History

History Seminars

All three seminars are FULL

Life in a Medieval Castle (Martha Carlin)

The medieval castle was much more than a fortress; it was medieval society in microcosm. In this course we will investigate what people ate and wore, how children were educated, the role of women, and the organization of the castle household. We will also look at some of the less pleasant realities of castle life, including sanitation, daily hazards, work, crime, and wartime dangers and injuries.

The 1950s: Fear, Sex, & Rock 'n' Roll (Michael Gordon)

In this course we will explore how people in the 1950s tried to create meaningful lives for themselves during times that were shaped by fears about nuclear war and the spread of communism, and by political and social conformity. Yet in those same years many younger and older Americans were raising important questions about conventional values, their jobs, and inequality.

Man's Best Friend: Human-Animal Relations in History (Helena Pycior)

This seminar will study the history of pet keeping in the United States and Europe from the nineteenth century through our own times. We will read and discuss major journal articles and book chapters on the history of pet keeping. During the second half of the semester we will research and write case studies of human-animal relationships.