Europe I

0-3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

The basic aim of this course is to provide a foundation in the cultural, political, and social history of Europe since the Middle ages, but its broader focus is to demonstrate how such a course is necessary for understanding what constitutes modernity. To that end it will emphasize the decisive role played by the West in creating the modern world and its ongoing influence in determining the nature of modernization wherever it occurs. Accordingly, a knowledge of Europe's changing perceptions of itself and the nature of the world is essential to an understanding of what modernity is about. The lectures and readings, therefore, will be organized around major themes that contribute to this understanding, such as the meaning of authority and the concepts of change and continuity.