This course will look at some of the most significant trends, ideas, and concepts from the mid-eighteenth (1750) to the beginning of the twentieth century (1900). Beginning with the Enlightenment and ending with the establishment of the modern “nation,” this course assesses how “the West” emerged as a hegemonic force that disrupted global connections and forged new ones, changing the social, economic, political, and ecological norms of societies worldwide. In the course, we will examine a variety of case studies that look at how the non-West adopted, resisted, and contested European ideologies. This course argues that the world in which we live in today cannot be explained without understanding the systems and events of the 19^th century.

Weekly Readings and Assignments