History

This course analyzes the role of political parties in the Chilean democratic system and the socio-historical context of the emergence of new social demands. It explores the formation of social movements in Chile.

The course introduces students to the history, changing fortunes, monuments, and artistic output of Constantinople, successor to Rome and the largest city of the medieval world. This is achieved through the examination of the city’s fabric, of individual monuments with their decoration, and of primary texts which shed light on important questions, with particular emphasis on the transformation of the city from Late Antiquity through the so-called dark ages and into the medieval period (4th - 15th century).

The last two centuries of Japan are the age of war and peace. As the development of the modern world has been crucially shaped through international relations, the analysis of international history is vital to understand modern Japan. Ranging from the Opium War to WWII to the “War Against Terrorism,” lectures and discussions cover the various issues of major wars and their consequences. Primary documents (English version) will be assigned for discussion sessions.

This course helps students discover the history and culture of the country in which they are now staying: The Netherlands. This course explores how and when the Netherlands grew to become the country it now is. When did the Netherlands become a Republic and how come it now also has a King? How did a country that emerged out of religious wars end up among the most ‘progressive’ countries when it comes to ethical questions such as birth control and euthanasia? Why does this small country on the international scene often present itself as a moral leader? How has living below the sea level influenced political cooperativeness and social egalitarianism? How tolerant was and is Dutch society? And how ‘Golden’ was the Golden Age that brought the country its famous painters, but also built on colonial profits? Analyzing the past to make sense of the present, the course explores the most relevant parts of Dutch history and also critically reflects on the concepts and categories often used to relate these to present issues. Can we speak of ‘a’ Dutch identity, and if so, what does it mean? What are the (inter)national images of Dutch culture, and when and why were they constructed? Paintings, songs, literature, and other sources are used to research Dutch national stereotypes in their national context. In weekly tutorials, key aspects of Dutch identity such as the love of independence, tolerance, and egalitarianism are discussed while chronologically moving through Dutch early modern history and modern history. All sessions are a mixture of interactive lectures and PBL format, allowing students to share their own experiences, bring in relevant background knowledge and phrase their own questions. Short individual presentations are used to zoom in on specific famous paintings, songs, novels, and other sources related to the theme of that particular week. This course runs during both block 1 and 2. 

While the history of Japan as a modern nation begins in the Meiji era, much of what we recognize as typical of 'modern life' in Japan begins in the Taisho period, or more generally in the 'interwar' period which extends into the early years of the Showa era. This course examines several aspects of this new 'modern life' with particular attention given to the new social roles, new gender roles, new lifestyles, and new forms of culture that emerged among the new middle class.

This course will be conducted as a seminar, but short 'mini lectures' will be given from time to time on several of these topics. Our main text will be 'House and Home in Modern Japan' by Jordon Sand; this book will serve as the basis for weekly class discussions. In addition, students will be assigned a book (on reserve in the library) to summarize (in small groups) in the form of a group presentation. Finally, students will be asked to produce an essay, based either on a topic related to our main textbook, or a topic related to the book they have been asked to summarize.

Students explore, expose, and open up conversations around King's College London's historic associations with colonialism and racial injustices. It is open to students of different disciplinary backgrounds. Students do not need to have studied history before; over the course of the course, they learn the skills to become historians (or, at least, historians-in-training).

This course surveys the history and culture of Norway during the Viking Era (ca. 750-1030) and the Medieval Era (ca. 1030-1536), including mutual influences and interactions with neighboring regions and peoples. The course includes a focus on Norse mythology and covers the social and political contexts of Viking expeditions, national unification, and conversion to Christianity. It covers the medieval Kingdom of Norway’s period of relative peace and prosperity in the 1200s, and then the Black Death and Kalmar Union. Reading focuses on skaldic and saga literature (especially Icelandic and Norwegian) and other historical primary sources. Also included in this course is consideration of how the memory of the Vikings and Medieval Norway have influenced political and cultural trends in Norway over the past few centuries.

This course introduces major themes in environmental history along with the historical study of the mutual influences of humans and the environment. After critically evaluating how the discipline of environmental history has developed, lectures and discussions focus on topics such as disease, agriculture, gender, and modern environmental problems. The course combines lectures with research assignments to understand how a historian approaches such a topic concerning the environment. 

This course explores how British food has evolved across the centuries. It studies a few of the current food-related issues that are relevant today in the United Kingdom through various analyses of texts, film extracts, menus, maps, and statistics. The course provides the opportunity to reconsider stereotypes to gain a better understanding of British food.

This course surveys Irish labor history. It examines the character of rural and urban social protest movements representing the working poor, the development of trade unionism throughout the island of Ireland, the impact of radical ideologies, the competition from nationalist and unionist politics, and the reasons for the stunted political development of Irish labor. It considers how trade unionism became part of the "social furniture" in the mid-20th century, and examines the ideological and practical challenges faced by the movement in the closing decades of the century.