| The junior year sequence constitutes an historical examination of human experience in response to some of the themes and issues raised in the first two years of the core. Drawing on a variety of perspectives from both the humanities and the social sciences, the course strives to reconstruct the histories of significant periods in human history. The first semester focuses on the rise and fall of civilizations from antiquity through the Renaissance. The second semester concentrates on the problems of modernity, such as the rise of the modern state, nationalism, revolution, and globalization. Both courses examine the ways in which significant moments have become essential parts of our historical consciousness, enshrined in myth, and religion, tradition, culture, and institutions. Through careful analysis of current scholarship and original sources, students are invited to consider the complex relationship between history, cultural traditions, and the social and political institutions derived from them. |
