HISTORY 103

Global History


Please note: this is archived course information from 2018 for HISTORY 103.

Description

Course objectives

At Stage I we introduce students to some of the basic aspects of the study of history. This course focuses on the period from the late fifteenth century, when the global integration of communities began to take shape. It considers developments which increasingly bound the fates of all peoples together, including the emergence of world trade networks, the growth of world religions, the formation of world empires and the migrations of peoples across the continents. Through the thematic and chronological study of global history it is anticipated that students will gain a deeper understanding of the issues that affect their daily lives.

 Content

You will obtain an overview of key developments in global history since the fifteenth century. You will also learn that history is not merely concerned with finding out what happened but also with trying to explain how and why things happened. You will, therefore, be introduced to some of the varying interpretations of historians who have written on the subject which you are studying. Where appropriate, you will also be introduced to some primary materials to show the kinds of evidence on which historians base their interpretations and explanations.

Skills

An important element of Stage I courses is to impart skills that a historian needs and that can also be used in other fields which require the assimilation, assessment and presentation of information. These skills include:

  • The effective use of the library and information technology and the opportunity to develop and use information literacy competencies in learning contexts and assessments
  • The ability to take notes from lectures and secondary sources
  • The ability to reference work in accurate footnotes/endnotes and bibliographies
  • The ability to present a reasoned argument, written in standard English and based upon evidence

 Objectives for this course

  • To present students with an historical overview of the sequence of commercial, cultural, environmental and political events that have brought the peoples of the world together since the fifteenth century
  • To examine the nature of the encounters between peoples of different cultures over time
  • To familiarise students with some of the principal concepts which determined the course of modern history such as imperialism, industrialisation, nationalism, democracy, communism, indigenous rights and globalisation
  • To develop students' ability to discuss their ideas in a range of both written and oral forms
  • To improve students ability to write an academically accredited piece of work

View the course syllabus

Availability 2018

Semester 1

Lecturer(s)

Coordinator(s) Professor Jonathan Scott
Lecturer(s) Professor Malcolm Campbell
Dr Joseph Zizek

Reading/Texts

JR McNeill and WM McNeill, The Human Web: A Bird’s Eye View of World History, New York, 2003.

Assessment

Coursework + exam

Points

HISTORY 103: 15 points