Robert Cross

Surveys the history of the Middle Ages in Europe and the Mediterranean world from the decline and fall of the Roman Empire in the west all the way through the coming of the Renaissance. The study of politics, society, culture, art, architecture, music, literature, and religion are all intertwined here, and key focus will be given to the rivalry between temporal and religious institutions, the growing distinction between emerging regional and national cultures, languages, and identities, and the extent to which the lived experience of regular people was influenced by the great cultural events and movements throughout this long period. Centers on Latin Christendom, but also gives significant focus to Islamic Spain, the Orthodox east, the Viking kingdoms, the various Jewish communities, and cultural interaction and interchange between these areas, and with the wider Islamic world during the period of the Crusades.  (NUPath: Interpreting Cultures)

Examines the military, economic, political, and cultural expansion of world powers since the fifteenth century, and the ways in which colonized peoples were ruled. Why did colonialist countries feel the need to conquer and dominate, how did they do it, and why did they retreat on some fronts? How did people resist and cooperate with colonialism? How did colonialism affect national and cultural identities? Colonialism is examined as a global phenomenon and from a comparative perspective that looks at particular case studies. Also examines decolonization in the twentieth century.

The first half of this course surveys the broader history of colonial North America, beginning with the arrival of native peoples, moving forward to the age of European reconnaissance and the establishment of colonial empires. Although the main focus is on the British colonies, other European empires are also included, with particular emphasis on comparison and interaction with the French and Spanish experience in North America, and their place in the larger Atlantic world. The second half of the course then takes an in-depth look at the final, crucial few decades that saw the toppling of the British Empire in the thirteen colonies and the establishment of the American republic, and follows its course through to the end of the revolutionary period.

Covers the social, economic, political, and cultural transformations of Europe from the Renaissance to the French Revolution. Traces the rebirth of Catholic Europe from 1300; the Reformation; the religious wars; struggles over religious and scientific beliefs; advances in technology, science, and warfare; overseas expansion; the scientific revolution; and the Enlightenment.

Examines the history of early modern England as well as Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. Follows the development of England from a small backwater to one of the most powerful European nations by the early eighteenth century. Analyzes the constantly shifting relationships between the various cultural identities within Britain. Concentrates on British history not only from the perspective of the elites but also the ordinary people whose names have often been lost to history. Key themes include the rise of the modern state, participation in the political franchise, issues of gender, the interactions between England and the Celtic fringes, and the growth of the British Empire.

This course will focus on a selection of the Western tradition’s key thinkers, taking an in-depth look at some of the most influential works in the history of political thought, from ancient Greece through eighteenth-century Europe and America. Along the way, we will follow two simultaneous paths: one literary/philosophical, and one historical. You will have the opportunity here to read, consider, and discuss a number of history’s great books. But you will also come to understand how these works fit in their historical and cultural context. It is not enough simply to read Plato’s Republic, Aristotle’s Politics, More’s Utopia, or Machiavelli’s Prince. These texts need to be considered in dialogue with one another, and in the light of subsequent thinkers who read them, adapted them, borrowed from them, copied them, and ultimately established them as the foundation of a “canon” of thought that has been passed down to us over the years.

Offers a senior research and writing seminar that integrates and assesses the knowledge and skills developed by students participating in the international affairs curriculum, including both experiential (co-op, Dialogue of Civilizations, study abroad, internship, or other approved international experience) and classroom-based components. Requires student self-reflection as well as new research, analysis, and writing, which culminate in a final paper and presentation. Topics include contemporary global issues and draw on relevant literature in the disciplines relating to international affairs.