HIST 205-06, The World Since 1945, Fall 2008

Abstract

This course is designed to provide students a historical perspective on the major events, trends and issues that have shaped the contemporary world. Since it is not possible to cover everything that happened in the world since 1945, it will concentrate on topics such as the Cold War, the end of the European empires, the emergence of the „third world,‟ and the origins of current conflicts, especially those relating to religion and ethnicity. It will also look at the major changes in the world economy since 1945, and address the issue of globalization, both as an economic as well as a cultural concept. This course does not include material on United States history, other than that necessary for understanding world history. During the semester, considerable attention will be paid to the non-Western world.