Course Offerings, Spring 2013

Hist 3071: Louisiana History (T Th 1:30-2:50 p.m.)
This course provides a general survey of Louisiana’s history from the earliest days of colonization to the present. Although the primary focus is on events that took place within the boundaries of the modern state, we will also cover material intended to help students understand Louisiana’s history in terms of relevant regional, national, and international events and contexts. There are three exams. Each of them has an essay component.
Prof. Alecia Long.

Hist 3117, sec. 1 (seminar): Women and Gender in Asia (T 3:00-5:50 p.m.)
This course examines a wide range of gender issues in the East Asian cultural tradition, including gender role constructions and cultural perspectives on sexuality and sexual behavior. It also traces the changing roles of women and men from traditional society through the period of modern nation-building efforts to contemporary society. 
Prof. Margherita Zanasi.

Hist. 3118, sec. 1 (seminar): The English Reformation, 1520-1625  (M W 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
This seminar explores the progression and effect of religious change in England during the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. The class will meet twice a week, and will utilize lectures, readings (primary and secondary source materials), and in-class discussions to direct its course of study. While primarily focusing on the religious changes which have come to be known as the English Reformation, students will examine their political, social, diplomatic, and cultural context, and will seek to understand the origins, evolution, and implications of these changes for the development of English (and, indeed, American) culture during the early modern era.
Instructor Katherine Sawyer Robinson.

Hist 3119, sec. 1 (seminar): The Black Panther Party and the Black Power Movement (M W 1:30-2:50 p.m.)
This course will examine the development of black militancy in post- Civil Rights America by focusing study on the Black Panther Party for Self Defense. The readings will cover scholarship on the nascent growth of the Black Power Movement by examining work on radical traditions and armed self-defense in the context of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s, and continue through the rise and fall the Black Panthers; of one of the 20th century’s most unique social and political organizations. The course readings include academic monographs as well as extensive biographical material written by former Panthers and the lawyers and law enforcement officers closest to the movement. We will conclude by looking at the crumbling of the Party in the late 1970’s and their lasting effect on the political, cultural and institutional landscape of the United States. Graded material will focus on student presentations pertaining to the assigned readings and original work written by students in the form of a 10 page research paper due at the end of the term. While class will center on student discussion and interpretations, there will also be weekly lectures to provide students with the background in African American history needed to contextualize the readings and foreground the issues to be discussed each week. Prof. Kodi Roberts.

Hist 3119, section 2 (seminar): Science Fiction and American History (W 3:00-5:50 p.m.)
This seminar will explore the ways in which science fiction literature and films express the history of the United States. By looking at science fiction novels and films as historical documents, we will discover the aspirations and fears of Americans throughout the twentieth century.

Themes covered include utopias/dystopias, changes in race, gender, and class, the role of technology in society, and the role of man in the universe.

Readings will include Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot (1950), Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 (1953), and Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale (1985).

Films will include The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), Blade Runner (1982) and Starship Troopers (1997). Students will be required to write a historical research paper on a science fiction novel and film. Prof. Charles Shindo.

Hist 3119, sec. 3 (seminar): Environmentalism in the 20th Century (M 3:00-5:50 p.m.)
The relationship that Americans have with the environment is a complex one. For decades, we have faced questions about how to balance the needs of our ecosystems with the needs of our modernizing society. The answers have rarely been simple or complete.
This seminar will examine the evolution of the modern environmental movement, and we will look at some of the major events, people, and ideas that have influenced its development. Examples of topics we will cover include: early 20th century conservation efforts, the connection between pollution and public health, U.S. energy policy, and who often bears the burden of progress.
Instructor Rebecca Bond.

Hist 3119, sec. 4 (seminar): Religion and American Politics, 1607-1865 (T Th 3:00-4:20 p.m.)
This course will focus on the ways in which religion factored into the politics of America’s founding era and the decades that followed. We will address questions that remain extremely relevant and controversial in today’s political culture:
When and why did Congress begin to pray?
Must the President be a Christian?
What is religious disestablishment?
Is the Constitution a religious document?
Instructor Spender McBride.

Hist 4022: France Since 1770 (T Th 9:00-10:20 a.m.)
This course covers the principal political, social, economic, and intellectual developments in France during the last two and a half centuries. Special emphasis is on two topics: how the government evolved from absolute monarchy to republic, with interruptions for constitutional monarchy and empire, and how the French people experienced the social and economic changes resulting from this political upheaval. Required reading: four books; required testing: midterm examination and final examination. Prof. Benjamin Martin.

Hist 4043: Tudor England (M W F 12:30-1:20 p.m.)
This course focuses on the political, religious, social and cultural history of England during the reign of the Tudor dynasty from 1485-1603. Among the most important of English monarchs, the Tudors (among whom were Henry VIII, 'Bloody' Mary, and Elizabeth I) presided over the creation of a new style of monarchy, a new Protestant church, and a new colonial Empire. Course requirements include a midterm exam, research paper, final exam, and active participation in class discussion. Prof. Victor Stater.

Hist 4048: Irish History, 1600 to the Present (M W F 2:30-3:20 p.m.)
This course covers the history of Ireland since 1500, focusing particularly on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Readings include (but are not limited to) a collection of primary documents on the Great Famine, Frank McCourt’s best-selling account of his Irish childhood, Angela’s Ashes, and a journalist’s study of one family’s IRA involvement. The course makes extensive use of online resources and films. Class time will feature a great deal of discussion; participation will be factored into the final grade. The final grade will also be based on map quizzes, a semester journal, and two papers and a final essay exam.

This is a certified Communication-Intensive (C-I) course which meets all of the requirements set forth by LSU’s Communication across the Curriculum program, including
• instruction and assignments emphasizing informal and formal written and visual communication;
• teaching of discipline-specific communication techniques;
• use of draft-feedback-revision process for learning;
• practice of ethical and professional work standards;
• 40% of the course grade rooted in communication-based work; and
• a student/faculty ratio no greater than 35:1.
Students interested in pursuing the LSU Distinguished Communicators certification may use this C-I course for credit. For more information about this student recognition program, visit www.cxc.lsu.edu.  Prof. Meredith Veldman.

Hist 4050: British Colonialism in South Asia (T Th 1:30-2:50 p.m.)
The contemporary historiography of Britain acknowledges the pivotal place of British colonial rule in South Asia for the political, economic and cultural development of the metropole as well as the Indian Ocean region. By focusing on the period between the founding of the East India Company in 1600 to the end of British imperial rule in 1947, this course provides a focused consideration of Britain’s colonial experience in South Asia, emphasizing cross-cultural exchange and development during this important period in British history. Prof. Reza Pirbhai.

Hist 4052: The American Revolution (T Th 3:00-4:20 p.m.)
This course encompasses Revolutionary era politics, thought, and culture. The period it covers is
roughly 1763-1793, from the end of the French and Indian War to the end of George
Washington’s first term as president under the new federal Constitution. Beyond the standard
narrative of resistance and war, patriots and tories, Federalists and Antifederalists, we also
examine the American Enlightenment and its impact on the founding. Prof. Andrew Burstein.

Hist 4066: U.S. Military History (T Th 3:00 - 4:20 p.m.)
Hist 4066 will explore the many facets of American military history, from the beginnings of European contact with Native Americans to the current Global War on Terror. We will focus the bulk of our attention on the interplay between the military, the government, and the American people over time, and less on particular battles. In other words, we will figure out why Americans wage war, how those wars have been fought, and what the various conflicts tell us about American society. We will read six books, write two papers, and take a midterm and final exam. We will also engage in classroom debates about every three weeks. Hist 4066 is sure to help you reexamine the role of America’s military in the development of the nation and the globalized society we now inhabit. Instructor Adam Pratt.

Hist 4071: The Antebellum South (T Th 9:00-10:20 a.m.)
This course covers the history of the American South from the colonial period to 1861. Topics that receive particular attention include: slavery from its beginnings to the mature institution, with treatment of origins, the slave world, and the master-slave relationship; the nature of the southern economy; the white social order; the southern mind; political history from the Revolution to the breakup of the Union, emphasizing the connection between the South and the nation. Prof. William Cooper.

Hist 4073: Louisiana Colonial History (T Th 12:00-1:20 p.m.)
Rogues! Land speculations!
International Intrigues and Wars! An “Accidental City”!
And Much, Much More!
Political, economic, and social development of early Louisiana. Essay exams; possible project.
Prof. Paul Hoffman.

Hist 4085: West Africa from 1800 (M W F 10:30-11:20 a.m.)
History 4085 is a survey course on the historical evolution of West African societies from the nineteeenth century to the present. It examines the broad outlines of the historical developments of the subregion during that period and will look at such major themes as the rise of Islamic orthodoxy and the resultant jihads of the nineteenth century, the trans-Saharan and South Atlantic trade systems and the evolving relations between the peoples of West Africa and the imperial nations of Europe. Other issues, such as urbanization, environment and disease, class structures and socioeconomic inequities, inter alia, will be covered as well. Prof. Gibril Cole.

History 4091: China to 1600 (M W F 11:30-12:30)
This course presents a survey of approximately three thousand years of Chinese history, from the dawn of Chinese civilization around 1500 B.C. to about A.D. 1500, the eve of the modern Western intrusion. The class will focus on political and cultural history, and the course will devote some attention to such aspects of Chinese civilization as archeology, language, philosophy, literature, religion, and art. There is no specific course prerequisite for enrolling in this course. Prof. John Henderson.

History 4093: Pre-modern Japan (M W F 9:30-10:30)
This course will cover the first thousand years of Japanese history, from the beginnings to the 16th century, emphasizing cultural and political history.  Among the topics to be covered are interactions with China and Korea, the Japanese language, and the literature and drama, art and architecture, and religion and philosophy of  premodern Japan.   The readings will include the Japanese national epic, TALES OF THE HEIKE, and an anthology of Japanese literature, as well as a brief narrative history.  No previous study of Japanese history or culture is expected or required.  Because the theme of Buddhism is so pervasive in the course, students may receive extra credit for a certifiable satori (enlightenment experience), as well as for a haiku that sums up the meaning of the course. Prof. John Henderson.

Hist 4097: History of South Asia (T Th 10:30-11:50 a.m.)
A consideration of the features of South Asian history most pertinent to the creation of the region's modern contours. Historiography and readings in cultural history feature prominently. Prof. Reza Pirbhai.

Hist 4195: Contemporary China (T Th 12:00-1:20 p.m.)
In 1949, Mao Zedong established the People’s Republic of China (PRC), initiating three decades of Communist rule that was to take China through dramatic social and economic upheavals, including the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. Today, more than 35 years after the death of Mao in 1976, China is experimenting with new forms of social and economic organization under the banner of “Communism with Chinese characteristics.” As the economic interests increasingly outweigh ideological differences in the global marketplace, the PRC is in the process of creating a "China" and a "Chinese" identity that is as much about capitalism, flashy karaoke discos, and flaunting its international muscle as it is about the revival of traditional social and religious rituals.
Requirements
Three quizzes: 10% each (total of 30%)
Midterm: 30%
Final: 30%
Class participation: 10%

Textbooks
Harold Tanner. China: A History. Hackett Pub Co.
-- Yuan-tsung Chen, The Dragon Village: An Autobiographical Novel of Revolutionary China
-- Rae Yang, Spider Eaters: A Memoir.
Various articles (available as pdf files through Moodle).
Prof. Margherita Zanasi.
 

HIST 4195, sec. 2: Religion, War, and Death in Latin America (MWF 10:30-11:20 a.m.)
This course will analyze the unique religious context of Latin America from the first arrival of humans to the region to the present. It charts European, African, and Indigenous religious forms and their interrelation within pre-Columbian, colonial and national contexts. The course aims to provide a survey of the important religious traditions in Latin America that have shaped that region’s history and culture over time. Moreover, this class will examine the connection between religion, war and death in Latin America. It charts both the conservative and progressive tendencies within Latin American traditions of Christianity, with a special emphasis on the role of Catholicism in shaping, and being shaped by, Latin American culture. We will be reading historical as well as philosophical and theological texts related to topics such as millenarianism, hybridity, violence, revolution, and death. The class will be held in a seminar fashion, with supplemental lectures and context provided. The student will carry out a research program and produce a 15-20 page research paper. Graduate Students Welcome! Prof. Stephen Andes.
 

Hist 4196, sec. 1: Premodern Sport, Spectacle, and Entertainment (M W F 1:30-2:20 p.m.)
This course explores sport, spectacle and entertainment primarily in the ancient Roman and Medieval periods.  Topics will include participatory sport, spectator sport, team sport, athletes, gladiators, martyrs, circus performers, actors, tournaments, animals, troubadours, and the emergence of ball sports.  
We will look at the creation of special venues such as the theater, the amphitheater, hippodrome, arena and circus, as well as the transformation of civic space into a place for spectator sport in medieval cities and towns. We will explore the role of entertainment and spectacle in the politics, society and culture of the premodern world. Prof. Maribel Dietz.

Hist 4196, sec. 2: War in the West, from the Greeks to Napoleon (M W F 10:30-11:20 a.m.)
The purpose of this course is to examine the role that military affairs and war played in western political and social history from the Greeks to Napoleon. We will be discussing matters such as western military values, the western way of war, the role that warfare and the military played in different societies, military encounters between western and non-western societies, and what purpose the military was supposed to serve and did serve at various times. Six books, two four-page papers (1200 words) based on the assigned books, a mid-term, and final. Prof. Karl Roider.

Hist 4197, section 1: History of the Acadians (Cajuns) in Louisiana (M 6:00-8:50 p.m.)
This course begins in 1603 with the creation of the Company of Acadia by King Henry IV of France and the founding of the colony of Acadia in what is today the Maritime Provinces of Canada in 1604. We will study the development of the colony in the 17th and 18th Centuries and the creation of a people called Acadians. Special attention will be given to Le Grand Derangement (The Great Upheaval) and Le Grand Rassemblement (The Great Reunion), and how, why, and when the Acadians reached Louisiana and their evolution into the Cajuns of today. Dr. W. Arceneaux.

Hist 4197: Scandals in American History (T Th 12:00-1:20 p.m.)
This class explores the historical meaning of political scandal in the United States. We will begin with Benedict Arnold (the first “American” traitor) and end with the Abu Ghraib scandal. Scandals contribute to the ongoing debate over what is dangerous to American democracy, invoking (at times, exaggerating, even distorting) palpable fears of deceit and secrecy, sexual disorder, racial impurity, social violence, tyranny and anarchy. Political scandals are more than an entertaining sideshow to the normal activities of democratic governance. By creating a public and national forum, they shape the shifting norms of state power and constitutional authority, moral expectations of presidential leadership, and the language of nationhood. Required Reading: Books (and some additional articles from JSTOR): John Marszalek, The Petticoat Affair (2000); Michael Les Benedict, The Impeachment and Trial of Andrew Johnson (1973); Eric Rauchway, Murdering McKinley (2003); James Madison, A Lynching in the Heartland (2001); Keith W. Olsen, Watergate: The Presidential Scandal that Shook America (2003). Prof. Nancy Isenberg.
 

Graduate Courses

Hist 7909: Research in European History (T 3:00-5:50 p.m.)
Graduate research colloquium. Prof. Suzanne Marchand.

Hist 7922: The Classical World, 800 BCE to 600 CE (W 3:00-5:50 p.m.)
This course, a hybrid colloquium/research seminar, is designed to give graduate students practice thinking, arguing, and writing as historians, while exploring topics from the rise of the Greek city-state to Imperial Roman frontier policy. In one phase of the course, we will have the opportunity to discuss what relationship, if any, exists between classical Greek democracy and the modern American version. Each student will present at least one book review, and will construct a critical historical argument in an independent research paper. Prof. Steven Ross.

Hist 7923: The West and the World Since 1500 (T 3:00-5:50 p.m.)
This readings seminar will cover the expanding literature on Europe’s interconnections with the non-Western world. Topics include: early modern capitalism, the Atlantic world, industrialization, nationalism, imperialism, missionary encounters, 20th-century internationalisms, decolonization, Orientalism, and environmental history. This seminar counts as a thematic course towards the world history minor for Ph.D. students. Prof. David Lindenfeld.

Hist 7952: Readings in American History (T 3:00-5:50 p.m.)
Readings include:
Harry Watson, Liberty and Power: The Politics of Jacksonian America (2006)
Andrew Burstein, The Passions of Andrew Jackson (2004)
Amy Greenberg, Manifest Manhood and Antebellum American Empire (2005)
Edward J. Balleisen, Navigating Failure: Bankruptcy and Commercial Society in Antebellum America (2001)
Thomas R. Hietala, Manifest Design: Anxious Aggrandizement in Late Jacksonian America (1985)
Eric Foner, Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men: The Ideology of the Republican Party before the Civil War (1970)
T.J. Stiles, Jesse James: Last Rebel of the Civil War (2002)
Edward L. Ayers, Vengeance and Justice: Crime and Punishment in 19th-Century American South (1984)
Eric Rauchway, Murdering McKinley: The Making of Theodore Roosevelt (2003)
Gail Bederman, Manliness & Civilization: A Cultural History of Gender and Race in the United States, 1880-1917 (1995). Prof. Nancy Isenberg.

Hist 7957: Research Seminar in American History (T 3:00-5:50 p.m.)
This seminar introduces graduate students to the process of historical research and presentation (oral and written).  It includes selecting a topic, working with different kinds of sources, compiling a primary and secondary source bibliography, developing a research strategy, refining an argument, and organizing supporting evidence.  The goal is an article-length paper which is publishable.  Your topic may be part of your thesis, or a separate subject. Prof. David Culbert.

Hist 7959: Biography in History (Th 3:00-5:50 p.m.)
In this course students will read and critique several biographical studies of 20th Century Americans. They will also do shorter readings that consider how biography fits within and contributes to the discipline of history, how historian-biographers research their subjects, and how they choose and deploy a variety of methodologies. Students will write several short papers related to assigned readings. For the final project students will undertake biographical research on a 20th Century American and compose a 15-20 page paper based on their findings. Prof. Alecia Long.