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HISTORY 411

THE ENLIGHTENMENT AND ITS CRITICS

3 credits.

European intellectual history in the 17th and 18th centuries, from the Wars of Religion to the French Revolution. Examines the rise of Enlightenment thought in relation to political and religious conflict, revolutions in science and philosophy, and the emergence of the public sphere. Special attention is paid to the Enlightenment's relationship to religion and to contemporary critiques made of Enlightenment thinking, including those of the early Romantic movement.

Prerequisites & course information

Requisites: Sophomore standing Course Designation: Core GenEd - Humanities & Arts Breadth - Humanities Level - Intermediate L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Spring 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Explain key trends, flashpoints, personalities, and texts associated with the Enlightenment. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Demonstrate the ability to think historically, grasping the importance of context, causality, contingency, complexity, and change over time for understanding the past. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Interpret sources from the past contextually, critically, and empathetically. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Construct strong historical arguments based on evidence and clear reasoning. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Compose clear analytical and argumentative written prose. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Interpret and evaluate key scholarly (or historiographical) debates in Enlightenment studies. Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Explain key trends, flashpoints, personalities, and texts associated with the Enlightenment. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Demonstrate the ability to think historically, grasping the importance of context, causality, contingency, complexity, and change over time for understanding the past. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Interpret sources from the past contextually, critically, and empathetically. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Construct strong historical arguments based on evidence and clear reasoning. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Compose clear analytical and argumentative written prose. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Interpret and evaluate key scholarly (or historiographical) debates in Enlightenment studies. Audience: Graduate

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