ORIGINS OF MODERN TIMES
| In this course we will trace major intellectual, social, & political developments in the Western world since the 15th century. We will utilize primary documents from the Rogers text to immerse ourselves in the evidence that historians use to build their stories of the past. We will be using the Smedley text to examine the history of ideas about race in order to bring some focus to our ambitious endeavor. In addition to this practical consideration, I believe that the concept of race and the institutions and politics that it has engendered constitute a fundamental, yet often neglected aspect of Western civilization. Our overall aim in the class will be to explore and reflect upon how the history of our civilization's beliefs and institutions effect us today as citizens of the world. |