policy, law and order, political leadership, patriarchy, political reformism, the rise of a merit-based elite class and the dynastic cycle. (GE1C, GESO)

HIST 142. Modern Chinese History. 4 Units.

China's modern history is dramatic. Civil wars, foreign invasions, revolutions, high hopes, heroism, betrayal and bitterness marked what some called China's century of humiliation (ca. 1842-1950). The Chinese monarchy that collapsed in 1911 was replaced with a constitutional republic that never managed to achieve the heroic modernity imagined by its fervent patriots. The People's Republic of China sought to re-invent Chinese society from top to bottom and create a rich and powerful nation. The grimly spectacular failures to achieve this goal left many disappointed. Today, China is still run by a communist party but the newly assertive nation is now heralded by many as the next superpower. In this course, students gain specialized knowledge of events, individuals and ideas that shaped this tumultuous period. The focus is especially on the tension between westernization and modernization.

HIST 143. Japan in War and Peace. 4 Units.

In this course, you gain a broad overview of the processes, events and individuals in Japan’s history since 1800, a period of terrible war and uncertain peace. The historical vulnerabilities of its Pacific Rim location – including both natural disasters and international political rivalries – have been a constant throughout its history. Although life got better for most as the country raced from its feudal past to become an industrial and military giant, the nation could not escape the geopolitical rivalries that brought total war and foreign occupation to its lands for the first time in history. Its 1946 “Peace Constitution” helped lay the foundation for Japan’s global economic clout but did not extend Japan’s political interests in the same way. In 2011, its natural vulnerabilities were brought into focus again by the tsunami and nuclear accident that shook the nation’s confidence. The course concludes with a survey of contemporary East Asian international relations in which South Korea and China have become partners and rivals to Japan. As a seminar for History majors, the course is designed to focus especially on conceptual and theoretical consideration of the facts of Japanese history. This course satisfies the Asia requirement for History majors. This course also counts towards the Asian Studies major.

HIST 144. Contemporary China. 4 Units.

Since about 1990, China has been racing into the future: hundreds of millions of farmers have been lifted out of poverty as the country has grown to be a colossus of the world economy. Its government has a growing "hard power" reach as well as a sophisticated array of "soft power" initiatives. It is sweatshop to the world but also a leader in high-tech fields such as solar panels and mobile devices. Farmers in remote areas struggle to survive, while globe-trotting nouveau riches party the night away in chic nightclubs. This course surveys contemporary issues in China since about 1990, and focuses on the environment and population issues; foreign policy and grand strategy; and society and culture at the street and village level.

HIST 150. Women in Latin America. 4 Units.

The history of Latin America is still, in many ways, the history of male leaders and heroes. This course analyzes gender as both a field of resistance and of the creation and internalization of social norms. Students explore the gendered roles of women and men in Latin America but focus primarily on the lives of women. The course also examines the institutions and ideas that have expanded and limited their place in history and society. Through the use of art, literature, film, and religious forms, students study the cultural attitudes that have affected Latin American women since pre-Columbian times to the present. Topics include: Indian women and the conquest of Latin America, the Virgin Mary, women and Revolution, and icons such as Eva Peron and Frida Kahlo.

HIST 151. People's History of Mexico. 4 Units.

This course explores Mexico’s vibrant history from its indigenous empires and communities before European contact to issues facing the country and its people today. In the process, we will examine major historical themes and developments— society and culture of the Aztecs and Maya, the colonial empire, Independence and of Revolution, modernization and post-modernity—as experienced by or as expressions of the actions and aspirations of Mexico’s people. We will use a variety of texts and multimedia sources to analyze topics including: politics, gender, violence, popular culture, migration, and U.S.-Mexico relations. (GE1C, GEND, GESO)

HIST 160. The Capstone (Pacific History Seminar). 4 Units.

The Pacific History Seminar is the capstone experience of the history program. Students take this course the fall of their senior year or, with permission, as juniors. In this course, students write a research paper based on primary documents from our own and local libraries. The course culminates with the department's capstone conference at which the students present their research orally and submit their final research paper. Interested and qualified students can later submit these research projects at campus and regional undergraduate research conferences and use them as writing samples for professional or graduate school applications.

HIST 167. Gender in the History of Science/Medicine/Technology. 4 Units.

This course introduces students to the literature on gender in the history of science, technology, and medicine. Students learn how to use gender to analyze scientific practice and examine how it intersects with other historical categories such as race, ethnicity, sexuality, class, and nationality. The course explores five interrelated topics: (1) The historical participation of women and men in scientific work, (2) the scientific and historical construction of sex and sexuality, (3) the influence of ideologies of gender on the methodology of science, medicine, and engineering, (4) the gendering of technologies and artifacts, (5) the relation between ideas of gender, science, and politics. Based on their increased historical understanding, students reflect upon their own gendered experiences and expectations in encountering science as students, as laboratory workers, patients, and consumers. This course is open to both science and non-science majors. (DVSY, ETHC, GE3C, GEND, GESO)

HIST 187. Internship. 2-4 Units.

This is an experiential learning opportunity. This may not be substituted for an upper level course.

HIST 189. Practicum. 2-4 Units.

HIST 191. Independent Study. 2-4 Units.

This is a reading tutorial or research tutorial as well as an experiential learning opportunity.

HIST 193. Special Topics. 4 Units.

HIST 197. Independent Research. 1-4 Units.