HIST 101
3 credits
Canada Before Confederation
Prerequisite(s): None
This course is a survey of the major academic themes in Canadian economic, political, and cultural history before 1867. Topics include the evolving relations between Indigenous peoples and European settlers, the establishment and development of New France, the British conquest, the fur trade, Anglophone/Francophone relations, the struggle for home rule, the rebellions of the 1830s, the immigrant experience to British North America, the economic transformation of British North America, developments in the Pacific and Atlantic regions, and the origins and nature of Confederation.
HIST 102
3 credits
Canada: 1867 to the Present
Prerequisite(s): None
This course examines post-Confederation Canadian events such as overseas conflicts, the Depression, the Constitution, and Canada's international role. Multiple perspectives are used to consider aboriginal claims and conflicts, political struggles, personalities, immigration, social reform, regionalism, women's rights, modernization, and multiculturalism.
HIST 103
3 credits
Stó:lõ History
Prerequisite(s): None
This course examines key themes in the history of the Stó:lõ peoples, from the pre-contact era to the present. Themes will include the nature and structure of leadership, the role of traditional stories and myths in the making of Stó:lõ history, the Indian Act and its socioeconomic impact on Stó:lõ communities, the evolution and impact of educational policies, and First Nations education initiatives in the contemporary period. A special emphasis will be given to oral history as a way of accessing and documenting the community knowledge of its own history. Participation in field trips scheduled outside of regular class times is required. HIST 103 is especially valuable to those students who plan to be teachers.
HIST 115
3 credits
Traditional East Asian Civilizations
Prerequisite(s): None
This course examines the evolution of East Asian civilizations (with emphasis on China and Japan) from ancient times to the early nineteenth century. The focus is on social structures, cultural traditions, economic systems, and political institutions in pre-modern China and Japan.
HIST 120
3 credits
Europe 500-1600: Saints and Sinners in the Medieval World
Prerequisite(s): None
Students will study the legacy of the ancient cultures which grew up around the Mediterranean Sea. Topics include the emergence and transformation of the medieval European world, paying close attention to the influence of gender, identity, and status.
Note: Students with credit for HIST 108 cannot take this course for further credit.
HIST 121
3 credits
Europe 1600-1850: Kings, Philosophers, and Revolutionaries
Prerequisite(s): None
This course examines the period during which European states defined their national identities while seeking continental and global supremacy. Powerful monarchies emerged along with complex societies. Wealth, war, and ideas share the stage with political and industrial revolutions.
Note: Students with credit for HIST 208 (formerly HIST 201) cannot take this course for further credit.
HIST 122
3 credits
Europe Since 1850: Imperialism, Total War, and the Question of Unity
Prerequisite(s): None
This course examines the ascendancy of Europe from the mid-1800s to its destruction in two world wars, and its political, cultural, social, and economic reconstruction during and after the Cold War.
Note: Students with credit for HIST 210 (formerly HIST 111) cannot take this course for further credit.
HIST 161
3 credits
Aztecs, Mayas, and Spaniards
Prerequisite(s): None
This course examines the complex societies and cultures of the Maya and the Aztecs, the forging of the Aztec Triple Alliance Empire, the unification of Spanish monarchies following centuries of Muslim and Christian rule, the origins of European imperial expansion, and the confrontation of Aztecs, Mayas, and Spaniards in the invasion of Mexico. In analyzing the Indigenous and European past, and the ‘conquest’ as history and myth, the course places particular emphasis on the distinct—and compelling—accounts found in Aztec, Maya, and Spanish sources.
Note: This course is offered as HIST 161 and LAS 161. Students may take only one of these for credit.
HIST 162
3 credits
Soccer and Song in Latin America
Prerequisite(s): None
This course explores the history of modern Latin America through the study of soccer and music. Using these themes students examine national and local identities; class, ethnicity, and gender; politics and military rule; resistance and exile; the drug trade; and globalization.
Note: This course is offered as HIST 162 and LAS 162. Students may take only one of these for credit. Students with credit for HIST 262/LAS 262 cannot take this course for further credit.
HIST 205
3 credits
British Columbia: Pre-Contact to the Present
Prerequisite(s): None
This course examines a selection of themes beginning prior to European contact in the late 18th century and concluding with recent social trends. These will include relations between newcomers and Aboriginal peoples, the staple export economy, fur trade, gold rush society, B.C.’s confederation with Canada, reform movements (social gospel, prohibition, and maternal feminism), the rise of organized labour, theory and practice of racism, and our political tradition.
Note: Students with credit for HIST 105 cannot take HIST 205 for further credit.
HIST 211
3 credits
England from 1066-1688: An Emerging Nation-State
Prerequisite(s): None
Students will explore English history from the Norman Conquest to the Glorious Revolution of 1688, seeking to understand how England was transformed from a peripheral player on the edge of Europe to a geo-political powerhouse, poised on the brink of empire.
Note: Students with credit for HIST 109 cannot take this course for further credit.
HIST 212
3 credits
A History of Britain, 1688-1990: Great Power Status and Beyond
Prerequisite(s): None
This course surveys the major developments in British history from the Glorious Revolution to recent times. Special attention will be given to the evolution of social, economic, and political institutions and their impact on ordinary people.
Note: Students with credit for HIST 110 cannot take this course for further credit.
HIST 213
3 credits
Mennonite Experience: Origins to 1780s
Prerequisite(s): None
This course examines the Mennonite experience from its origins in medieval thought and culture to its development and maturation in the eighteenth century. Topics will include changing late medieval social existence, the peasant revolts, and emerging Protestant reformations including Anabaptism. The course will then follow the Mennonite people through the early modern period stressing the social context of their developing ideas and experience, including the first persecutions and migrations.
HIST 221
3 credits
The History of Quebec: Beginnings to Present Day
Prerequisite(s): None
This course will introduce participants to the evolution of Quebec from a European outpost in North America to an urban-industrial Canadian province. Over four centuries, Quebec’s populations experienced changes and transitions that brought into question both traditional political structures as well as the ideas and cultural aspirations of provincial societies.
Note: Students with credit for HIST 322 or HIST 396F may not take HIST 221 for further credit.
HIST 235
3 credits
Modern China: From Opium Wars to Beijing Olympics
Prerequisite(s): None.
The course provides a survey of Chinese history from the early 19th century to recent decades, with emphasis on its major social, cultural, and political developments. China’s relations with other countries will also be studied.
HIST 236
3 credits
Modern Japan: Samurai, Pearl Harbour, and Anime
Prerequisite(s): None.
The course provides a survey of Japanese history from the early 19th century to recent decades, with emphasis on its major social, cultural, and political developments. Japan’s relations with other countries will also be studied.
HIST 241
3 credits
History of the United States to 1865
Prerequisite(s): None
This course surveys the major developments in American history from contact to the Civil War. Attention will be given to social, economic, and political institutions, and to the lives of ordinary people.
HIST 242
3 credits
History of the United States since 1865
Prerequisite(s): None
This course examines the struggles to extend the promises of American democracy to all citizens in a rapidly changing political economy, from the end of the Civil War to the present. Special attention is given to racial relations, industrialization and transformation of the agricultural sector, the expansion of the role of the state in the nation's society and economy, and the development of an interventionist foreign policy and its impact at home.
HIST 264
3 credits
History of India: Akbar to Independence
Prerequisite(s): None
This course examines the main themes that shaped the history of the Indian subcontinent from the 15th century to c. 1947. The course will focus on the rise and fall of Mughal rule, the Company Raj, the British Raj, and the rise of Indian nationalism leading to independence.
HIST 265
3 credits
India and the Indo-Pacific World
Prerequisite(s): None
This course examines the relationship between India and the Indo-Pacific world from the arrival of Islam to recent times. It explores the influence of South Asian civilization on the development of societies bordering on the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Rim.
HIST 300
4 credits
Inside History: Theories and Perspectives on the Past
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits. Recommended for History majors and extended minors.
This course has two major objectives: to introduce students to the various philosophies that historians utilize to make sense of the past, as well as the kinds of methodologies that historians employ to explore the past; and to allow students to experience the 'doing' or 'making' of history, by examining the nature of historical evidence, and by applying this knowledge of philosophy, evidence, and historiography to selected methodological problems.
HIST 301
4 credits
Studies in Applied History
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits.
This course introduces students to public history, which concerns itself with the applications of history outside academia. Students are given a chance to examine the conceptual issues around historical representation outside the classroom, and they will critically assess a range of historical sites, including museums and historical re-creations, as well as popular history in print, film, and television histories, on the Web, and as taught in the school system.
Note: Students who have completed the former 301A/B cannot take HIST 301 for additional or replacement credit.
HIST 309
4 credits
Witches, Whores, and Midwives: Women in Early Modern Europe
Prerequisite(s): 9 credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits.
Students will investigate the lives of women in early modern Europe. Focusing on marginalized and/or extraordinary women, students will interrogate accepted ideas about how women lived, what they believed, and what they contributed to the evolution of society.
Note: Students who have taken HIST 397C cannot take this course for further credit.
HIST 310
4 credits
Women and the Family in Western Europe, 1700-1930
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits. HIST 110 or HIST 209 (formerly HIST 202) is strongly recommended.
This course examines the history of women and the family in Western Europe between 1700 and 1930, including related historiographical controversies and methodological problems. Key topics of consideration are revolution, industrialization, work, education, imperialism, domesticity, women’s bodies, legal issues, feminism, and war.
HIST 311
4 credits
The Reformation
Prerequisite(s): 9 credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits.
Students will examine the varied religious and social "reformations" of the 16th century. Students will explore several broad themes, including the role of women, the function and extent of religious violence, and the relationship between the Reformation and the changing concept of nationhood.
HIST 313
4 credits
War and Society in the Ancient and Medieval West
Prerequisite(s): HIST 108 or HIST 208 (formerly HIST 201) and either six additional credits of lower-level history or 42 additional university-level credits.
This course examines the origins of warfare and its development in the ancient and medieval west. Closely linked to civilization itself, war emerged as one of the principal motives of collective effort; the reciprocal relationship between war and society was clear. This course will have a chronological structure interspersed with thematically focused consideration of historiographical debates. Technical and tactical innovations will be considered as they pertain to land and sea warfare, but particular emphasis will be placed on the manner in which war was shaped by the social, cultural, and political context in which it was conducted.
HIST 314
4 credits
The Rise and Fall of the British Empire
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 additional university-level credits. Familiarity with the basic skills of historical inquiry is expected.
This course will examine the forces that shaped the emergence, development, and collapse of the British Empire from the 17th to the 20th century. The impact of the empire on the British economy and society as well as its impact on its colonial subjects will be considered. Issues such as race, gender, and class in the context of constantly changing metropolitan and imperial cultural structures will receive special consideration.
HIST 315
4 credits
War and Society in the Modern West
Prerequisite(s): One of HIST 208 (formerly 201), HIST 209 (formerly 202), HIST 210 (formerly HIST 111), or the previously offered HIST 112; and either six additional credits of lower-level history or 42 additional university-level credits.
This course examines the interrelationship between western society and war from the Renaissance to the present. The influence of politics, economics, social stratification, and technology on the conduct of war will be emphasized along with a reciprocal analysis of the effects of war on society. This kind of military history represents a change from the traditional “great captains and campaigns” approach to a multifaceted analysis that puts warfare into the broader spectrum of human activity.
HIST 316
4 credits
Violence and War in the West: A Cultural History
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits.
This course examines the place of state-condoned violence and war in western culture since ancient times. Students will be introduced to the discipline of cultural history and will consider how officially and socially accepted forms of violence and war helped to shape western culture in this chronological and thematic survey. Ancient combat sports, gladiatorial contests, medieval attitudes toward corporeal violence, literary and pictorial representations of warfare, and more recent presentations of war and violence in news media, commercial films, and games will all be examined in order to consider their place in the cultural context.
HIST 318
4 credits
History of Modern Germany
Prerequisite(s): One of HIST 209 (formerly HIST 202), HIST 210 (formerly HIST 111), or the formerly offered HIST 112; and either six additional credits of lower-level history or 42 additional university-level credits.
This course examines the history of Modern Germany from the beginning of French occupation in the 1790s to the (re)unification of Germany in 1990. Topics addressed include the changing nature of German political culture, German state formation, social and cultural upheaval, war, genocide, reconstruction, the Cold War, and treatment of the Nazi legacy in East and West Germany from 1945 to 1990.
HIST 320
4 credits
The Holocaust
Prerequisite(s): HIST 210 (formerly HIST 111), or the previously offered HIST 112 and either six additional credits of lower-level history or 42 additional university-level credits.
This course examines how the Nazi regime, along with its European collaborators, attempted to restructure Germany and Europe according to racial criteria that involved the relocation and murder of entire populations. The course examines this attack on civilians in the context of war, as the Nazi drive to “purify” the German race and expand its living space led the Nazi leadership to unleash a total war on their European neighbors. Due to the fact that the horrific campaign required the backing or at least silence of millions of ordinary Europeans, our discussion will involve the mindsets of perpetrators, bystanders, and beneficiaries. The course ends with a discussion of the ongoing commemoration of the Holocaust and the contemporary relevance of this event.
HIST 321
4 credits
Canadian Military History
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits.
This course will explore the military experience of a supposedly un-military country and people. Despite the mythology of Canada as a peaceful place, its history since Confederation has been scarred and transformed by conflict. The course will begin with the defensive challenges facing the new Dominion in 1867, continue through the World Wars and Korea, and close with the peace-keeping/peacemaking and combat missions of the Post-Cold War World. The approach to this subject will be multi-faceted, with students examining the perspective of the private soldier as well as the general, the home front as well as the battle front, and peace-time as well as war-time.
HIST 323
4 credits
History of Education in Canada
Prerequisite(s): 9 credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits.
The history of schooling in Canada from New France to the present day, with a focus on the formative period from the 1840s to 1960s. Topics include emergence of the public school system in the 19th century; its institutional growth after the 1850s; social history of schooling and educational experience of teachers, students, and parents; politics of education; and history of residential schools for Aboriginal people.
Note: Students with credit for EDUC 323 cannot take this course for further credit.
HIST 324
4 credits
Canadian Culture in the 20th Century
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history
This course will follow four generations of Canadians from the turn of the Twentieth Century to the present day. Canadians lived through rapid cultural transitions in their society, including the development of modernist thought, the cultural effects of two global wars, and the changes brought by the advent of the Baby Boom generation. Canadian cultural life has been shaped by the culture of the Cold War, the culture of confrontation and radicalism in the Sixties, the super-sized culture of the 1970’s and the neo-conservative culture of the late 20th century. Baby Boomers’ concerns continue to affect Canadian society in the current culture of ageism, nostalgia, self-help, and spirituality.
Note: Students with credit for HIST 220 or HIST 424 cannot take HIST 324 for further credit.
HIST 325
4 credits
Canadian Sport History
Prerequisite(s): 9 credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits.
Students examine themes in Canadian academic sport history and the social roles of sport. Topics include rise of organized sport, masculine ideal, women and sport, sport and politics, Canada and the Olympic Games, 1972 hockey Summit Series, and media representation.
HIST 327
4 credits
Settler-Indigenous Relations in New Zealand and Canada
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits.
This course will examine the relationships between the Indigenous peoples of New Zealand and Canada and the Newcomers who came to live among them. Students will compare and contrast the experiences of Maori and First Nations, as well as those of the explorers, traders, missionaries, soldiers, and settlers on the other side of the exchange. The comparative framework will highlight how the global context of British and European colonial patterns interacted with local circumstances to shape Settler-Indigenous relations in each region. The course will cover the period from contact through the end of the twentieth century and will deal with issues like the impact of disease, warfare, trade and resource exploitation, settler ideology, land rights and usage, treaties, legislation and government policy, Indigenous resistance, accommodation, and politicisation.
HIST 328
4 credits
History of Mennonites in Canada
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits. Familiarity with the basic skills of historical inquiry is expected.
This course will explore the Mennonite experience in Canada from the late 1700s to the present day as an example of ethno-cultural and religious settlement and integration in North America. Beginning with their roots in the Protestant Reformation, the course will explore how and why Mennonites arrived in Canada over the centuries and what they experienced once here. Specific foci of the course will include Mennonite pacifism and the conscriptions of the 20th century; Mennonite transitioning from a rural to urban people; the changing relationships between men and women; the current multiplicity of Mennonitisms; and the development of Mennonite Central Committee.
Note: Students who have taken HIST 396G may not take this course for further credit.
HIST 329
4 credits
Canadian Family History
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits. Familiarity with the basic skills of historical inquiry is expected.
This course explores the changing make-up of the Canadian Family, from pre-settlement First Nations and their transformations to the future of the Canadian family. Key to this exploration is female fertility in Canada. Female fertility emerges out of the intersection of biological, ecological, economic, and cultural-historical factors, and in turn drives the culture in significant ways. The course also pays careful attention to the impact of social forces such as race, class, age, and religion in shaping hegemonic and resistant definitions of ‘family’ in Canada and how these have been reinforced and contested, through legal, discursive, and social arenas. Of particular concern are the impact of industrialization and the emergence of the Canadian welfare state as a system of family regulation and assimilation.
HIST 330
4 credits
Politics and Personalities in Canadian History
Prerequisite(s): HIST 102 and either six additional credits of lower-level history or 42 additional university-level credits.
This course will consider some of the individuals, both historically prominent and lesser known, who have helped to shape Canada’s political and constitutional history from 1763 to the present. An examination of these figures will offer insight into Canada’s evolution as a British colony, Confederation, the development of institutions, important events in federal and provincial politics, international relations, and more recent constitutional challenges.
Note: Students with credit for HIST 396D may not take HIST 330 for further credit.
HIST 331
4 credits
Rebels, Reformers, and Realists: British North America, 1837-1867
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits. Familiarity with the basic skills of historical inquiry is expected.
This course surveys key political developments in the history of British North America during the period 1837-1867. Focusing on some of the most influential figures, the course will consider the Rebellions of 1837-38, the union of the Canadas, issues and events affecting Aboriginal peoples, the transition to colonial self-government, and Confederation. An understanding of this era’s formative events can improve students’ grasp of current Canadian politics, and is especially valuable to those students who plan to be teachers.
HIST 335
4 credits
History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Prerequisite(s): 9 credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits.
This course explores the conflict between the Jewish state in Palestine, and the indigenous Palestinian population. The course examines nationalism, the role of foreign powers, religion, Israeli occupation of Palestine, peace efforts, and the current state of the conflict.
HIST 340
4 credits
Colonial America and the Early Republic to 1815
Prerequisite(s): 9 credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits.
This course explores the themes that shaped the development of colonial America and its first years as an independent republic. Themes will include contact and First Nations, environmental imperialism, religion, gender, slavery, and imperial rivalry. It also explores the evolution of a popular historical narrative of colonial America.
HIST 357
4 credits
From the Big Stick to the CIA: The Troubled History of Inter-American Relations
Prerequisite(s): 9 credits of lower-level HIST/LAS or 45 university-level credits.
This course examines the complex, often contentious, relationship between Latin America, the United States, and Canada, from the 19th century to the present. Topics may include political and military intervention; human rights; trade, investment, and globalization; drug policy; cultural influcences; and Latin American communities north of the Mexican border.
Note: This course is offered as HIST 357 and LAS 357. Students may take only one of these for credit.
HIST 358
4 credits
African Slavery in the Americas
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level HIST/LAS or 45 university-level credits. Familiarity with the basic skills of historical inquiry is expected.
This course explores the development of the Atlantic slave trade and the history of African slavery in the Americas. It takes a broad view, examining the institution of slavery over four centuries, while considering the diverse experiences of slaves in the hemisphere’s distinct colonies and early nation–states. Topics may include the impact of slavery on African polities; the formation of Afro-American societies and cultures; the perspectives of both slaves and slave owners; the genesis of new identities and ideologies regarding race, class, and gender; the mechanisms used to keep slaves under control and the forms of resistance they practiced; and the struggle to achieve personal freedom and abolition.
Note: This course is offered as HIST 358 and LAS 358. Students may take only one of these for credit.
HIST 359
4 credits
Problems in Latin American Regional History
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level HIST/LAS or 45 university-level credits. Familiarity with the basic skills of historical inquiry is expected.
This course examines selected problems in Latin American history. Topics will have a regional or national focus, and may also be restricted to a specific period. Examples include Brazil from empire to republic, Mexico since the revolution of 1910, or military dictatorship in the Southern Cone during the late 20th century.
Note: This course is offered as HIST 359 and LAS 359. Students may take only one of these for credit.
HIST 364
4 credits
Indian Social History
Prerequisite(s): 9 credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits.
This course will examine the forces shaping the emergence of modern Indian society from the 17th century to the 1980s. Issues such as imperialism, nationalism, urbanization, and industrialization will be explored with reference to their impact on ethnicity, caste, class, and gender in Indian society to recent times.
HIST 370
4 credits
The American Civil Rights Movement
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits. Familiarity with the basic skills of historical inquiry is expected.
This course examines African-Americans’ struggle for racial justice since the 1930s and recent historiographical debates in the field. Topics will include the use of nonviolence as a strategy for social change; armed resistance and black nationalism; the place of religion in the struggle for, and resistance to, integration; gender dynamics and other tensions within the movement; the role of white allies and the federal government; the impact of the Cold War on civil rights debates; and northern racism.
HIST 374
4 credits
America in Depression and War
Prerequisite(s): HIST 242 or HIST 243; and either six additional credits of lower-level history or 42 additional university-level credits.
This course will examine Americans’ responses to the Great Depression and World War II, and the transformative impact that these two national and international crises had on American society. It will explore the New Deal’s assertion of state responsibility for the economic welfare of its citizens, and the limited and contested nature of that fundamental shift in American political culture. America’s initially ambivalent response to the world conflict and the full-scale engagement that followed the attack on Pearl Harbor will be scrutinized for what they reveal of Americans’ changing conceptions of their role in the world and in international alliances. Finally, the impact that the war had on definitions of national citizenship will be examined, with special attention to the heightened patriotic rhetoric that supported mobilization for war, and the experience of women and racial/religious minorities.
HIST 382
4 credits
Social History of Twentieth-Century China
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits. Familiarity with the basic skills of historical inquiry is expected.
This course examines change and continuity in Chinese society during the twentieth century, a period marked by dramatic political and economic upheaval. Using a thematic and chronological approach, the course focuses on demographic trends, rural and urban life, class structure, gender roles, family tradition, and religious belief.
Note: Students with credit for HIST 399D cannot take this course for further credit.
HIST 385
4 credits
Imperialism and Colonialism in Modern Asia
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits. Familiarity with the basic skills of historical inquiry is expected.
This course will examine the process of empire building in Asia by the major imperial powers since the early nineteenth century. The impact of the various imperialist and colonial activities in different parts of Asia will also be studied.
HIST 391
4 credits
Late Imperial and Revolutionary Russia, 1860-1945
Prerequisite(s): 9 credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits.
An examination of the interrelation between war, reform, and revolution in Russia/Soviet Union, focusing on the centralization of the state, messianic character of its foreign policy, and evolution of its national idea before and after the historic 1917 Revolution.
Note: Students with credit for HIST 397D cannot take this course for further credit.
HIST 392
4 credits
The Soviet Union in the Cold War Era
Prerequisite(s): 9 credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits.
An examination of factors that helped sustain the territorial and ideological unity, military strength, and international influence of the Soviet Union, and the reasons behind the gradual liberalization of society, the fall of Communism, and eventual disintegration of the USSR.
Note: Students with credit for HIST 397G cannot take this course for further credit.
HIST 393
4 credits
Mennonite Experience in Russia 1780-1980
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits. Familiarity with the basic skills of historical inquiry is expected.
This course examines the Mennonite experience in Russia from the late 1700s to the final emigration in the 1980s. The course will explore the interaction of an ethno-cultural and religious group with a host culture that first welcomed, then resisted, and finally rejected Mennonite communities. Specific foci of the course will include Mennonite non-resistance and Russification; Mennonite transitions from a peasant to a highly developed rural economy; religious transformations; the collapse and destruction of Mennonite ways of life under Communism; and the impact of this destruction on the global Mennonite diaspora.
HIST 396
4 credits
Topics in North American History
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits.
Course topics will be in the field of North American history and will vary with the instructor. Typically this course will be offered by a visiting scholar. Different topics will be identified by adding a letter to the course numbers, e.g., 396C, 396D.
HIST 397
4 credits
Topics in European History
Prerequisite(s): One of HIST 108, HIST 208 (formerly HIST 201), HIST 209 (formerly HIST 202), HIST 210 (formerly HIST 111), or the previously offered HIST 112; and either six additional credits of lower-level history or 42 additional university-level credits.
The course will examine topics in the field of European history and will vary with the instructor. Typically this course will be offered by a visiting scholar.
Different topics will be identified by adding a letter to the course numbers, e.g., 397C, 397D.
HIST 398
4 credits
Topics in Asian History
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits.
The topics will be in the field of Asian history, and will vary with the instructor. Typically this course will be offered by a visiting scholar.
Different topics will be identified by adding a letter to the course numbers, e.g., 398C, 398D.
HIST 399
4 credits
Special Topics in History I
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits. Familiarity with the basic skills of historical inquiry is expected.
The topics will vary with the instructor, but will be limited to those which lie outside the subject areas currently offered by our faculty.
Different topics will be identified by adding a letter to the course numbers e.g., 399C, 399D.
HIST 401
4 credits
Practicum in History
Prerequisite(s): HIST 301 and department permission
This course is designed to integrate applied experience and training into students’ academic studies in history. Through a semester-long practicum, students participate in supervised, unpaid work experience with a local employer or institution to apply or build upon their historical skills and open up employment opportunities through work contacts. HIST 401 can be taken as either a regularly scheduled classroom course or in a directed studies format.
Note: Students who have completed the former HIST 301A/B cannot take HIST 401 for additional or replacement credit.
HIST 408
4 credits
Liberty and Authority in 19th-Century Thought
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history and one 300-level history course. HIST 209 (formerly HIST 202) or HIST 210 (formerly HIST 111) are recommended.
This course examines the new ideologies and "isms" of the nineteenth century (liberalism, conservatism, socialism, romanticism, feminism, and modernism) as attempts to make sense of the radically changed world produced by the French and Industrial Revolutions. It will examine how this world produced new conceptions of the relationship between liberty and authority, the individual and the community, men and women, the present and the past. (Seminar)
HIST 412
4 credits
Louis XIV and His Court at Versailles
Prerequisite(s): 9 credits of lower-level history and any 300-level history course.
Students will explore the personal and political dynamics of court society at Versailes under Louis XIV (1643-1715). Through the examination of patronage, consumption, ritual, and display, students will develop an understanding of this quintessential early modern socio-political institution.
HIST 414
4 credits
Tudor-Stuart Britain
Prerequisite(s): 9 credits of lower-level history and any 300-level history course.
Students will explore politics, society, and culture in Tutor-Stuart Britain. Topics include the nature of Anglicanism, crime and punishment, gender and political theory, the causes of the English Civil War, and the emergence of new cultural institutions such as coffee houses and scientific societies.
HIST 415
4 credits
Continuity and Change in Victorian Britain
Prerequisite(s): 9 credits of lower-level history and any 300-level history course. HIST 109 and
HIST 110 are recommended.
This course will consider the impact of consumption, class, science, technology, and empire on the evolution of Victorian Britain. The course will also consider the construction of popular historical narratives and their impact on scholarly and popular interpretations of Victorian Britiain.
HIST 416
4 credits
Gender, Race, and Nation in European Imperialism
Prerequisite(s): HIST 209, six additional credits of lower-level history, and one 300-level history course.
This course examines the interconnectedness of gender, race, and nation, in both the European domestic and colonial context of the nineteenth and twentieth century. Working from the perspective that the nation is a gendered and a racial construct, students undertake an exploration of the various ways that the nation is defined, formed, and maintained. As part of this process, students will examine a wide range of strategies employed by nations to insure racial and gender conformity, from education systems and legal codes, to social customs and literature. Students will also be introduced to the theory and historiography of the subject. While the experiences of Britain, France, and Germany are considered, emphasis is placed on the British experience.
Note: Students who have taken HIST 499D may not take this course for further credit.
HIST 418
4 credits
The Great War, 1914-1918
Prerequisite(s): HIST 210 (formerly HIST 111), six additional credits of lower-level history, and one 300-level history course.
This course examines the origins and course of the Great War. Students will consider the diplomatic, military, economic, and social causes of the war. Subsequently, the fighting war will be analyzed both on the Western and Eastern fronts and those fronts opened all around the world on land, sea, and in the air. The impact of this long war on the home front will be considered in terms of its social, economic, and political repercussions. Most importantly, students will be exposed to the historical debates and a variety of sources used to understand the events. Finally, the Great War will be positioned in a context that emphasizes its crucial role in ending the 19th century and arguably preparing the way for an even greater war, later in the century. (Seminar)
HIST 419
4 credits
Tyranny, Demise, and Legacies: European Dictatorships of the 20th Century
Prerequisite(s): HIST 210, six additional credits of lower-level history, and one 300-level history course.
Considering a number of dictatorships in 20th-century Europe, including the regimes of Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, and Adolf Hitler, this course investigates the historical context for the creation and sustenance of these repressive regimes. Ideology, propaganda, consensus, pragmatism, coercion, and force all worked together to snuff out liberal democracy and to advance idealism, defined differently in each respective context. The inherent violence in these utopian visions resulted in systems of terror, which led to conflict and war, and massive loss of life. These disasters played a central role in the demise and collapse of the respective dictatorships, and eventually led to the first steps towards democratization.
Note: Students with credit for HIST 317 cannot take HIST 419 for further credit.
HIST 420
4 credits
World War II
Prerequisite(s): HIST 210 (formerly HIST 111) or the previously offered HIST 112, six additional credits of lower-level history, and one 300-level history course.
This course examines the causes and narrative of World War II as a global conflict. Selected topics will be used to reveal the nature of the war and the historical debates that endeavor to understand it. In general, these topics include the role of ideology and institutions in shaping the decisions made by political and military leaders; the impact of technology on the organization and conduct of warfare; the soldier’s experience of combat; and the economic, political and social problems of mobilizing resources for the conduct of total war.
HIST 425
4 credits
The Development of Quebec Nationalism
Prerequisite(s): HIST 101 or HIST 102, six additional credits of lower-level history, and one 300-level history course.
This course will give students an in-depth understanding of the origins, characteristics, evolution, and persistence of Nationalism in French Canada. Participants in this course will study the history of an ideology that has undergone many changes, and has been associated, especially in Quebec, with times of turbulence and dissent.
Note: Students who have taken HIST 499F may not take this course for further credit.
HIST 426
4 credits
Canadian Indigenous Peoples and Warfare: Pre-contact to the 20th Century
Prerequisite(s): 9 credits of lower-level history and any 300-level history course.
This course traces the relationship between warfare and Canada's Indigenous peoples, exploring not only weaponry, tactics, and patterns of warfare, but also the socio-cultural context of warriors and warfare.
HIST 430
4 credits
Canada and Migration
Prerequisite(s): 9 credits of lower-level history and any 300-level history course.
This course surveys the history of migrant groups in Canada, and considers major trends in immigration policy and changing immigrant profiles. It will also address major themes and theoretical approaches to migration studies. Migration literature will supplement the historical readings.
HIST 431
4 credits
Canada and the World
Prerequisite(s): 9 credits of lower-level history and any 300-level history course.
This course examines Canadian foreign policy, and its interrelationship with identity, from Confederation to the post-Cold War era.
HIST 440
4 credits
Local History for the Web
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history and one 300-level history course.
This course allows students in groups or individually to conduct archival research on select Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley historical themes, and present their research as web pages for public consumption. Students will work closely with local history providers, including museums and historical sites, such as Fort Langley National Historic Site and Coqualeetza Cultural Education Centre, community and regional archives, and local public historians, to investigate their chosen topics. Students will learn to properly structure and publish their research findings as basic websites.
Note: This course involves lab work. Competent computer skills are required and familiarity with the internet recommended.
HIST 454
4 credits
Gender in America
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history, and one 300-level history course.
This course will introduce students to major themes and new approaches in the history of gender in the United States. We will examine the changing constructions of masculinity and femininity from the colonial era to the late twentieth century. More specifically, we will look at how prescribed social and cultural norms have shaped definitions of acceptable behaviour in the areas of political and public life, paid work, family and sexuality; how these norms have been shaped by socio-economic, and racial/ethnic/cultural differences, and how these norms have changed over time.
HIST 456
4 credits
Citizenship in America
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history, and one 300-level history course.
This course examines the changing and contested definitions of citizenship in the United States from the late 18th century to the late 20th century. Through a chronological and thematic approach, we will examine how membership in the American political and civic community has been defined over the years. We will look at legal, political, economic, and social definitions of citizenship and pay special attention to the dynamics of exclusion based on race, ethnicity, economic status, religion, gender, and sexual orientation. All these have fundamentally shaped the definition and exercise of one’s rights and obligations as a citizen of the United States.
HIST 457
4 credits
Sexuality and Gender in Latin America
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level HIST/LAS and one 300-level HIST or LAS course.
This course examines the history of sexuality and gender in Latin America from the colonial era to the present. Topics may include the historical and sociocultural construction of sexuality and gender, as well as the complex relationship between sex, gender, and power; patriarchy, honour, and authority; contested gender relations and the family; machismo and notions of masculinity and femininity; the nation–state’s concern with gender, moral order, and the control of sexual behaviour; sexual identities and politics; and the intersection of gender, sexuality, class, and ethnicity.
Note: This course is offered as HIST 457 and LAS 457. Students may take only one of these for credit.
Students may not take HIST 459C for further credit.
HIST 458
4 credits
History of Indigenous Peoples in Latin America
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level HIST/LAS and one 300-level HIST or LAS course.
This course explores the history of Indigenous peoples in Latin America through the in-depth study of a particular region (the Maya area, central Mexico, the Andes, or the Amazon), typically from the pre-European period to the present. Topics may include the political, economic, and sociocultural transformation of Indigenous societies under colonial rule; the shifting, complex relationship between Indigenous peoples and the state, considering questions of citizenship, ethnicity, class, and gender; national ideology and indigenismo; struggles over land, labour, and other resources; religious change; repression and rebellion; the impact of state-directed development policies; and the emergence of new identities.
Note: This course is offered as HIST 458 and LAS 458. Students may take only one of these for credit.
HIST 459
4 credits
Topics in Political and Social History of Latin America
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level History/LAS and one 300-level HIST or LAS course.
This course provides an in-depth study of specific topics in Latin American social or political history. Topics will have a thematic or comparative focus, and may include colonial identity; independence and nationalism; elite structures; populism; revolution; race, class, and ethnicity; the military and society; and the struggle for human rights.
Note: This course is offered as HIST 459 and LAS 459. Students may take only one of these for credit.
HIST 460
4 credits
State Terror, Human Rights, and the Politics of Memory in Latin America
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level HIST/LAS and one 300-level HIST or LAS course.
This course examines the state terror policies of the Argentine and Chilean military regimes in the 1970s and 1980s, the struggle for human rights in both countries, the transition to civilian government and the legacies of repression, and the ensuing—and ongoing—debates over impunity, justice, and historical memory.
Note: This course is offered as HIST 460 and LAS 460. Students make take only one of these for credit.
Students with credit for HIST 459D may not take this course for further credit.
HIST 464
4 credits
India, the Punjab and Diaspora: A Study of Migration and Community Formation in Canada.
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits. Familiarity with the basic skills of historical inquiry is expected.
The Punjab and adjacent regions of northern India have long been a major source of South Asian migration to Canada. This course seeks to understand the factors that encouraged the pre and post Independence diasporas by studying the history of northern India with special reference to the Punjab. It will explore the reasons that the Punjab developed special connections with Canada. The course will then focus on the process of community formation as South Asians sought to gain a foothold amongst an often hostile Anglo-Canadian society. History 464 shall explore the maturation of Indo-Canadian society and its integration into the broader Canadian cultural mosaic. Special attention will be paid to the Sikh community and its experience in British Columbia.
HIST 465
4 credits
British India
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history or 45 university-level credits. Familiarity with the basic skills of historical inquiry is expected.
This course will explore the rise of the British presence in India and the emergence of a distinct Anglo-Indian society from the 18th century to Indian independence. The impact of Anglo-British society on Britain as well as India will be considered. Issues such as imperialism, racism, gender, and class in the context of a hybrid colonial–metropolitan society will receive special consideration.
HIST 486
4 credits
Problems in the Chinese Communist Revolution
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history and one 300-level history course. HIST 235 is strongly recommended.
This course examines the origins and development of the Chinese Communist revolution from the early 20th century to the founding of the People's Republic of China. With emphasis on the social and ideological aspects, the course analyses the relationship between party leadership and mass participation in the development of a revolutionary movement in China before 1949.
HIST 487
4 credits
Society and Politics in China since 1949
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history and one 300-level history course. HIST 235 is strongly recommended.
This course examines the major social and political changes in China under Communism since 1949 with emphasis on the interplay between ideology and policy. It also analyses the relationship between China’s domestic development and external policy.
HIST 489
4 credits
Directed Studies in History -- Projects
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history, one 300-level history course, and written consent of the supervising faculty member.
This course is designed for students who wish to examine in greater depth a specific historical problem through the development of a defined academic product, such as a major academic paper. It will be offered either as an individual research course or as small research seminars, depending upon student and faculty interest. Admission only by consent of the instructor.
HIST 490
4 credits
Directed Studies in History -- Readings
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history, one 300-level history course, and written consent of the supervising faculty member.
This course is designed for students who wish to examine in greater depth a particular historical problem through the examination of scholarly sources. It will be offered either as an individual reading course or as small seminars, depending upon student and faculty interest. Admission only by consent of the instructor.
HIST 499
4 credits
Special Topics in History II
Prerequisite(s): Nine credits of lower-level history and one 300-level history course.
The topics will vary with the instructor but will be limited to those which lie outside the subject areas currently offered by our faculty. Different topics will be identified by adding a letter to the course number, e.g. 499C, 499D.
