History
Do you ever wonder why some parts of the world seem to experience constant conflict?
Do you ask yourself why people follow leaders whose policies don't seem to make sense?
Do you feel like you have only part of a bigger picture?
If you answered "yes" then the History program is for you!
In the History program you will study the peoples, cultures, economic, and political systems that have, cumulatively, shaped the world in which we live today. You will also study the many ways in which the history of the past has been told.
Our program will allow you to choose your focus: are you interested in social and cultural history? environmental history? microhistory (the intensive study of a small locale, theme, or group)? Our thematic courses will introduce you to all of these areas and more. Please see the History website at www.kpu.ca/arts/history for more information on our thematic streams.
Even if you don't major in History, the study of the past is an essential part of your education. As you discover History you will gain an enhanced intercultural awareness, learn to think critically and creatively, to evaluate competing viewpoints, and to apply your knowledge of the past to produce an informed and articulate analysis of contemporary global issues. These are the competencies demanded by 21st-Century employers.
The History BA allows you to choose from several thematic streams which will allow you to enter traditional graduate programs. You will also take an upper-level capstone course in which you will apply the skills you gained throughout your History program and develop an ePortfolio to showcase those skills.
Who Studies History?
The study of History is as relevant to new high school graduates as it is to mid-career professionals. By understanding the peoples and cultures that have created our contemporary world, you will be better able to navigate the complexities of our increasingly interconnected and globalized lives. While an interest in history may draw you into our courses, we also offer courses that are relevant to you if you are a student in political science, business, sustainability studies, and many other areas of the university.
Department's website: kpu.ca/arts/history
The versatility of the History program will provide you with valuable competencies including the ability to think critically, to demonstrate intercultural awareness, to carry out research, and to communicate clearly in a variety of formats. Our capstone course will help you to demonstrate these competencies to future employers or graduate programs through a comprehensive portfolio. Your ability to link what you learn in class to the needs of our communities and our world will prepare you for a career in:
- Industry and commerce, including the financial sector, management and research analytics, or banking
- Law
- Communications, media, advertising, marketing, or public relations
- Arts administration, editing or marketing
- Policy advising, planning, evaluation, and policy analysis
- Professional cultural resources management and historic preservation, library sciences, museum or gallery curation, archival studies, genealogy, and records management
- Government administration, coordination and service committee work, report/policy writing
- Education: K-12 or university level
For more information on what you can do with a degree in History, checkout our department’s Career Pathways document.
Visit the BC Transfer Guide - bctransferguide.ca - for information about course transfer in B.C.
HIST 1100 3 credits
Reel History: History through Film
Students will watch films that portray watershed moments in human history. They will be asked to rethink the relationships between "reality" and "representation", and think critically about "history", film, "fact" and "fiction". Students will be guided in the use of films as ways to understand and critique the stories we tell ourselves about our own past, and the purposes behind our particular versions of our past. This course will focus on skills building through a variety of different assignments such as film reviews and blogs.
Level: UG
HIST 1105 3 credits
Changemakers: 12 Little-known Individuals Who Changed the World
Canadian professor and humourist Stephen Leacock once tried to list everything he remembered from his history classes: "Peter the Great, Alfred the Great, Frederick the Great, John the Great, Tom the Great, Jim the Great, Jo the Great, etc., etc." In this class, we take a different approach: Changemakers is a course about twelve ordinary people who effected positive change, spoke truth to power, innovated radically, or fought for justice against long odds. These are people who accomplished much but whose stories History has quietly forgotten--or actively silenced. Turning away from the Greats, we discover the profound possibilities of viewing history "from below." Along the way, we will seek to shatter stereotypes and bust myths, both historical and contemporary. And we will come to understand the ways in which everyday people have made not only history, but also the world we live in today.
Level: UG
HIST 1110 3 credits
Kanata: Indigenous Histories in Canada
Students will learn about Indigenous Peoples' histories since time immemorial in the place currently known as Canada. They will discuss historical events and trends prior to and after the arrival of Europeans, such as origins, sovereignty, encounters with newcomers, resistance to settler colonialism, and political resurgence. Students will learn directly from Indigenous authors and speakers, and will analyze Indigenous primary sources and the historiographies of Indigenous Peoples in these lands.
Level: UG
HIST 1113 3 credits
Cultures in Collision: Canada to 1867
Students will study the political, social, cultural, and economic history of pre-Confederation Canada. They will examine topics such as indigenous relations, imperial rivalries, the impact of wars and rebellions, political reform, and social conflict. Students will gain an understanding of Canada's past, as well as an appreciation of how historical forces have shaped Canadian society today.
Level: UG
HIST 1114 3 credits
Forged in Fire: Canada since 1867
Students will be introduced to the political, social, cultural, and economic history of post-Confederation Canada. They will examine change and conflict in a variety of areas including government policies, native rights, social welfare, Canadian-American relations, cultural nationalism, women's roles, international affairs, Quebec separatism, labour relations, and multiculturalism. Students will examine a variety of perspectives on each of these topics and will gain an understanding of Canada's past, as well as an appreciation of the role of historical forces in shaping our current society.
Level: UG
HIST 1125 3 credits
Origins of the Modern West: The Great Transformations
Students will be introduced to the most significant social, political, economic, and cultural developments that contributed to the making of the modern western world. Beginning with the print revolution and concluding with the revolutions in Russia, students will analyze the origins and implications of the great transformations that shaped the western world between the 15th and the 20th Centuries. They will also consider the global implications of the rise of the West during this era.
Level: UG
HIST 1130 3 credits
Empires in Arms: Twentieth Century World 1900-1945
Students will examine important global developments in the first half of the twentieth century. They will evaluate the impact of imperialism, the causes and effects of the First World War, the nature of revolutionary movements in China, Japan, and Russia, as well as the global results of the postwar settlement. Students will also analyze the global appeal of fascism, the impact of the Great Depression, and the factors leading to war in Asia and in Europe.
Level: UG
HIST 1131 3 credits
Atom Bombs to the Internet: Twentieth Century World 1945-2000
Students will examine some of the major global developments in the latter half of the twentieth century, including the devastating impact of the Second World War, genocide, and the atomic bomb. They will also analyze key issues in the postwar world, including the emergence of a bipolar world and the global impact of the power wielded by the Soviet Union and the United States; the causes and consequences of decolonization and the roots of neo-colonialism; the environmental effects of industrial growth and energy use; the results of the fall of Soviet-style communism; and the impact of globalization.
Level: UG
HIST 1145 3 credits
Expansion, Revolution, & Civil War: American History 1607-1865
Students will examine the development of the United States from the colonial era to the Civil War years. They will study the origins of the Thirteen Colonies, the impact of the Revolutionary War, the development of the early Republic, slavery, the origins of the Civil War, and early industrialization. Students will pay special attention to the evolution of American politics, economic and social trends, race relations, and westward expansion.
Level: UG
HIST 1146 3 credits
World Wars, Reform, & Cold War: American History 1865-1960
Students will examine the major political, economic and social developments in the United States from 1865 to the 1960s. They will study the growth of the United States into a superpower and the accompanying changes in domestic society which have taken place since the Civil War era.
Level: UG
HIST 1150 3 credits
Beyond the Middle Kingdom: Introduction to East Asian History
Students will examine select themes in the history of East Asia. They will examine major developments in China and Japan to approximately 1600, focusing on religious, social, cultural, economic, and political developments, as well as the interactions among the cultures and states of this region.
Level: UG
HIST 1160 3 credits
A Passage to South Asia: Introduction to South Asian History
Students will examine major developments in South Asian society, economics, and culture from the beginnings of civilization on the subcontinent, through the development of new political structures under the early and medieval kingdoms, the establishment of the Mughal Empire, and the period of the British Raj. They will also examine the origins and growth of the independence movement and the emergence of post-colonial independent states on the subcontinent.
Level: UG
HIST 1190 3 credits
Explorations in History
Explorations in History will introduce students to a range of current thematic topics in the discipline. The topic will vary depending on the instructor and the semester. Students will evaluate arguments and their supporting evidence, interrogate sources for bias and reliability, and write persuasively mindful of audience, purpose, and situation. The topics will focus on similarities and differences among peoples and cultures across time and geographic space.
Level: UG
HIST 2101 3 credits
Europe in the Middle Ages
This course examines the evolution of medieval society and its institutions from the end of the Roman Empire to the later Middle Ages. Students will evaluate the contributions made by the medieval world to the modern era, and will be asked to challenge traditional assumptions about the "Dark Ages". They will examine and analyze key developments in this time period including the rise of the Frankish Empire, the agricultural revolution, the evolution of the Western Church, the 12th Century Renaissance, and the catastrophes of the 14th Century. They will also evaluate the vital relationship between the West and its neighbours, in particular the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic world, during this era.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 2102 3 credits
Europe 1450 to 1789
Students will survey the major political, social, economic and cultural trends in European history from the Renaissance to the French Revolution, focusing on some of the key issues which emerged during this period. They evaluate the nature and impact of the eras of Renaissance and Reformation, and will examine the development of Western influence in the world. Students will also focus on the connections between the early modern world and later historical developments.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 2119 3 credits
Europe 1789 to 1914
Students will examine the revolutionary era which began in France in 1789 and evaluate its political, economic, social, and cultural impact across Europe. They will also study the impact of the Industrial Revolution and the ways in which it rewrote Europe's socio-economic history and created new challenges for its political system. Students will also identify those elements of tradition that transcended the constant upheavals of this period.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 2156 3 credits
Martial Arts of China and Japan
Students will challenge the portrayal of East Asia martial arts as ancient, timeless, and even mystical, by examining the history of the martial arts. They will examine how military techniques intended for use in war, policing, and the control of banditry came to be practiced as methods of moral, spiritual, and physical self-cultivation. Students will examine the historical origins of martial arts in Japan and China, their evolution over time, and how they both subverted and served stage agendas in the modern era. They will also examine the role of martial arts in popular culture. Note: Students may earn credit for only one of HIST 2156 or ASIA 2156, as they are identical courses.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 6 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher
Cross-listing: ASIA 2156
HIST 2200 3 credits
Making History
History 2200 will introduce students to the practice of “making history” through a variety of experiential assignments. They will also examine the different lenses through which historians approach the study of the past. Students will engage with the artefacts of the past through primary sources, oral records, visual media, and material culture, as they develop their critical thinking and analytical skills. This course is strongly recommended for students pursuing a degree in history.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 6 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 2300 3 credits
Introduction to World Civilizations
Students will analyze the rise and fall of some of the major civilizations of the world. They will focus primarily on non-western civilizations including China, Japan, Islam, India, and the civilizations of Africa and the Americas. Students will conclude by examining the rise of Western Civilization and the resultant struggles between tradition and westernization which have become an increasingly prominent feature of the modern world. They will also evaluate the nature and adequacy of terms such as "civilization," "tradition," and "modernity."
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 3 credits of HIST or ASIA at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 2301 3 credits
The Ancient World
Students will survey the major cultures of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia, India, China, Greece, Rome, Mesoamerica and the Andes in antiquity, focusing on the rise of complex urban societies, the development of social, political, religious, and philosophical systems, and cultural transmission and transformation. They will consider the origin of cities, the rise and fall of empires, the relationship between citizen and state, between religion and politics, and between politics and art. Students will evaluate the contributions these ancient societies have made to the modern world.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 2302 3 credits
Consuming Passions: A Global History of Food
Food is perhaps the most basic of all human needs, but how often do we pause to consider the ways in which food has transformed the world around us? In this course, students will focus on key periods in global history, from the Paleolithic era to the post-industrial world, and study the ways in which food and its production have shaped, transformed, and enhanced global development. This course has been designed to encourage students from a variety of disciplines to contribute their knowledge to the class.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 6 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 2303 3 credits
Bleat, Bark, Buzz: Animals in Global History
Animals are everywhere. Throughout history, humans have lived with them, worked with them, caught diseases from them, worshipped them, consumed them, and bred them into different shapes and sizes. Despite these entangled pasts, animals remain strangely elusive in the study of the history. Do animals have history? This course introduces students to more-than-human history on a global scale, emphasizing the past five centuries. Students will read and produce cutting-edge scholarship as they learn to "think with animals."
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 3 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 2304 3 credits
Canadian-American Relations
Students will examine the major events and themes which have shaped the Canadian-American relationship from the American Revolution to the present. They will identify how this relationship has affected culture and the mass media, trade and investment, resource policies, defence, external affairs, and trade unionism.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 2306 3 credits
Pandemics & Disease in History: Soul Loss, Miasma, and Wayward Qi
Using an interdisciplinary lens, students will study the origins and impacts of, and attitudes towards, epidemic and pandemic disease across time and geographic space. They will pay particular attention to the ways in which disease has impacted the relationships among peoples and cultures over time, and to the impacts of disease on global power and influence. Students will be introduced to a broad range of cultural beliefs about disease and its transmission.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 6 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 2307 3 credits
Twentieth Century Britain
Students will thematically examine the socio-political impact of the First World War; the inter-war period and the rise of leftist politics; the trauma of the Great Depression; appeasement and the Second World War; post-war recovery and Britain under the American shadow; the impact of the decline of the British Empire; the social upheaval of the sixties; the gradual swing to the right under Margaret Thatcher; and, the rise of "New Labour". They will conclude this course with an examination of Britain in the new Europe.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 2308 3 credits
Brewing History: Fermentations from Beer to Distilling in Global History & Cultures
Using an interdisciplinary lens, this course will introduce the origins, impacts, cultural and scientific developments related to brewing beer and other alcohols across time and societies. Starting with fermentations, the development of brew and beer cultures, wine, distillation of alcohols and moving finally to modern global alcohol markets and adaptations, students will examine the ways in which brewing and distillations have impacted the relationships among peoples, economies and cultures. With a particular focus on beer, students will be introduced to a broad range of cultural beliefs, systems and brew civilizations across the globe. Note: This course is cross-listed with HOPS 2308. Students may earn credit for only one of these courses.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 6 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher
Cross-listing: HOPS 2308
Attribute: ARTS
HIST 2314 3 credits
Gender and Sexuality in Canada
Students will examine the shifting roles, experiences, and meanings of gender and sexuality in Canada from its earliest colonial moments to the present day. History 2314 explores how the perceptions of gender and sexuality have changed across time, as well as how these changing concepts have shaped the historical development of northern North America. We will come to understand gender and sexuality as fundamental factors affecting the lived experience of different communities, as well as the construction of various social, political, cultural, and economic structures. In doing so, students will gain critical frameworks for reassessing the gendered dynamics of both the past and present world.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 6 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 2315 3 credits
Canadian Crime in Historical Perspective
Students will examine the history of crime, criminals, and criminal justice from the 17th to the 21st centuries. They will focus on the way crime has been defined and managed over time and assess how factors such as class, ethnicity, race, religion, and gender have affected criminal justice and the people accused or convicted of crime. Students will gain an understanding of how historical forces have shaped modern Canadian views of crime and its treatment.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 6 credits at the 1100-level or higher
HIST 2335 3 credits
War in the Modern World
Students will analyze the role of warfare in modern history. They will consider the relationship between war and society and the ways in which changes in one area produce changes in the other. Students will examine the "military revolution" of the sixteenth century, and trace the subsequent developments in the evolution of modern warfare up to and including the age of Total War. Students will analyze these developments within a broader global context where appropriate.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 2350 3 credits
Late Imperial China
Students will examine the history of the late Imperial period in China from the Ming Dynasty through the Qing conquest of 1644 and to the fall of the dynasty in the 1911 Revolution. Students will examine the strengths and weaknesses of Ming and Qing society from political, economic, social, and cultural perspectives, in order to understand the stresses generated by globalizing trade and flows of people, social transformations, foreign imperialism, and domestic rebellion.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 2351 3 credits
Opium, Alcohol, & Tobacco in Asian History & Culture
Students will examine the very different ways in which drugs and alcohol have been looked upon over time in different cultural contexts. They will analyze differing interpretations of drugs and alcohol at pivotal moments in Asian history, where arguably, opium, alcohol, and tobacco (among others) have played important economic, geo-political, and social roles, not just as drugs but as strategic resources and cultural ‘habits’. Students will also examine the ways in which drugs and alcohol have shaped Asian history, including local and regional economies, social practices, material cultures, imperialisms, and even contemporary governments. Note: Students may earn credit for only one of ASIA 2351 or HIST 2351, as they are identical courses.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 6 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher
Cross-listing: ASIA 2351
HIST 2355 3 credits
The Chinese Overseas: A Global History of Chinese Migration
Students will undertake an analysis of migration in modern Chinese history, with an emphasis on overseas migration. They will be introduced to relevant theories concerning migration, diaspora, and transnationalism before examining and analyzing the development of ethnic Chinese communities abroad over the past two centuries. Note: Students may earn credit for only one of HIST 2355 or ASIA 2355, as they are identical courses.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 6 credits in courses at the 1100 level or higher
Cross-listing: ASIA 2355
HIST 2359 3 credits
Tea in Asia
Students will explore the rich history, material culture, and practices related to tea in Asia. Beginning as a commodity and drink native to China, tea would eventually come to dominate much of the world. Throughout this course, students will examine the various “ways” and cultures of tea in modern Asia, and how tea has shaped history through economies, social practices, and politics. Students will learn that tea in China, Japan, and India is not just a historical artifact—it is a way of life. From tea plantations to art, commodity chains to literature, tea has become both a national drink and social imperative across Asia. This course is cross-listed with ASIA 2359. Students may earn credit for only one of these courses.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 6 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher
Cross-listing: ASIA 2359
HIST 2365 3 credits
Pathways to Nirvana: Cultural History of Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion, a philosophy, a ritual system, and a set of cultural practices in play throughout Asia. Students will examine the cultural history of select aspects of Buddhist thought and practice. They will examine philosophy, ritual, and other impacts of Buddhism within Asian culture including its role in politics and its impact on women, diet, and other key aspects of Asian society. Note: Students may earn credit for only one of ASIA 2365 or HIST 2365, as they are identical courses.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 6 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher
Cross-listing: ASIA 2365
HIST 2375 3 credits
Japan under the Shoguns, 1600 to 1868
Students will critically examine the history of Japan during the Tokugawa era (1600 to 1868 CE). They will analyze the creation and structure of the Tokugawa shogunate, as well as Japan's interactions with the West and China during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Students will analyze intellectual, cultural, and economic developments during the long Tokugawa peace, including the evolution and maturation of the samurai class; Genroku culture and the Floating World; and, the Japanese response to Western imperialism in the mid-nineteenth century.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 2380 3 credits
Global Environmental History
Students will engage with the intellectual diversity of environmental history, its varied approaches, and its treatment of regions across the globe. They will study key issues such as land use, agriculture, water, fire, forests, grasslands, fisheries, animals, rural, peri-urban, and urban environments, and environmentalism. Students will also investigate environmental science and history, conservationism, environmental historiography, and technology and degradation in a global context.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): Any 6 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 3140 3 credits
Environment and Society in East Asia
Students will critically analyze the interaction between environments and societies in East Asia. They will critically examine environmental history, institutional politics, property rights, and political ecology. Students will analyze the historical background of specific environmental problems, examine the legacies of late imperial, early twentieth, and late twentieth century policies on the use and abuse of natural resources. They will critically examine a broad range of issues including agriculture, forests, wildlife and biodiversity, grasslands, water, and the impact of "mammoth projects". NOTE: Students may earn credit for only one of HIST 3140 or ASIA 3140, as they are identical courses
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 27 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits from courses in ASIA or HIST.
Cross-listing: ASIA 3140
HIST 3145 3 credits
Earth & Air / Fire & Water: An Introduction to Eco-Activist Movements
History 3145 will introduce students to environmentalism and eco-activist movements. Environmental movements are some of the most successful, and controversial, social movements of the last two centuries, and they have helped reshape many aspects of popular culture, academic disciplines and public policy. While this is especially true of North America and Europe, this is also true in the developing world. Students will critically examine the ideologies of some of the founders of “secular” North American environmental movements, including Henry David Thoreau, Aldo Leopold, and John Muir, as well as some of the environmentalist ideas found among many Indigenous groups and in a number of religious traditions. This foundation will then lead to an examination of several key environmentalist social movements around the globe.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits from courses in HIST
HIST 3149 3 credits
Hong Kong: Past, Present, and Future
Students will undertake an in-depth analysis of Hong Kong's history from its days as a remote fishing outpost and pirate haven, through its development as a British-administered trading port and colony, and finally to its emergence as a Pacific Rim economic powerhouse. They will place historical developments in Hong Kong into a broader regional and global context. Students will also critically analyze contemporary issues such as the impact of Hong Kong's liberation from colonial rule, the role of "One Country - Two Systems" in protecting Hong Kong's unique character, the region's economic prospects following the opening of China's economy, and the ongoing struggle for democratic reform. NOTE: Students may earn credit for only one of HIST 3149 or ASIA 3149, as they are identical courses.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 27 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits from courses in ASIA or HIST.
Cross-listing: ASIA 3149
Attribute: ARTS
HIST 3150 3 credits
East Asian Immigrants to North America
Students will critically analyze East Asian immigration to North America over the past two hundred years. They will also examine settlement experiences in North America, with a particular emphasis on the connections between immigrants and their homelands, interactions among East Asian immigrants and other groups in North America, and the development of ethnic communities. Students will critically examine issues including discrimination and racism, anti-immigrant legislation, the creation of ethnic enclaves, Japanese internment, the struggle for civil and political rights, assimilation and multiculturalism, inter-generational tensions within ethnic communities, transnationalism, and contemporary migration issues. Note: ASIA/HIST 2355 strongly recommended. Note: Students may earn credit for only one of HIST 3150 or ASIA 3150, as they are identical courses.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 27 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits from courses in ASIA or HIST
Cross-listing: ASIA 3150
Attribute: ARTS
HIST 3180 3 credits
North American Environmental History
Students will critically analyse the ecological, historical, and political diversity of environmental history in North America. They will engage with issues related to land use, agriculture, hydro and wind power, forestry, fisheries, rural-urban development, resource extraction, and environmentalism. Students will investigate and analyse the development of environmental policy, environmental science and technology, issues related to the impact of the Cold War, and environmental degradation in the United States and Canada, and within a global context.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including either (a) HIST 2380 or (b) 9 credits from courses in HIST
HIST 3310 3 credits
The Fibre of Society: Textile Production in Global History
This course has been designed for students from a wide variety of disciplinary backgrounds. We will be critically analyzing the connection between the production of textiles and global development, beginning in the Paleolithic era and concluding in the present. By assessing topics such as the Paleolithic string revolution; textile production in Ancient Egypt, Greece, and China; the role and impact of the Silk Road; and the interconnections among textiles, slavery, colonialism, industrialization, and capitalism, we will determine the degree to which the production of textiles has influenced every fibre of the contemporary world.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 60 credits at the 1100 level or higher
HIST 3315 3 credits
Radicalism, Resistance, and Revolution
Students will critically examine the history of left-wing activism, protest politics, and social movements in Canada and the United States since the 1960s. They will critically analyze a diverse array of topics including case-studies of specific groups such as the Black Panther Party, thematic issues such as the notion of the “long-Sixties,” the development of new forms of feminism, transformations in Indigenous activism and the growth of Red Power, and debates over the morality and practicality of political tactics, including sabotage and self-defence. Students will also investigate debates over the definition and nature of different “movements,” and probe the complicated relationships that exist among ideology, culture, politics, and identity.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits from courses in HIST
Attribute: ARTS
HIST 3327 3 credits
History of Russia to 1917
Students will critically analyze the major developments in, and the role of individuals who shaped pre-Bolshevik Russia. They will evaluate and analyze political, cultural, and social developments beginning with the rise of Muscovite Russia and the evolution of Russian absolutism, and concluding with an analysis of the last years of Imperial Russia, war, and revolution. Students will focus on the relationship between the autocratic state and Russian society. Students will also be introduced to the historiography of Imperial Russia.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 3328 3 credits
History of the Soviet Union
Students will critically analyze the major developments in, and the role of the individuals who shaped Soviet history from 1917 to 1991. They will evaluate and analyze political, cultural, and social developments, including the revolutionary era, the New Economic Policy, Stalinism and its implications, Destalinization under Khrushchev, and the Brezhnev era. Students will critically evaluate the Gorbachev era and analyze the reasons for and implications of the eventual disintegration of the Soviet Union. They will also analyze the ways in which historians have approached the history of the Soviet era.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 3329 3 credits
The Medieval Mediterranean
This course analyzes the Mediterranean, a location that was the focus of much political, religious, and socio-economic activity in the medieval period, and a space in which various polities, faiths, and communities interacted. The course explores the ways in which Latin Christendom, the Byzantine Empire, and Islamic polities, as well as various communities such as the Jews, interacted with each other, in, across, and around the Mediterranean. We pay attention to issues that solidified differences between and among these groups, such as holy war, but also to factors that allowed the flourishing of cross-cultural and inter-religious interactions, such as diplomacy, trade, and conversion. The course stresses that cross-cultural interactions in the Mediterranean were, and remain, complex, multifaceted, and nuanced, and cannot be reduced to a simplistic “clash of civilizations,” challenging viewpoints that we hear in contemporary discourse.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits from courses in HIST
Attribute: ARTS
HIST 3331 3 credits
Modern German History
This course will critically examine the broad arc of German history, beginning at unification in 1871 and concluding in the early twenty-first century. We will assess the legacy of unification, the impact of the First World War on the creation and ultimate demise of the Weimar Republic. Students will critically analyze the global impact of the rise of Nazism and of the Holocaust, linking these events to the postwar developments in East and West Germany, and the factors which led to reunification in 1990. The course concludes with a critical examination of Germany’s post unification achievements and challenges.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 3340 3 credits
The Civil War and Reconstruction
Students will critically analyze the events leading to the American Civil War, the four years of the conflict, and the subsequent Reconstruction era. They will critically evaluate and analyze the development of the Southern plantation economy versus the industrial North, the growing division between North and South over the issue of the expansion of slavery into the west, the breakdown of the major national parties, the rise of the Republican Party, and secession. They will critically analyze the social, economic, political, and military nature of the war and its effects on race and gender in the United States. Students will also evaluate the impact of the freeing of slaves and the consequences of Reconstruction on American society up to 1877. They will examine and critique the latest scholarship on the Civil War and Reconstruction.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits from courses in HIST
HIST 3344 3 credits
Colonial America
Students will critically analyze the social, cultural, religious, economic, and political development of Colonial America from the time of contact between indigenous peoples and the European explorers and colonizers to the eve of the American Revolution. They will evaluate the growth and nature of the Southern, Middle and New England colonies, the interaction between indigenous, European, and African peoples; and the imperial struggle between the English, French, and Spanish empires in America. Students will examine in detail the diversity of peoples in Colonial America and the formation of an American political culture by the 1760s. They will also analyze the ways in which historians have approached the history of Colonial America.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 3345 3 credits
History of the American West
Students will critically analyze the history of the American West, from the time of colonization to the twentieth century. They will critically examine key topics such as the interaction of diverse peoples west of the Mississippi River, the policies of the United States government in directing western settlement, the rise of territorial governments and communities, exploitation of natural resources, the role of women and ethnic minorities in western life, and the significance of the West in the history of the United States as a whole. Students will critically analyze various historical perspectives on the American West throughout the course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 3346 3 credits
History of the American Revolution 1760-1791
Students will examine the various causes and consequences of the American Revolution. They will explore the political, social, economic, and cultural impact that the War for Independence had upon the formation of the United States. Students will develop critical reading and research skills by evaluating the historiography of the American Revolution.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 3347 3 credits
The United States since 1945
Students will critically examine the emergence of the United States as a global superpower in 1945. They will analyze the impact of rising national prosperity, coupled with growing tensions with the Soviet Union, and the profound changes which these two factors brought to American society. Students will examine the pressures placed upon an enlarged federal government to expand social programs and civil rights, even as many Americans deplored the growth of the welfare state. Students will undertake an in-depth analysis of the impact of the Cold War on American foreign policy and society, the politics of the social welfare state, the civil rights struggles, the war in Vietnam, cultural trends, Watergate, environmentalism, the neo-conservative revolution, and the challenges of a changing world order since the 1990s. Note: Students may earn credit for only one of HIST 2370 or HIST 4445.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits from courses in HIST
Credit Exclusion: HIST 2370,HIST 4445
Attribute: ARTS
HIST 3350 3 credits
China in the Twentieth Century: Reforms and Revolutions
Students will undertake a critical examination of the history of China from the end of the nineteenth century to the dawn of the twenty-first century. They will critically analyze the sweeping changes experienced by the Chinese, starting with the slow collapse of the traditional imperial order and culminating in China’s emergence as an economic powerhouse. Students will critically examine the impacts of imperialism, rebellion, revolution, invasion, civil war, Maoist utopianism, and finally the economic reforms and social upheavals of the post-Mao era.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits from courses in HIST
Attribute: ARTS
HIST 3360 3 credits
British India 1857 to 1947
Students will critically examine developments in Indian society and culture during the period of British Raj, including the establishment and structure of British rule, the origins and growth of the independence movement, the evolution of political institutions, and the emergence of postcolonial independent states on the subcontinent.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits from courses in HIST.
HIST 3361 3 credits
Indian Subcontinent since 1947
Students will critically analyze the political, social, and cultural developments since independence in 1947 in the states of the Indian subcontinent: India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. They will examine developments such as the evolution of nationalism, the construction of political and administrative systems, cultural and social changes, inter-state relations, and major political and economic events and developments to the end of the twentieth century.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits from courses in HIST
HIST 3370 3 credits
History of Modern Japan
Students will critically examine the history of Japan during the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. They will analyze the impact of the West, the formation of the modern imperial state, social conflict during the Taisho period, the creation of the Japanese empire, the China and Pacific Wars, the Occupation Era, and the structural realignments of the postwar period. In addition to exploring social, cultural, political, and economic changes during this period, students will also critically examine the evolution of Japanese understandings of 'modernity' and 'tradition' and the construction of modern Japanese identity.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 3385 3 credits
From the Stone Age to the Drone Age: A Global History of Technology & War
In response to the increasing destructiveness of modern weapons the famous physicist Albert Einstein once noted that while he did not know what weapons would be used to fight World War III, he was certain that World War IV would be fought with sticks and stones! How did humanity come to develop the capacity to destroy civilization and possibly even exterminate the human race? Students in this course will seek out answers to this question by critically examining the symbiotic relationship between war and technology throughout history. We will start by exploring the rise of the first empires and the technology of war in the ancient world, and finish with an examination of how computers and robotics are transforming war in the 21st century. Along the way we will examine how warfare has driven technological development, and how technology in turn has shaped the conduct and outcome of wars.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits from courses in HIST
Attribute: ARTS
HIST 3394 3 credits
The Two World Wars
Students will undertake a critical analysis of the two world wars of the twentieth century from a military, political, economic, and social perspective. Students will critically examine the causes and conduct of the wars, as well as their larger social and economic impacts, on both the local and global fronts.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits from courses in HIST
HIST 3397 3 credits
Guerillas in the Mist: Terrorism in the Modern World
Students will critically examine the role and impact of guerilla organizations and terrorist groups in the modern world. They will weigh popular claims that terrorist groups accomplish little of substance against the actual achievements of guerilla organizations and terrorist groups in the twentieth century and at present. Students will analyze movements which emerged in such places as China, Japan, the Middle East, Europe, Central and South America, Africa, and Central Asia. They will also critically examine the major theorists of guerilla warfare including Mao Zedong, Vo Nguyen Giap, Carlos Marighella, and Che Guevara and will critically examine the nature and implications of terms such as 'guerilla', 'terrorist', and 'freedom fighter'. Note: HIST 2335 recommended
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits of HIST
HIST 4400 3 credits
Applications of History
Students will critically evaluate whether the pursuit of an understanding of the past is either a desirable or an attainable objective. They will undertake a critical examination of historical methodology as currently practiced, analyzing key issues such as the nature of historical thinking; the validity of historical research and evidence; the uniqueness of historical analysis; and the significance of competing schools of historical interpretation. Students will also critically analyze why the past is so often the subject of controversy in popular and public culture; the nature of history outside the classroom; and the relationship between popular presentations of the past and scholarly writings about history. Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 4405 3 credits
Doing Digital History: Apps, Video Games, and the Future of the Past
Students will critically evaluate and contribute to the fields of digital and public history. Working as a production team in close partnership with the City of Surrey Archives, students will expand the “Global Surrey” history app, a free smartphone application that melds local and global history. Note: This is a seminar-based course. Note: Students may earn credit for only one of HIST 2390 or HIST 4450.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits from courses in HIST
Credit Exclusion: HIST 2390
Attribute: ARTS
HIST 4407 3 credits
British Society and Culture, 1900-2000
Students will interpret key issues in the development of Britain's social and cultural history through the twentieth century. They will critique the concept of the nation in decline, in light of Britain's continuing cultural contributions. Students will also explore the changing face of social class and the interplay between this and the development of modern British culture—both 'high-' and 'low-brow'. Students will analyze developments as far-ranging as the decline of aristocracy and the emergence of Pop Art in the 1960s, to the emergence of a middle class hegemony and the creation of Margaret Thatcher's "nation of home owners". Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 4414 3 credits
Race and Ethnicity in Canadian History
Students will critically analyze the historical evolution of notions of race and ethnicity in Canada. They will pay particular attention to how ideas, social structures, and experiences relating to race and ethnicity have changed across time and geographic space, as they critically examine the relationship between historically-rooted ideas of race and ethnicity, and other variables including class, gender, sexuality, religion, culture, law, and politics. Note: this is a seminar-based course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits from courses in HIST
Attribute: ARTS
HIST 4420 3 credits
Europe in the "Age of the Dictators"
Students will undertake an in-depth analysis of European dictatorships from 1918 to 1945. They will examine and critically analyze the phenomenon of dictatorship within its European political, social, economic, and cultural context. Students will focus primarily on the dictatorships of the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, but other European dictatorships will receive consideration as well. Students will develop a stronger and more sophisticated understanding of European dictatorship through an examination of the extensive and controversial literature that exists on the topic. Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 4430 3 credits
The Holocaust in History
Students will critically analyze the origins, causes, progression, and development of the National Socialist campaign against the Jews and the so-called "Undesirables" who found themselves living in Hitler's Europe. They will utilize an interdisciplinary approach to examine and analyze the groups and individuals involved in the Holocaust, including perpetrators, victims, bystanders, resistance fighters, and rescuers. Students will also critically evaluate the meaning, impact, and aftermath of the Holocaust through readings, films, and discussions, paying particular attention to the interrelationships among technology, bureaucracy, and genocide. They will evaluate in-depth the historiographical debates concerning the origins, evolution, impact, and memorialization of the Holocaust. Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 4450 3 credits
China and the West
Students will critically analyze the mutually influential relationship between China and the West from early medieval contact through to the end of the twentieth century. They will examine and analyze both sides of this 'Great Encounter' through a combination of chronological and thematic perspectives. Students will investigate myths such as China's supposed backwardness or its reputedly 'monolithic, unchanging, and isolationist' attitudes towards other cultures. They will also apply the same critical perspective to the examination of the West's own periodic bouts of Sinomania and Sinophobia. Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 4460 3 credits
Gandhi in History
Students will critically analyze the evolution of Mohandas K. (Mahatma) Gandhi's concept of Satyagraha, or non-violent non-cooperation. They will critically analyze the application of this concept during Gandhi's political activities in South Africa and as the recognized leader of the independence movement in India. Students will also critically evaluate Gandhi's influence on other non-violent, non-cooperative methods of political activism during the Twentieth Century, including the Civil Rights movement in the United States and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 4470 3 credits
Warriors of Japan: The Samurai
Students will examine and critically analyze the unique history and culture of Japan's samurai warrior class, from its ancient origins to its transformation under the Tokugawa regime and its spiritual reincarnation in modern times. They will also critically examine the construction and transformation of bushido (the way of the warrior) from pre-history to the present. Students will focus on two central themes: the historical reality of the samurai and the construction of samurai mythology both in Japan and abroad. They will analyze the course material through a variety of sources, including primary documents relating to samurai life, the samurai tales of the pre-modern period, and Japanese and foreign cinematic portrayals of the samurai and bushido. Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 4480 3 credits
The Vietnam War in Historical Perspective
Students will analyze key issues related to the history of American involvement in Vietnam. They will critically examine topics such as the French role in Indochina and the outcome of the first Indochinese War; the motivations behind American involvement in the region; the nature of the war itself; cultural assumptions underlying the war; the impact of the war both within the United States and in Indochina; the legacy of the war with respect to regional and global history; and the representations of the war in film, literature, music, and monuments. Note: This is a seminar-based course. Note: HIST 1146 strongly recommended.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 4485 3 credits
The Great Strategists
Students will critically analyze the evolution of military strategy around the world, its relationship to technology, politics, and culture, and its impact on the conduct of warfare throughout history. They will critically analyze the influence of selected writings by strategists such as Sun Zi, Thucydides, Chinggis Khan, Khalid ibn al-Walid, Napoleon, Carl von Clausewitz, Antoine-Henri Jomini, Alfred Thayer Mahan, Ivan Bloch, Giulio Douhet, Hans Guderian, and Mao Zedong. Students will also critically analyze the concept of "Just War", the role of morality in war, and the writings of influential pacifists and critics of war such as Leo Tolstoy and Aldous Huxley. Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 4486 3 credits
World War II in the Pacific
Students will critically examine the history of the Second World War in the Pacific. They will analyze various aspects of the conflict, including the rise of militarism in Japan, the origins of the Sino-Japanese War, the Rape of Nanjing, the attack on Pearl Harbor, the reasons for the early Japanese victories, the Allied counter-offensive, the war at sea, the role of race and propaganda, strategic bombing, the decision to drop the Atomic Bombs, and the aftermath of the war in Asia. Students will also explore the impact of the war on individuals through the critical examination of memoirs from participants on all sides of the conflict.Note: This is a seminar course. Note: Students may earn credit for only one of HIST 3380 or HIST 4486.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits from courses in HIST
Credit Exclusion: HIST 3380
Attribute: ARTS
HIST 4490 3 credits
History of British Columbia
Students will critically examine some of the most significant social, cultural, political, and economic developments in British Columbia's history, including colonization, settlement, ethnic relations, environmental issues, women's roles, government policies, counterculture, and public education. Students will assess the province's past and, through this, gain an understanding of how historical forces have shaped our society. Students will critically analyze B.C.'s distinctive development, guided by the 1870 dictum of Dr. John Sebastian Helmcken, who stated that "British Columbia is in, but not of Canada". Note: This is a seminar-based course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 4492 3 credits
Canadian Social History: Order & Disorder
Students will critically analyze a key element of Canadian social history, namely protest, and the resulting responses by Canadian governments to activities ranging from strikes and riots, to campaigns for free speech, Indigenous rights, gender equality, environmental protection, and treason. They will critically examine the landmark legal cases that have crystallized these issues. Students will evaluate trials to reveal not only a society's practice of adjudication and system of jurisprudence, but also its often hidden beliefs, customs, and cultural values. Note: This is a seminar course. Students may earn credit for only one of HIST 3313 or 4492.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 18 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 6 credits from courses in HIST
Credit Exclusion: HIST 3313
Attribute: ARTS
HIST 4496 3 credits
Canada and World War I
Students will analyze key issues related to Canada's participation in the First World War. They will critically examine the impact of war on Canada including topics such as propaganda, military leadership, conscription, pacifism, government programs, the suspension of civil liberties, reform movements, and the legacy of the war. Students will critically analyze questions such as whether Billy Bishop was a Canadian hero; whether Canada achieved international recognition and emerged as a distinct nation due to its role in the war; and how the war has been remembered in film, literature, music, and monuments. Students will learn to evaluate both primary and secondary sources in order to assemble evidence in support of a historically sound argument. Note: this is a seminar-based course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits from courses at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 4497 3 credits
Canada and World War II
Students will analyze key issues related to Canada's participation in the Second World War including patriotism, morality, leadership, propaganda, state intervention, the suspension of civil liberties, technology, foreign relations, gender roles, and the legacy of the war. Students will focus on the homefront as well as the battlefield. Note: This is a seminar based course.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 credits at the 1100 level or higher, including 9 credits of HIST
HIST 4499 3 credits
Selected Topics in History
Students will engage in the study of a particular issue in the discipline of history. They will critically analyze the topic from a broad variety of perspectives, thereby developing a comprehensive understanding of both the issue itself and the related historiography. Students will critically evaluate a number of methodological approaches, assess the implications of these approaches, and identify their strengths and weaknesses. Note: This is a seminar course. Students may take this course multiple times for further credit on different topics, for a maximum of 12 credits.
Level: UG
Prerequisite(s): 45 Credits at the 1100 level or higher courses, including 9 credits of HIST
Attribute: ARTS
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