Spring 2022 Undergraduate Courses
Please note: Course offerings subject to change.
HIST 11200: World History 1500 to the Present
Instructor: Melson / Tues 9:45-11 / In Person
This course is a survey of world history from the 16th century until the present. Our focus will be the evolution of global connections and interactions that led to unprecedented movements of people, ideas, technologies, and microbes during this time period. As novel forms of migration and rule crossed our world, they propelled new forms of domination and resistance. We will explore how these processes impacted the causes and consequences of the slave trade, imperial domination, decolonization, and nationalism. Specific case studies will illuminate these events by exploring how global processes effected local contexts and vice-versa. Particular emphasis will be placed on how historians analyze primary source material, interpret, and debate the past. Finally, this course will reorient students away from a western perspective to highlight global and alternative histories that are often ignored within broad historical surveys.
For College: Fulfills CUNY Common Core (World Cultures).
For History Majors: Counts as Non-US/Non-Europe
HIST 12200: 19th and 20th Century Europe
Instructor Spritzer/ Mon-Th 8:10-9:25 / Synchronous
Instructor Hett / Mon-Th 11:10-12:25 / In Person
History of modern Europe between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, covering Western, Eastern Europe, and Russia. The focus of this course is upon political history but topics related to economy, culture and the arts are included as well. We start with the French Revolution of 1789 and complete the course with the collapse of communism and the Soviet Union in 1991. We will analyze how the concept of Europe changed over time; how colonies turned into nation states, and how these nations transformed during the modern era; why, how, and when some states adopted totalitarian models; and how colonialism and totalitarianism came to an end in Europe after WWII. Themes include: the French Revolution and Revolutionary Wars, romanticism, liberalism, socialism and Marxism, 1848, empire and nation states, European imperialism, WWI, interwar radicalism, Nazism, fascism, and Stalinism, WWII, the Holocaust, cold war, European Union, the collapse of communism, and the creation of a new Europe. Lectures will be supplemented by weekly readings from the textbook and primary sources. Students will learn to work with primary sources and incorporate them into historical analysis.
For College: Fulfills Pluralism and Diversity requirement (Group D).
For History Majors: Counts as Non-US / Non-Europe
HIST 14166: Russian Foreign Policy in Historical Perspective
Instructor Casper/ Mon-Th 2:45-4 / In Person
This course examines Russia's international engagements and entanglements over the past two centuries. Devoting particular attention to the country's territorial expansion and clashes with neighboring empires, the course will consider policy continuities and divergences in Russia's actions on the global stage. Topics to be addressed include the Napoleonic and Crimean Wars, the Great Game, the sale of Alaska, the conquest of the Caucasus and Central Asia, the building of the Trans-Siberian Railroad and the Russo-Japanese War, World War I, the Comintern and the interwar Left, World War II, the Cold War, the dissolution of the USSR, the rise of illiberal democracy, the annexation of Crimea and frozen conflict in Eastern Ukraine, and 2016 US presidential election. Readings will be drawn from scholarly books and articles, as well as select primary sources.
For History Majors: Counts as European
HIST 15100: United States from the Colonial Era to the Civil War
Instructor Reynolds / Asynchronous / Only for students with 60+ credits
Instructor Gelfand / Tues-Fri 9:45-11 or 2:30-3:25 / In Person
Instructor Ranlet / Mon-Thurs 2:45 - 4:00 or 4:10 - 5:25 / In Person
Instructor Tantirungkij / Mon-Thurs 9:45-11 / In Person
This course will cover U.S. History broadly from the early period of European settlement to the conclusion of the Civil War. The course will include at least one focused study of a particular topic or event from this period.
For College: Fulfills CUNY Common Core (US Experience).
For History Majors: Counts as US and Prior to 1800
HIST 15200: United States from the Civil War to the Present
Instructors Woltering / Asynchronous
Instructor Rosenberg / Asynchronous Lectures + Discussion Sections on Tues or Fri @ 12:10
Instructor Bellows / Mon-Wed 4:10-5:25 / In Person
Instructor Kocurek / Tues-Thur 4:10-5:25 or 5:35-6:50 / In Person
Instructor Woltering / Tues-Fri 8:10-9:25 or 9:45-11:00 / In Person
Instructor Wright / Mon-Thur 9:45-11 or 11:10-12:25 / In Person
This course surveys some of the major developments in United States history from 1865 to the 1970s. Among the subjects covered are the struggles for justice of African Americans and women; the expanding scope and power of the federal government; and the increasing engagement of the United States with the world.
For College: Fulfills CUNY Common Core (US Experience).
For History Majors: Counts as US
HIST 21000: History of Judaism
Instructor Ruben / Mon-Thur 1:10-2:25 / In Person
This course is an overview of the historical evolution of Judaism. Ranging from its origins in the Ancient Near East to the challenges of Modernity, the course will focus on religious and intellectual history. (The parallel course, History of the Jews, focuses more on social and political issues.) Judaism evolved through a dialectical tension between a desire to differentiate from and to embrace the surrounding civilizations in which it found itself - all in the quest for holiness and meaning. We will examine this process as the overarching theme of the course.
For History Majors: Counts as Non-US/Non-Europe
HIST 21100: Medieval Civilization
Instructor Melson / Tues 11:10-12:25 / In Person
The thousand year period between the collapse of the Roman Empire and the beginnings of the modern age were a dynamic, action-packed era which saw the birth of many modern social institutions, including universities, systematized law, centralized government, and the romance novel, just to name a few. We will approach the course with the following goals in mind: to understand the social, institutional, economic, cultural, and religious shifts that occurred during this period; to understand the continuities of medieval thought and society and to be able to explain its relationship to the periods before and after the Middle Ages; to be able to critically analyze primary sources, and to understand how to use primary sources to forward a historical argument; and to understand how historical interpretations of a topic or event themselves change over time.
For History Majors: Counts as European and Prior to 1800
HIST 25007: Europe in the Age of Total War, 1900-1963
Instructor Hett / Mon-Thur 4:10-5:25 / In Person
This class explores the history of Europe between approximately 1900 and 1963 from a particular angle, that of the intersection of large-scale wars and military mobilization (the two World Wars and the Cold War) and processes of social, political, cultural and economic change. We will consider throughout what exactly the concepts of "total war" (and its near cousin, "totalitarianism") really mean; and at the core of the course will be the question of how the World Wars were possible, and whether or not some similar kind of war remains possible - and if not, why not. We will also spend time considering important questions of historical causation - especially that of whether certain social or intellectual changes were results of the World Wars or instead causes of them. By the end of the course students should have a good grasp of the causes and consequences of these large scale historical events; they should be familiar with the use and analysis of primary sources and secondary sources such as are listed on this syllabus; and they should be able to formulate and sustain an argument on the basis of such sources.
For History Majors: Counts as European
HIST 25023: US-Latin American Relations
Instructor Welt / Mon-Thurs 9:45-11
This course will explore how Jewish men and women, informed by intra-Jewish debates and interactions with the empires in which they lived, constructed the gendered norms of the larger Jewish world. This course will pay particular attention to the ways in which Jewish women carved out spaces in politics, economic activity, and religious life across the Jewish diaspora in Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Students will also grapple with how Jewish masculinity has been conceived and performed during different moments of modern Jewish history. As the course probes Jewish encounters with the rise of global capitalism, the forging of imperial networks and nation-states, mass migrations, and Zionist state-building, students will learn how gender integrally shaped the modern Jewish experience.
For History Majors: Counts as Non-US/Non-Europe
HIST 25026: History of Jewish Music
Instructor Ruben / Mon-Thurs 11:10-12:25 / In Person
This course will examine the important streams of Jewish music from its origins to the present day.
For History Majors: Counts as Non-US / Non-Europe
HIST 25065: France to Revolution
Instructor Spritzer / Mon-Thurs 9:45-11/ Synchronous
For History Majors: Counts as Europe and Prior to 1800
HIST 26100: History of Modern India and South Asia
Instructor Bhagavan / Tue-Fri 2:10-3:25
This course is designed to introduce students to the civilization(s) of the subcontinent from the coming of the Mughals in 1526 to the present. We will examine aspects of South Asia’s diverse political, social, and cultural histories. “South Asia” here refers to the contemporary countries of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. No prior knowledge of South Asian history or culture is expected or required.
For History Majors: Counts as Non-US/Non-Europe
HIST 27200: History of Latin America in the 19th and 20th Centuries (crosslist LACS 43478)
Instructor John / Tues-Fri 9;45 -11
This course explores key topics in the History of Latin America from the struggles for Independence through the present day. These include the rise of Latin American liberalism to upheavals like the Mexican Revolution, the birth of nationalist and populist mass politics, the Cuban Revolution and the counterinsurgency wars in Central America to the neoliberal" and "pink tide" trends of recent decades, and today's turbulence in many parts of the region. Using texts as well as music and video, we will study social, political and cultural aspects of the history of this varied and vibrant region whose importance for the U.S. and New York City in particular keeps growing.
For History Majors: Counts as Non-US/Non-Europe
HIST 27800: East Asia, 1600 to the Present
A survey history of the cultures and sociopolitical structures of China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam from about 1600 AD to the present.
For the College: Fulfills Pluralism and Diversity requirement (Group A).
For History Majors: Counts as Non-US/Non-Europe
HIST 29000: History Practicum (W)
Instructor Rosenthal / Tues 11:10-12:25 or 12:45 - 2 / Synchronous
Instructor Bhagavan / Mon 2:45 - 4:00 / In Person
A writing intensive seminar intended to help history majors develop their skills as historians. Each section of this course may focus on a different historical theme and so students will encounter different readings and topics. But in all sections of this course students will learn to locate, critically assess, and interpret primary sources, both textual and non-textual; analyze and critique a range of secondary sources for both methodological and historiographical purposes; and develop, draft, and revise a strong and effective research paper by learning how to construct a thesis, organize a paper, devise a bibliography, and cite sources following the Chicago Manual of Style.
Writing Intensive Course.
Prereq: ENGL 12000; 6 cr in history and declared history major.
HIST 30000: Historical Research (W)
Various Instructors
A HIST 300 project is an independent research project developed while working one-on-one with a faculty member. The project must be related to a 300-level history course that the student has already taken with that professor, or will have completed prior to beginning the project. The final product of the project is usually a 20-page research paper.
To register for HIST 300, write the professor you would like to work with and determine if they are available to work with you for the next semester. Once the professor has agreed, forward that email to Ms. Adams, the History Department Administrator, at cadams@hunter.cuny.edu and include your EMPL ID#. She will put permission for you to register into CUNY First.
Please note that there is no predefined class meeting time; instead students work out a schedule with their faculty advisor.
For History Majors: HIST 29000 is a prerequisite.
HIST 31100: Europe in the Early Middle Ages
Instructor Melson / Tues 2:10-3:25 / In Person
For History Majors: Counts as European and Prior to 1800
HIST 32100: History of the Holocaust (Crosslist JS 41054)
Instructor Casper / Mon-Thurs 4:10 - 5:25 / In Person
This course examines the fate of European Jewry between 1933 and 1945. Following an introduction to Jewish history and the historical background of anti-Semitic ideology, we will cover: the rise and fall of the democratic Weimar Republic in the 1920s; the Nazi seizure of power; anti-Jewish policy and legislation in Nazi Germany; ghettoization in Nazi Europe; and, the conception and implementation of the Final Solution during the Second World War. Additional topics will include discussions of the Jewish Councils, Jewish resistance, life in the ghettos and camps, the Jewish Question and public opinion in Nazi-occupied Europe, and the reactions of the Allies, the Church, and world Jewry to the Holocaust.
For History Majors: Counts as European
HIST 3411F: Cold War: Global History
Instructor Mehilli / Tues 11:10-12:25
For History Majors: Counts as European
HIST 3411U: China Since 1911
Instructor Belsky/ Tues-Fri 12:45-2 / In Person
An overview of post-imperial China. Major themes include: the historical legacies and unfulfilled promises of China's republican period; the rise of the Communist party and the rule of the Communist party/state; Maoist and post-Mao period policies; social, cultural, political trends; and China's changing position in the world order over time.
For History Majors: Counts as Non-US / Non-European
HIST 34122: History of Brazil
Instructor John / Tue-Fri 2:10-3:25 / In Person
This course explores crucial issues in the history of Brazil, from pre-conquest societies through the present era. In addressing these themes, the course aims a) to help students identify historical processes rather than mere collections of facts, dates and names; b) link these processes to current events; c) identify continuity and change regarding issues of national identity, social structure, race, class and gender; d) foster analytical reading and critical thinking; e) promote students' ability to analyze historical arguments and complex texts. Working with primary and secondary sources, students will evaluate differing opinions on historical events and trends, learning to analyze them in historical perspective.
For History Majors: Counts as Non-US / Non-Europe
HIST 3412C: History of Anti-Semitism (Cross List JS 35005)
Instructor Ruben / Tues-Fri 9:45-11 / In Person
This course will trace what one scholar calls "A Convenient Hatred," the persistent verbal and physical attacks upon the Jewish people over the course of its long history. We will examine the origins of anti-Semitism in the biblical period and its manifestations in the Second Temple era, particularly within the Greco-Roman world. Next we will analyze the implications of anti-Jewish rhetoric in early Christian literature as that religion strove to differentiate itself from its parent faith. The seeds sown in the Gospels bore tragic fruit in the High Middle Ages, culminating in the expulsion of the Jews of Christian Europe. Again in the Early Modern Period, Luther presented a new challenge to Judaism. With the rise of secularism, there was the hope of toleration and acceptance of Jews. Yet, even within the French Enlightenment, the seeds of a new and virulent racist anti-Semitism were sown. These came to expression in the late 19th century's embrace of racial and nationalist ideologies, and to full actualization in the murderous war against the Jews by the Third Reich. In the aftermath of this annihilation of six million Jews, there was some hope that this ancient prejudice would disappear. Yet new forms of hostility and the recycling of old ones persist to this day. The course will try to understand anti-Semitism, but recognizes the ultimate irrationality of the phenomenon.
For History Majors: Counts as Non-US / Non-Europe
HIST 3412I: Mapping Jewish New York (Crosslist JS 40005)
Instructor Welt / Wed 10:10-12:40 / In Person
This course will explore the history of Jewish New York up close and in person. Each week will entail walking tours of historic neighborhoods in the city that reveal the story of American Jews in the nation's largest city. While we navigate the historic Jewish spaces in New York, students will also learn about the political, cultural, and economic history of American Jewry.
For History Majors: Counts as US
HIST 35400: American Colonies in the 17th Century
Instructor Gelfand / Tues-Fri 3:45-5:00 / In Person
For History Majors: Counts as US and Prior to 1800
HIST 35900: Immigration & Ethnicity in the US
Instructor Contreras / Mon 4:10-5:25 / In Person
In this course we will examine the historical experiences of immigrants and their families in the United States with an emphasis on the variety of experiences among migrants, and the reasons for them. Learning Objectives include an understanding of the chronological sequence and historical context of foreign migration to the United States, the major issues and events of American immigration history, and the ability to analyze and contextualize relevant documents.
For History Majors: Counts as US
HIST 36100: America and the World in the 20th Century
Instructor Rosenberg / Fri 3:45-5:00 / Synchronous
This course will explore the US relationship with the world during the twentieth-century.
For History Majors: Counts as US
HIST 37300: History of the Ottoman Empire
Instructor Kerr / Mon-Thur 2:45-4:00 / Synchronous
For History Majors: Counts as Non-US / Non-Europe
HIST 38231: U.S African-American History: Black Power(s)
Instructor Haywood / Thur 11:10-12:25 / In Person
This course (re)considers the meanings and application of "Black Power" from multiple angles and contested points of view, starting with the emergence of the idea among young Black radicals in the 1960s to its popular imaginings in recent history. Yet, while examining Black Power in its better-known context, that is, as a politics espoused by groups, such as the Black Panthers, students will also explore the concept through new lenses that consider architecture, Black capitalism, Black republican politics, Afro-futurism, Black Lives Matter protests, and the blockbuster Marvel film, Black Panther.
For History Majors: Counts as US
HIST 38361: U.S. LGBTQ History
Instructor Hurewitz / Mon-Thur 9:45-11 / In Person
This course investigates the emergence of gay, lesbian, and transgender identities, social worlds, and political movements from the late 19th century through the 20th century. It looks at the economic, cultural, and social structures that shaped the establishment of those identities and communities, with an emphasis placed on the differences among them and across racial and economic lines.
For History Majors: Counts as US
HIST 38465: The Dreyfus Affair
Instructor Schorr / Wed 10:10-1:00 / In Person
More than 1,000 books about the Dreyfus Affair have been published in English. The Dreyfus trial was called Trial of the Century. Much as the Scopes trial in the US, the Dreyfus trial in France captured the attention of millions of people, dividing them into two camps-Dreyfusards and anti-Dreyfusards. A detailed study of the trial opens a window on French history as the belle époque drew to a close and years of war and depression loomed. It is also an opportunity to study Jewish history as a century of expanding civil rights for French Jews was followed by a century of anti-Semitism and mass murder. Finally, study of this trial raises broader questions of military justice and military secrets, the role of a free press, and the role of public intellectuals.
For History Majors: Counts as European
HIST 40000: Historical Research (Honors)
Various Instructors
A HIST 400 project is an honors-level independent research and writing project developed while working one-on-one with a faculty member. The project must be related to a 300-level history course that the student has already taken with that professor, or will have completed prior to beginning the project. The final product of the project is usually a 30-page research paper.
To register for HIST 400, write the professor you would like to work with and determine if they are available to work with you for the next semester. Once the professor has agreed, forward that email to Ms. Adams, the History Department Administrator, at cadams@hunter.cuny.edu, and include your EMPL ID#. She will put permission for you to register into CUNY First.
Please note that there is no predefined class meeting time; instead students work out a schedule with their faculty advisor.
For History Majors: HIST 29000 is a prerequisite.