Course Level: Undergraduate

Topics vary by section, may be repeated for credit with different topic.

Course Level: Undergraduate

Selected Topics: Non-recurring (1-6)

Lens on the Past: Producing Historical Documentary Films

This interdisciplinary course combines SOC's Film and Media Art Department's expertise in teaching documentary filmmaking with CAS' History Department's expertise in teaching historical interpretation and research methods. The course focuses on a specific historical time period, theme, or event. Students work in teams to produce several short documentaries focusing on this theme. The course covers the historical context of the central theme along with an introductory history of history documentary film. It addresses the issues of ethics and representation, copyright, and Fair Use guidelines. Students develop practical skills using archival resources, selecting appropriate imagery and sound, and conducting interviews. They learn the arts of storytelling and scriptwriting combined with visual and sound techniques to bring history alive. Meets with HIST-696 001.

Course Level: Undergraduate

Selected Topics: Non-recurring (1-6)

Laws, Rights, and the State

Focuses on the legal regimes and governmental institutions that have influenced American society and politics from the revolutionary through the neoliberal eras. Topics include how Americans have defined and contested rights, regulation, and citizenship, in the context of the emergence of social, political, and economic modernity. Meets with HIST-696 002.

Course Level: Undergraduate

Selected Topics: Non-recurring (1-6)

Modern Iran

Considers the history of Iran from the late nineteenth century to the present. Discussion topics include great power rivalries and the rise of Iranian nationalism, the oil economy and elite modernization, political Islam and the Iranian Revolution, the Iran-Iraq war and state militarization, and most recently, the nuclear crisis. Meets with HIST-696 003.

Course Level: Undergraduate

Selected Topics: Non-recurring (1-6)

Consumerism: Britain and the United States

Consumerism is, arguably, the dominant ideology of the twentieth century. This course explores key debates about Western consumer societies, including such themes as: self-service and choice; retailing (department stores to malls); consumer politics and organizations; gender, race, and identity; and fashion. Besides asking how historians can research such a diverse activity, it poses fundamental questions, such as whether consumerism has improved the quality of life. Meets with HIST-696 004.

Course Level: Undergraduate

Selected Topics: Non-recurring (1-6)

American Conservatism

This course examines the origins of modern conservatism, its self-defined values and mission, its enduring appeal to ordinary people, and the ebb and flow of its influence on American life. In focusing on the emergence and development of modern right-wing perceptions, ideology, and activities, the course redefines accepted ideas about America's political Left and Right. It challenges the notion that liberal institutions have been at the center while conservative forces have been on the periphery of American politics. Meets with HIST-696 005.

Course Level: Undergraduate

Selected Topics: Non-recurring (1-6)

Romanov Russia: 1613-2013

As part of American University's Initiative for Russian Culture (IRC), students travel to Russia, including Kostroma, Moscow, and St. Petersburg, to explore the origins, history, and legacy of the Romanov dynasty. Prerequisite: permission of instructor; application required. Meets with HIST-696 N02.

Course Level: Undergraduate

Selected Topics: Non-recurring (1-6)

Zionism and Establishment of Israel

This course considers the evolution of Zionism in Europe as a national political movement, its various expressions, and the road to the establishment of the State of Israel. Meets with HIST-696 001.