World History

Course Content:

In ?World History? students examine the sometimes surprisingly deep historical roots of
our current ?globalized? world. Taking the year 1700 as its approximate starting point, the
module focuses on various examples of world-wide encounter and exchange in terms of
exploration, trade, commerce, manufacturing, finance, technology, culture, belief and
conflict. All these have been of immense importance in influencing and determining the
nature and pace of historical change in 'the West' and in other parts of the world.

Topics covered include:
? The expansion of Europe since 1700 in a world-historical context.
? The importance of networks and technologies including those of
exploration, communication, trade, commerce and finance.
? The nature of encounters and exchanges between peoples from different
world regions.
? Economic, cultural, political and other impacts of encounter.
? Textual, visual and material evidence of encounter abd exchange
between cultures.
? The growth, expansion and decline of regional and world powers.
? Pre-twentieth century and twentieth century ?globalization?.
? Exponents, supporters and critics of 'globalization' from the eighteenth
century to the twenty-first century.
? Continuity and change in World History, 1700-2010

Autumn Semester: The expansion of Europe and contact with non-Western peoples,
societies and cultures, from c. 1500 to c. 1750.
? Introduction: Learning about ?World History?
? Samarkand, Uzbekistan
? Safavid Iran
? The Ottoman Empire
? West Africa and the Caribbean
? The Netherlands
? India
? The Pacific Ocean
? Alexandria, Egypt
? Coalbrookdale, Shropshire
? How the World appeared to people in the Nineteenth Century

SPRING SEMESTER: Ages of globalisation and changing relations between western and
non-western worlds before and during the twentieth century, c.1750-2000.
? Russia
? China (and Japan)
? Coalbrookdale: ?birthplace? of the Industrial Revolution
? The Americas
? Germany
? Activity Week
? The Second World War, Reconstruction and the ?Long Boom?
? World History as ?Progress?
? Globalization: Tomorrow?s History Today
? World History as History: The Historians? View
? Assignment Workshop

Teaching: Lectures and seminars

Assessment:
STUDY OPTION 1:
? Portfolio of coursework
STUDY OPTION 2: 2,000 word essay
STUDY OPTION 3: 2,000 word essay

Study Option 1 = Whole Year
Study Option 2 = Autumn
Study Option 3 = Spring/summer