Cristina Mehrtens

Introduces students to historical method and perspective through comparative study of human societies and cultures. The concept of "civilization" is examined in varied contexts through comparisons of social, economic, and political institutions, as well as systems of thought and religion, from pre-history to around 1400.

Introduces students to historical method and perspective through comparative study of human societies and cultures. The concept of "civilization" is examined in varied contexts through comparisons of social, economic, and political institutions, as well as systems of thought and religion, from pre-history to around 1400.

Continuation of World Civilization; the study of World Civilizations from 1400 to the present.

A requirement for all History majors and minors, this course introduces students to the skills necessary for effective historical study: understanding and analyzing primary and secondary sources; critical thinking; library and research strategies; and historical writing. This course is a prerequisite for all history seminars beginning in 2006-2007, so students should take this course early in their careers.

A comprehensive survey of the pre-Colombian and European-initiated civilizations which developed in regions of the Western Hemisphere colonized by Spain and Portugal. Emphasis is on the independent nations of Latin America from the 1820s to the present. Issues include race and class economic development and dependency, and the legitimation of political authority.

Exploration of the lives of ordinary women and men in relation to their place in global history. Examines what particular constructions of gender tell us about those societies and our own. The main strategy focuses on biography as a tool weaving through gender, class, race, and ethnicity in particular historical periods.

Analysis of contemporary historiographies situating women in relation to occupation and the historical implications of gender in the creation, transmission, performance, and representation of women's work. It examines the meaning of female occupations in different cultures as well as gender issues related to the shaping of female leadership. We explore the significance of these projections through writings by and about female professionals.

Emphasis on the period since independence in 1822. Topics include the empire and slavery, coffee, European immigration, the republic, race and class, foreign economic and ideological influences, and Brazil in the 1980s.

An exploration of the Victorian Era (1839-1901) and its effect in its colonies around the world. Focusing on the royal family, this course stresses the socio-economic network behind powerful women as well as the gendered sphere associated with female behavior. Includes themes of marriage and children, sex, sexuality, fashion, the healthy body, education, and nationalistic imperial policies.