HISTORY 103G Global History

Schedule
Schedule B: Humanities and Social Sciences

Semester
Semester Two

Campus
City Campus

It is only since the 15th century that a truly global dimension to history can be identified.

This course examines key determinants that have bound the fate of peoples together including:

• The emergence of world trade networks.
• The growth of world religions.
• The spread of epidemic diseases.
• The formation of empires.
• The migration of peoples across continents.

We often hear or read that we live in a globalised world and that today is fundamentally different from the past.

This course encourages students to think historically about concepts such as globalisation and global connectedness by examining key themes and developments that have affected the world’s peoples over the last six centuries.

This course will appeal to students who wish to acquire a better understanding of some of the major historical events, themes and ideas that have shaped the development of the modern world. It equips students with valuable perspectives to enhance their understanding of the world by exploring the increasing interconnectedness of the world's peoples from the 15th century.

1. To present students with an historical overview of the sequence of commercial, social, environmental and political events that have brought the peoples of the world together since the 15th century.
2. To examine the nature of the encounters between peoples of different cultures over time.
3. To familiarise students with some of the principal concepts which determined the course of modern history such as imperialism, industrialisation, nationalism, democracy, communism, indigenous rights and globalisation.
4. To develop students' ability to discuss their ideas in a range of both written and oral forms.
5. To improve students’ ability to write an academically accredited piece of work.

Topics covered include:

• Ming and Qing China
• The Islamic empires in the early modern world
• European conquest of the Americas
• Slavery and plantations
• The French and Industrial Revolutions
• Meiji Japan
• Global War
• Genocide

Three hours per week comprising two 1-hour lectures plus a 1-hour tutorial.

Tutorials provide a forum for discussion of assigned readings and to develop skills including essay writing.

Lectures are on Wednesdays and Fridays at 1pm.

• Two on-line CECIL multiple choice tests — 10% each
• A 1,500 word essay — 30%
• Final examination (2 hours) — 50%

Prescribed text
J. R. and William H. McNeill, (2003). The Human Web: A Bird’s Eye View of World History, W. W. Norton and Co.: New York.

Additional readings
Provided in a course guide, distributed at the first lecture.

Associate Professor Malcolm Campbell
Email: mc.campbell@auckland.ac.nz
Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 87393

This course has been taught since the inception of the General Education programme and been taken by thousands of students in that time.

It scores consistently highly in student evaluations.

In a 2009 student survey, 87.5% of General Education students strongly agreed or agreed with the propositions ‘Overall, I was satisfied with the quality of this course’ and ‘This course helped deepen their understanding of the subject’.

(Source: University Course Questionnaire #21003272)