History in the Headlines

(4 Credits)

This course takes today's headlines and places them in historical perspective. Each week we will examine a news story and ask what history can reveal about its roots, meaning, and consequences. We will consider not only the work of historians but also historically minded journalists and scholars, and pay close attention to how political and social actors draw on the past to understand the present and advance their claims. The course also examines how historical analysis can help us detect long-term shifts that often remain hidden in the daily news cycle and imagine new horizons for the future.