History

Ancient Greek historiography has a profound influence on the development of Western historiography. This course focuses on understanding Herodotus, the “Father of Western Historiography”, and his works. Through the analysis of the text and the details, it examines Herodotus’ writing style, historical background, the logic behind his works, the culture at that time, and his philosophy.

This course examines the history of Sino-Japanese relations from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. It studies how political, economic, and cultural relations between the two countries have evolved through multiple stages of conflict and cooperation. It covers the following themes: economic development and modernization in East Asia; colonialism and imperialism; Japanese and Chinese nationalism; cross-cultural fertilizations within the Sinosphere; and the relation between war, memory, and national identity.

This course traces the development of western political thought from its classical origins to its most important modern formulations, exploring the main European traditions of inquiry concerning the nature and status of political society, the state, law, citizenship, and relations of power. It extends from Greek antiquity to the early 20th century, and emphasis is placed on the writings of major thinkers and their contemporary historical contexts, including Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Thomas Aquinas, Alfarabi, Niccolò Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Mary Wollstonecraft, Karl Marx, John Stuart Mill, Franz Fanon, Hannah Arendt, and John Rawls.

In this class, students explore the impact of colonies on Europe, more specifically Britain and The Netherlands. Students research the interactions of 19th and 20th century European citizens and colonial subjects by looking at anti-colonial writings to show how these not only influenced the former colonies, but also European countries. Students look at decolonization as a cultural and political phenomenon in both the colonies and Europe from the 19th century until now.

This course analyzes several 19th and 20th century colonial and anti-colonial narratives based on a wide variety of secondary and primary sources. Students draw parallels between 19th and 20th century (anti-)colonial rhetoric and their current-day afterlives. Students explore the complex processes of identity formation that lay at the root of many 21st century political debates surrounding our shared colonial histories. In studying the roots of modern imperialism and resistance against it, students are able critique patterns and attitudes that still shape the relationship of Europe to the wider world. The course takes into account how colonial pasts have influenced history writing itself and explore both historical as well as current calls for decolonization of academia or other public spaces such as museums, and research the history of such current day calls for decolonization.

This course examines the evolution and cultural significance of three staple foods of Italian cuisine, bread, wine, and olive oil, from their ancient roots in the Mediterranean to their role in the enogastronomic traditions of Tuscany. The course traces the origins of these products in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome, and their changing symbolic and cultural meaning across time, from ancient Roman and early Christian civilizations to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Students discuss their contribution to the definition of an Italian national identity and their place in today's food culture. For the study of bread and pasta in modern Italy, students look at the industrialization of wheat growing and of bread and pasta-making techniques, countered by the recent revival of heritage grains, especially in Tuscany. The analysis of Italian wine culture addresses the industrialization of wine production in Italy and the natural wine movement, with a specific focus on wine production in Tuscany. Finally, olive oil is studied from a symbolic, agricultural, and dietary perspective. Comparative tastings of ancient and modern grain breads, of conventional and natural wine, as well as of traditional Tuscan organic olive oil and commercial oil, are part of the class. Field trips to mills, farms, and food sites complement the class contents.