Goshen College

History and political science

Introduction

The history and political science department offers two majors and a minor. Two additional minors in Anabaptist-Mennonite studies and social policy are offered in collaboration with several other departments. In addition, the history department also serves as the advising home for students planning to attend law school.

• Major in history
• Major in history and social research
• Minor in history
• Minor in Anabaptist-Mennonite studies
• Minor in social policy
• Pre-law studies recommendations

Special resources for the study of history at Goshen College include the Mennonite Historical Library, the Archives of Mennonite Church USA and The Mennonite Quarterly Review, a respected scholarly journal published by Goshen College.
Visit the history and political science department Web site at www.goshen.edu/history.

History courses

HIST 101 World History I 3
History of the world from the agricultural revolution to European expansion, concentrating on the establishment and interaction of classical traditions in the non-western world. Also introduces the study of history as an academic discipline and how the historian uses primary sources.

HIST 102 European History 3
Selected topics in European civilization from the Middle Ages through the Renaissance, Reformation, Age of Absolutism to the 18th-century Enlightenment and French Revolution.

HIST 105 American History I 3
History of the American colonies and the United States through the Civil War and Reconstruction. Also introduces the study of history as an academic discipline.

HIST 202 American History II 3
U.S. from the period of rapid industrialization and immigration to the present with an emphasis on social history. Also introduces the study of history as an academic discipline.

HIST 204 What is the Good Life? 3
Why do humans long for utopia, yet consistently fail to produce it? To what extent do we assert our individual freedom in creating the communities we live in, and to what extent do we recognize our lives as resting on forces beyond our control? Is it still possible, in our postmodern context, to anticipate the future with hope? Drawn from five centuries of utopian thought, the readings, discussions and assignments in this course will focus on three general themes: human nature, human community, and human encounters with Transcendence. A Religious World Perspectives course in the Goshen Core.

HIST 205 Immigration and American Identity 3
Immigration has been central to personal and national identity in the United States. It has also been a fiercely contested issue. Why has the movement of people across national borders generated both celebration and scorn? How has immigration produced patterns of inclusion, exclusion, assimilation, and discrimination? This course will include debates and case studies from both the past and the present. A Social World Perspectives course in the Goshen core.

HIST 211 Revolution! 3
How does radical social, political and economic change occur and what are its consequences? Examines the major "revolutions" in world history since 1500: Democracy (end of absolutist monarchy), Individual Rights (abolition of slavery, women's rights), Globalization (imperialism, the industrial revolution) and Cultural self-determination (independence from colonialism). A Social World course in the Goshen Core.

HIST 217 Geography and Culture 3
Survey of the world's geographic regions with emphasis on 1) the impact humans have had on the physical environment and 2) origins of cultural variation in the world's regions. Includes regular discussion of current issues in world affairs and mapping skills. Required for students majoring in elementary education and secondary social studies. A Social World Perspectives course in the Goshen Core

HIST 304 Renaissance and Reformation 3
Topical survey of European civilization in the period from about 1300 to 1550. Intellectual, cultural and religious changes will receive most attention.

HIST 314 Modern China 3
Exploration of Chinese history with a view to understanding contemporary political, social, and economic developments. About one-third of the course looks at traditional Chinese society and culture, and the remainder examines developments since 1911 and especially since the establishment of the People's Republic in 1949.

HIST 315 War/Peace 20th Century Europe 3
Exploration of major European political, cultural, intellectual and economic developments since the 1890s. Major themes include: modernism, the onset of totalitarianism and totalitarian regimes in Europe and the Soviet Union, war as an agent of social change, the Cold War, the dissolution of Soviet-style communism in Eastern Europe and peace-making efforts throughout the century.

HIST 318 Anabaptist/Mennonite History 3
Introduction to Mennonite history and thought. About one-third of the course is devoted to Anabaptism. Special attention given to distinctive Anabaptist religious ideas, changes in Mennonite religious ideas and practice in Europe, migrations, contrasts in social-communal practices among Mennonites and related groups.

HIST 321 History of Mennonites in America 3
Emphasis on Mennonites as a people developing and interacting with the larger American society, using themes such as migration, community formation, beliefs, acculturation and pacifist citizenship in war and peace.

HIST 323 Colonial & Revolutionary America 3
Focus on cultural encounters and conflicts. Colonialism begs the question, how are cultures transported, replicated, and transformed? A look at contact between Europeans and Native Americans, between Europeans and Africans, between different European colonial projects, and finally between Anglo-American colonists and Britain. All involved sharp cultural conflict.

HIST 324 Slavery, Civil War & Reconstruction 3
Exploration of the central role of slavery in American society and politics, including its role in the Civil War and in Reconstruction. Other themes include the relationship of religion and war, postwar constructions of race and racism, and the memory of the Civil War.

HIST 326 Recent American History 3
A look at events that shaped the most recent generations of Americans. From grand expectations of the Civil Rights movement, faith in science, and the possibilities of affluence and social reform, society confronted the realities of Vietnam, Watergate and environmental destruction - producing cynicism, culture wars and continued efforts to balance liberty and equality.

HIST 327 U.S. Immigration and Ethnic History 3
An examination of the development of ethnic and racial identities in the United States, from the colonial period(s) to the present. Immigration patterns, forced migration, assimilation, ethnicization, nativism, family and gender dynamics, immigration and naturalization law and multicultural debates were important factors in these processes.

HIST 328 African-American History 3
Historical study of the experience of African-Americans as a group, especially their political and economic situations, their community life, some of their outstanding organizations and leaders, their forms of adjustment and resistance and their participation and contributions in U.S. life. Prerequisite: any 100- or 200-level history course or consent of instructor.

HIST 330 Gender in World History 3
A comparative studies in world history course. Women have been left out of the world's history, particularly women in the non-Western world who are stereotyped as oppressed and passive. Putting women back into the center of world history unsettles older historical paradigms and challenges our ethnocentric assumptions. Explores the diverse experiences of women as active agents in shaping their world through a comparative case-study approach.

HIST 335 History of Ethnic Conflict 3
A comparative studies in world history course. The world seems plagued with increasing conflict between ethnic groups. Explores the historical roots of this problem through a comparative case-study approach and takes an interdisciplinary approach both to analysis of the problem and its solution. Students will present an in-depth research paper on the historical roots of one conflict.

HIST 340 Religious History of Africa 3
A comparative studies in world history course. Examination of the development and interaction of the three major religious traditions of Africa--African religion, Christianity and Islam--from earliest times to the present. The course will look at the particularly African forms of Christianity and Islam that were created by converts in various contexts and the social and political implications of religious practice. There will be some attention to the spread of African religious forms within the diaspora.

HIST 344 Latin American Hist:National Period 3
A study of the history of the Latin American republics since independence, with special attention given to Mexico, Cuba and the ABC countries (Argentina, Brazil and Chile).

HIST 345 Environmental History 3
A comparative studies in world history course. Exploration of human interaction with the environment over time particularly in the non-Western world. Examination of the material and ideological conditions which have led to preservation or destruction of the environment through a comparative case-study approach.

HIST 350 African History 3
African history from ancient times to the present with an emphasis on topical studies of land and food, slavery and social reciprocity, and colonial transformations in political authority. Encourages historical analysis for the purpose of responding positively to pessimistic predictions of Africa's future and appreciating Africa's strengths.

HIST 375 Topics 3
Study on a selected topic in American or world history. Examples: History of the Southwest; Model United Nations. Students may be invited to help shape the topic.

HIST 400 Advanced Study 1 (1-4)
Special topics for majors and minors.

HIST 409 Internship 2
Using research, writing and organizational skills in a setting outside the classroom; deliberate reflection on the process of historical or legal inquiry.

HIST 410 Seminar: Analysis 3
Philosophy and purposes of history; principles and methods of historical research; history and Christian faith; choice of a topic and bibliographical work and initial research on that topic. Course to be taken in the fall semester of the junior year. Required of all majors.

HIST 411 Seminar: Synthesis 3
Continued research on topic chosen and presentation in forms of oral report and written thesis paper. Course to be taken in the spring semester of the senior year. Required of all majors. Prerequisite: Hist 410.

Political science courses

POSC 200 Introduction to Political Science 3
General comparative survey of political institutions and behavior in various types of regimes, with special emphasis on the American political system. The most appropriate course for students required to take one course in political science. Collateral reading may be adjusted to individual needs and interests.

POSC 210 Introduction to Public Policy 3
Explores the nature of the policy-making process in the United States and, to a lesser extent, other pluralist polities. Topics will include constitutional and structural framework in which policies are shaped, interest articulation, policy formulation and the feedback process.

POSC 305 United States Government 3
A basic introduction to the federal system of government in the Unitied States. Focus on the constitutional arrangements established at the nation's founding, critical points in the constitution's evolution and the contemporary setting. Topics include the legislative process, the judiciary branch and the nature of the presidency. The regulatory process, interest groups, political parties, the press, campaigning and voter behavior, civil rights and federal-state relations will also be examined.

POSC 308 International Politics 3
Examination of the structure, development and operation of the present international political system and its possible alternatives.

POSC 318 Latin America Politics 3
Analyzes Latin America's contemporary political and socio-economic institutions and issues; relates them to the area's development and need for change; includes the meaning of revolution in Latin America.

POSC 320 Issues in Politics and Society 3
Contemporary (and often controversial) political issues in the U.S. and Latin America, e.g. African-Americans and the U.S. judicial system; educating legal professionals; the church and Latin American politics. Analysis through class discussions, some lectures by the instructor, student papers and contribution from resource persons with involvement in the subject matter.