Time Schedule:
Genevieve E Mc Coy
BIS 263
Bothell Campus
Explores world history from the Enlightenment periods of the Eighteenth century to the present. Investigates the interaction of different peoples with their social and natural environments.
Class description
This class, which begins with the 18th century age of global “Enlightenments” and concludes with the embattled global biosphere of the present, weaves together two stories – of human societies’ interaction with nature and with each other. The human-focused environmental theme will highlight aspects of the environments in which people lived as they sought sustenance, shelter, wealth, community, and power and tried to avoid disease and death. With the cultural theme, we will return again and again to the ways people made contact with each other, whether through trade, pilgrimage, war, religion, diplomacy, migration, travel, or imperialism. We will also investigate human social frameworks: economic and political arenas, states and civilizations, genders and generations, classes and other clusters of human identity. Using these themes and general concepts will allow us to identify common and disparate patterns of human experience across the social and geographic boundaries that historians have constructed in an effort to understand the past.
Student learning goals
To give students a foundation for other UWB courses incorporating research from history, anthropology, political science, art history, sociology, and cultural and environmental studies.
To acquaint students with the cultural heritage of major civilizations and their contributions to the historical development of the world and modern life.
To teach students to identify how and under what circumstances individual societies have been able to interact with and influence each other.
To instruct student how to identify historical patterns and processes across long time frames and large geographic areas.
General method of instruction
Lecture, films, class and small group discussion
Recommended preparation
Class assignments and grading
Essay tests, class participation, and analytical or research paper.
