Courses

An examination of the historical development of the family in the modern era. There is a central focus on the formation of families and households and the impact of religion on gender and family roles. The course integrates contemporary gender theory, but concentrates on the lives and ideas of historical actors as they are revealed in the historical record.

This course will involve an examination of the major themes of sub-Saharan African history from 1500 to the partition of Africa following the Berlin Conference of 1884. Primary emphasis will be on the nature of African societies and the political, social, and economic consequences of their interaction with Europe. Special attention will be given to issues such as the origins and nature of African societies; the rise and impact of the slavetrade; the growth of the European presence and the nature of European imperialism; and the onset of direct European colonial rule and the African response to it.

This course will involve a survey of Sub-Saharan African history since the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885. Primary emphasis will be on a variety of regions at various stages of their development, while exploring the roles of colonial power, emerging nationalisms and the politics of underdevelopment.

A cultural and political history of China and Japan since 1900 with an emphasis on late twentieth century issues. Course includes discussion of Hong Kong and Taiwan as Chinese territories and Korea as a primary neighbour of China and Japan. Of special interest are the relations of Japan and China with the United States.

An examination of some major theses in the history of the Arab Middle East since the breakup of the Ottoman Empire following World War I. The course examines the role played by issues of identity in the development of national structures in the Arab East (Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States). Themes include: the nature of the Islamic community, the structure and legacy of the Ottoman rule, post-Ottoman settlement and the impact of colonial rule, the emergence of nationalist politics and the growth of contemporary Arab state system, oil and the politics of family rule in the Gulf States, and the relationship between religion and politics.

A survey of the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The historical roots of the conflict, issues of land ownership and immigration, the development of national consciousness, and the process of state formation within both communities, impacts on the larger international community, and problems of peacemaking.

An examination of special topics or issues in history that are not considered in depth in other courses.

In the setting of the historical Booth Mansion in Ottawa, students are invited to explore the history of Canadian political leadership. Using the historical method, including research in primary sources, they will evaluate the leadership of Canadian Prime Ministers and examine how they addressed the needs and crises of the nation. By means of their enquiries into Canada's political leadership, students will develop their own theories of effective leadership.

This course examines the Atlantic world during an era of immense global change. Since the navigations of the fifteenth century, the Atlantic has been a corridor for fundamental exchanges of peoples, crops, technology, and ideas. Topics include: early maritime explorations, the destruction and reconfiguration of indigenous societies, the labour migrations of Europeans, Native Americans, and Africans, slavery and the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the establishment of an Atlantic economy, the maturation of EuroAmerican colonial societies and their struggles for autonomy and national independence.