Time Schedule:
Vicente L. Rafael
HIST 504
Seattle Campus
Theoretical approaches to, and historical case studies of, the phenomena of ethnicity, nationalism, and ethnic conflict in the modern world. Emphasis on Europe and Asia.
Class description
This seminar will focus on comparative approaches to the study of nationalism. We will begin by asking about the history of the nation (as distinct from the state), how it relates to the globalization of markets, the spread of European empires, the intellectual legacies of the Englightenment, and the emergence of colonial societies in various parts of the world. We will then inquire into the role of technology, religion, language, and literature in generating movements for reform and revolution that lead to the founding of new nations. Finally, we will ask about the fate of the nation-state as the site for realizing the related notions of sovereignty, freedom and justice in an era of global terrorism among "rogue states".
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Weekly readings and discussions.
Recommended preparation
Graduate student standing or if an undergraduate, you must secure permission from the instructor. Some familiarity with the history of at least one nation-state would also help.
Class assignments and grading
We will read texts by Benedict Anderson, Ernest Renan, Karl Marx, Pheng Cheah, Hannah Arendt, Walter Benjamin, James Siegel, Jacques Derrida, and Amy Kaplan among others.
Class participation, and seminar paper.
