SPRING 2017
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY FACULTY
Avella, Steven
Ball, Alan
Donoghue, Michael
Efford, Alison
Finn, Jennifer
Foster, Kristen
Guzik, S.J., Michael
Harshner, Sam
Hay, Carla H.
Knox, Lezlie S.
Korieh, Chima
Marten, James
Matthew, Laura
McDaniel, David
McMahon, Timothy G.
Meissner, Daniel J.
Molvarec, S.J, Stephen
Mullins, Patrick
Naylor, Phillip C.
Rindfleisch, Bryan
Ruff, Julius R.
Staudenmaier, Peter
Wert, Michael
Zeps, S.J., Michael
Sensenbrenner 203J
Sensenbrenner 303F
Sensenbrenner 203K
Sensenbrenner 303G
Sensenbrenner 303B
Sensenbrenner 303C
Sensenbrenner 203C
Sensenbrenner 203H
Sensenbrenner 203L
Sensenbrenner 303H
Sensenbrenner 203M
Sensenbrenner 202B
Sensenbrenner 202D
Sensenbrenner 203F
Sensenbrenner 203N
Sensenbrenner 202G
Sensenbrenner 203G
Sensenbrenner 203D
Sensenbrenner 303D
Sensenbrenner 303E
Sensenbrenner 202F
Sensenbrenner 202E
Sensenbrenner 203C
Sensenbrenner 203E
1
288-3556
288-7124
288-1635
288-7817
288-0393
288-3562
288-7592
288-7056
288-7150
288-7863
288-3563
288-7901
288-7590
288-7766
288-3559
288-3552
288-6307
288-5300
288-3561
288-6463
288-3555
288-3560
288-7592
288-7386
SPRING 2017 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
HIST 3127—The Vietnam War Era
(Can count towards group I and III, will need to specify if not group I)
TTh 2:00-3:15
Dr. David McDaniel
The theme of this course is reflected in the words of one of the war’s chief architects Henry A. Kissinger
who said: “Vietnam is still with us. It has created doubts about American judgment, about American
credibility, about American power—not only at home, but throughout the world.” History 3127 will
examine the history of the Vietnam War from the perspective of the United States. It will provide the
student with the historical background that set the stage for the conflict, the events that led directly to the
war, the primary political and military issues involved at home and abroad, and an overview of the major
battles. Further, and quite significantly, this course will also consider the non-military aspects of the war,
such as the changing political climate in the United States during the late 1960s, the rise of a determined
anti-war movement that exerted a profound impact on the outcome of the struggle, the nature of the
cultural and political polarization wrought by America’s longest war, and finally the lingering scars
caused by division and defeat.
HIST 3232—Reaction, Revolution, and Nationalism: 1814 to 1914
MWF 1:00-1:50
Dr. Timothy McMahon
This upper-division lecture course will focus on the major social, political, and cultural changes in Europe
during the “long nineteenth century,” between the French Revolution and the outbreak of World War I.
We will discuss numerous key themes, including the impact of industrialization, urbanization, gender
constructions, social classes and mass culture, imperialism, and the development of political philosophies
such as liberalism, conservatism, socialism, and nationalism. We will pay particular attention to events in
Great Britain, France, the Habsburg Empire, Germany, Italy, and Russia.
HIST 3295— “The Great War”: World War I, 1914-1918
TTh 11:00-12:15
Dr. Julius Ruff
August 2014 marked the one-hundredth anniversary of the outbreak of World War I, a conflict
known to its participants as “the Great War.” This was a conflict that George F. Kennan, one of
America’s foremost scholars of international relations, called “the seminal catastrophe” of the
twentieth century. The war destroyed not only a generation of young men, but much of the prewar world’s economic, political, and social order. Out of the war’s ruins arose Soviet
Communism, Fascism in Italy, and Nazism in Germany, as well as the conditions that produced a
second world war and problems that still reverberate in our world today. In this course we will
examine the long-term causes of the war, the nature of the first “total” war, and the political,
social, and economic consequences of the conflict. The course grade will be based on three
examinations (75 percent of course grade) and one paper (25 percent of course grade).
2
HIST 3800—Environmental History: Ecology and Society in the Modern World
MWF 12:00-12:50
Dr. Peter Staudenmaier
This course provides an introduction to the complex and expanding field of environmental history and its
implications for both the past and the present. Through a variety of case studies from around the world,
we will explore the role of social structures in shaping the natural environment as well as the role of
environmental factors in shaping historical change. Readings and discussions will address controversial
questions, including the dynamic relationship between empires and colonies; the rise of market economies
and modern states; shifting attitudes toward technology, sustainability, and preservation; idealized images
of a bucolic nature before the advent of industrialization; and increasing political turmoil on a rapidly
heating planet. The guiding principle in our study of these topics is that critical engagement with
challenging aspects of the past can enrich and deepen our understanding of environmental dilemmas in
the present.
HIST 4101/5101—Applied History
M 2:00-4:30
Dr. Patrick Mullins
Applied History (HIST 4101/5101) will introduce students to the technological, theoretical, and practical
issues related to the presentation of historical material in a museum setting—both real and virtual. They
will work closely with the staff of the Milwaukee County Historical Society to create and execute a
major team-based project. Students will conceive, plan, develop, and implement an interactive website
providing a perpetual online presence for the MCHS Spring 2017 exhibit called "Melodies and Memories:
200 Years of Milwaukee Music." In this seminar they will gain experience in digital technology, field
work with non-profits, creative innovation, professional collaboration, research in primary sources
(including music and film), and effective communication of historical knowledge to the general public.
Grades will be based mainly upon individual contributions to the research and development of the class
project, which the students will present to their "client," the executive director of the MCHS.
HIST 4114/5114—American Foreign Relations 2
MWF 12:00-12:50
Dr. Michael Donoghue
This course examines the rise of the United States from one of the major powers in the early 1900s to the
global superpower of the twentieth century. We will analyze the U.S. entry into World War I, the retreat
from intervention in the 1920s, Depression era diplomacy including the Good Neighbor Policy of FDR,
the U.S. participation in World War II, the origins of the Cold War, the Korean Conflict, America’s role
in the creation and expansion of Israel, the Vietnam War, détente, the Iranian hostage crisis and the
conflict with radical Islam, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and America’s confrontation with Iraq both
before and after the 9/11 attacks on New York. The course will especially explore the role of race, gender,
culture, and ideology in U.S. international relations and the intimate connections between foreign and
domestic crises. The course will be reading intensive with a midterm, a final exam, short in-class writing
exercises, and 3 short papers.
HIST 4120/5120—American Immigration
MWF 10:00-10:50
Dr. Alison Efford
Immigration is one of the great ongoing sagas of United States history. This course begins with the
European and African migrations of the colonial era and ends four hundred years later with recent
3
controversies over unauthorized immigration. Through interactive lectures, readings, and discussions, we
will explore how immigrants have built communities, sought economic security, and experienced cultural
change. The class also addresses the related issues of anti-immigrant sentiment, race construction, and
cultural pluralism. It contextualizes immigration to the United State—an issue central to national
identity—within a transnational framework of global labor markets and American incursions overseas.
Students will have the option of completing a Service Learning project.
Fulfills the Diverse Cultures requirement for the Core of Common Studies.
HIST 4212/5212—The Crusades
TTh 9:30-10:45
Dr. Lezlie Knox
The Crusades represent one of the most fascinating, complex, and troubling episodes in medieval
history—how should we understand this mix of brutal warfare and religious motivation? To start
answering this question, this class studies the medieval crusades through contemporary documents and
cultural artifacts—the chronicles, sermons, letters, art, and architecture produced by medieval Christians
(Western European and Byzantine), Muslims, and Jews in response to the crusade phenomena. We will
assess the origin and motivations for the crusades, the ways in which they were carried out, the
experience of ordinary crusaders and the experience of being crusaded, as well as the long term impact of
the crusades in the Holy Land and in Europe. Requirements for the class include informed participation,
two exams, and a research project related to the crusades. For History majors, this class fulfills either the
European or Global distribution.
HIST 4250/5250—Tudor England 1485 to 1603
TTh 12:30-1:45
Dr. Carla Hay
Focusing on such dynamic personalities as Henry VIII, Thomas More, Mary Queen of Scots, and Queen
Elizabeth I, the course details the political, economic, and social development of Great Britain during the
age of the Renaissance and the Reformation. The student’s grade will be based on quizzes on assigned
biographies, full-period examinations (including the final exam) and an 8-10 page paper based on an
analysis of a Shakespeare play.
HIST 4460/5460—Modern South Africa
TTh 12:30-1:45
Dr. Chima Korieh
This course is an economic, social, political and cultural survey of the history of modern South Africa
from the Dutch settlement to the present. The goal is to understand the major historical forces that
progressively shaped what became a turbulent socio-cultural, economic, political, and racial frontier. We
will examine major themes including, European settlement and colonization, mineral discoveries and their
impact, industrialization and social change, the establishment of the apartheid system, African resistance
and post-apartheid South African society. Particular attention is given to how the state-dictated system of
racial segregation and discrimination affected the lived experience of South Africa’s diverse population.
4
HIST 4555/5555—Modern China
MWF 1:00-1:50
Dr. Daniel Meissner
This course examines the unique, complex and compelling issues facing China from the
beginning of the nineteenth century to the present. The first half of the course will explore the
theme "Reform or Revolution?: Changing Realities in China." We will investigate the internal
and external forces which generated and directed political, economic and social change in China
prior to Imperial collapse in 1911. The final half of the course will focus on the theme: "Right or
Left?: China's New Polity." We will trace the intricate route of China's search for stable
government after the collapse of the Qing, through the turbulent years of Mao Zedong, the
economic reforms of Deng Xiaoping, the transition era of Jiang Zemin, and the present policies
of Hu Juntao. The goals of this course are to develop a comprehensive understanding of China's
modern historical development, and to encourage students to analyze current events from a
China-centered perspective.
HIST 4271/5271—The Russian Revolution and Soviet Union
MWF 10:00-10:50
Dr. Alan Ball
HIST 4271 is a survey of modern Russian and Soviet history that begins with an introduction to tsarist
Russia in order reach an understanding of the revolutions in 1917 that swept away much of the old regime
and left the Bolshevik (Communist) Party in power. The bulk of the course will concentrate on the Soviet
period, featuring the tumultuous development of “the world’s first socialist state,” the emergence of the
Soviet Union as one of the world’s two superpowers, and the country’s recent fragmentation. In
particular, we will examine the Bolsheviks’ aspirations in 1917 and then see to what extent these hopes
for a new society were realized as the Communist Party confronted both domestic and foreign
challenges. The course is composed of lectures, a few Soviet films, and eight periods set aside for
discussion. On these eight weeks, in place of a Friday lecture, students will meet with me in small groups
to discuss sources pertaining to major topics in the course. These readings include a variety of primary
documents, memoirs, and selections from the wealth of Russian literature that provoked tsarist and Soviet
authorities alike.
HIST 4953/5953-101—Readings in History: The Ancient Villain
MW 2:00-3:15
Dr. Jennifer Finn
This course will focus on some of the more maligned characters of ancient history from Mesopotamia to
Rome, including Nabonidus, Medea, Hector, Xerxes, Alcibiades, Hannibal, Catiline, Caesar, Nero, and
Caligula, as well as a cast of other, minor players in the annals of ancient history. Many of these people
were considered public enemies, enemies of the state, villains by virtue of their foreignness, or threats to
social propriety. In light of these possibilities, these figures will be studied in their specific historical
contexts, to gain a greater understanding of their cultural, social, and political import. In the process,
students will become well acquainted with the practice of ancient historiography. Furthermore, we will
study the effects of source bias on the historical record, and whether the villainous character of these
personalities were literary creations, historical reality, or a little bit of both. Throughout the course of the
semester, debates will focus on issues such as the creation of “the other” in antiquity, as well as exploring
alternatives to “Great Man” history in ancient (and modern) historiography.
As an upper-level seminar, the course will be based on a significant reading load, and the class periods
will be largely discussion-based. Students will be expected to produce several shorter response papers
5
throughout the semester, culminating in a substantial project (ca. 12-15 pages) at the end of the semester,
the latter of which will rely on research in secondary source material.
HIST 4953/5953-102—Readings in History: Belonging and Citizenship in America
TTh 2:00-3:15
Dr. Sergio Gonzalez
What does it mean to be a citizen of the United States? How does one ‘belong’ in a nation? Through an
examination of social, political, and economic developments of the United States throughout the twentieth
century, this course explores the shifting ideas of belonging and citizenship in America. We’ll analyze
how belonging in America has been articulated through legislation, the workplace, popular culture, and
social movements, as well as interrogate the rights and privileges that are associated with being a citizen
in this country. We’ll lend a special focus to the effects of migration and immigration, and the ways in
which the movement of people, ideas, and cultures have affected how the United States defines, polices,
and reimagines citizenship. This course will be reading intensive (primary and secondary sources along
with other forms of multimedia), will require your active participation, and will place a special emphasis
on become a better writer of history through a final capstone assignment.
HIST 4955-101—Undergraduate Seminar in History: Gender in History
T 2:00-4:30
Dr. Carla Hay
In her seminal 1985 presidential address to the American Historical Association, published in the
association’s journal in December 1985, Joan Scott queried if gender was a useful category of
historical analysis. Scott argued that “gender is a constitutive element of social relationships
based on perceived differences between the sexes, and gender is a primary way of signifying
relationships of power” (1067). Scott’s essay has become canonical and her argument that
constructions of gender are pervasive inform contemporary scholarship. Students in HIST 4955
will read and discuss various works that address aspects of the construction of gender. The focus
of the semester will be on researching a topic from the vantage point of gender and articulating
the results of that research in a paper 20-25 pages in length. Students will select their research
topic in consultation with the instructor.
HIST 4955-102—Undergraduate Seminar in History: Geopolitical Revolution Pt. 2
Th 2:00-4:30
Dr. Phillip Naylor
6
SPRING 2016 GRADUATE COURSES
HIST 6110-701— The British Atlantic World to the American Revolution
M 4:30-7:00
Dr. Bryan Rindfleisch
We will explore the history of early America from the pre-Columbian era to the American Revolution. In
particular, we will focus on the social, political, economic, religious, intellectual, and transatlantic
dimensions of early America from the 15th-18th centuries, how such phenomena developed over time, and
how these processes shaped the “American” past. Even more specifically, we will examine the themes of
colonization and anti-colonization, empire-formation and nation-building, transatlantic networks and
infrastructure, cultural inclusivity and adaptability, slavery and race, violence and resistance, mobility and
migration, and other themes that altogether provide the core narrative for a history of early America.
HIST 6500-101—Atlantic Slaveries
Th 2:00-4:30
Dr. Kristen Foster
In this readings course, we will focus on the history and development of slavery in the Atlantic World
with a particular emphasis on slavery in the New World. Through shared weekly readings and intense
discussion, we will explore the history of slavery in a global context. We will move then to an
exploration of the work that has been done on the Atlantic slave trade and its impact on Africa, Europe,
and the Americas. Finally, we will look at American slavery in detail. We will use the development of
this institution to study the economics, politics, and cultures of slavery and race. We will explore regional
developments. And we will use slavery to better understand the interconnectedness of gender, sexuality,
and power. This course requires weekly reading and energetic discussion. Students will be required to
write two short analytical essays and one longer historiographical paper that will allow them to focus on
slavery in a context of their choosing.
HIST 6530-101—Studies in Latin American History
T 2:00-4:30
Dr. Laura Matthew
HIST 6954-101—Seminar in History: The History of Emotions
W 2:00-4:30
Dr. Alison Efford
In recent decades, the history of emotions has developed into a recognized subfield. There are research
centers in Berlin, Germany and Melbourne, Australia devoted to the subject, and a 2012 roundtable in the
American Historical Review even hazarded that the discipline of history might be undergoing an
“emotional turn.” Historians such as Barbara Rosenwein, William Reddy, Ute Frevert, Peter Stearns, and
Nicole Eustace have explored how emotions affect economic and political developments and how they
differ across time and space. Scholars reflect on the nature of emotional community and the connections
among emotions, biology, and culture. This seminar offers you the opportunity to integrate the insights of
historians of emotions into your own work. Whatever your geographical and chronological focus, you
will frame, research, write, and revise an article-length essay that includes a significant emotional
dimension.
7
Our common readings will include theoretical and historiographical essays as well as examples of
emotions history and some primary sources. Expect an intense class that demands conceptual
sophistication, original argumentation, and extensive primary research. Taken together, the paper and the
revised paper (no drafts here!) will count for 60 percent of your grade, with the remainder depending on
an annotated bibliography, a proposal, a preliminary outline, and full participation in class activities
including presentations.
8