The Historical Evolution of Power and the Human Psyche
HIST 392
Spring 2006
| Section:
01
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In History 392 we will study the evolution of imperial power through several disciplinary lenses. The history texts examine the escalating arms races among mainly European powers and the United States. European and North American imperialism shaped the modern world. The arms races and mobilizations of vast armies eventually had several paradoxical consequences, as did the economic integration of the globe under European and U.S. expansion. We will study how empires produced projects of liberation and, conversely, how revolutionary liberation projects turned into empires. On the psychohistorical side we will explore theories about the psychological dynamics of groups underlying various kinds of human pseudo-speciation. In connection with group dynamics and pseudo-speciation, we will examine paranoid political movements and their expression in different historical settings. Students will select topics in fields of their interest, present their ongoing work to the seminar toward the end of the semester, and produce a research paper. |
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Essential Capabilities:
Speaking, Speaking, Writing, Writing |
| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS HIST |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Niall Ferguson, EMPIRE: THE RISE AND DEMISE OF THE BRITISH WORLD ORDER AND THE LESSONS FOR GLOBAL POWER
Sigmund Freud, GROUP PSYCHOLOGY AND THE ANALYSIS OF THE EGO
Dominic Lieven, EMPIRE, THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE AND ITS RIVALS
William McNeill, THE PURSUIT OF POWER
Kenneth Pomeranz, THE GREAT DIVERGENCE: CHINA, EUROPE, AND THE MAKING OF THE WORLD ECONOMY
Andrew Schmookler, THE PARABLE OF THE TRIBES
Fareed Zakaria, FROM WEALTH TO POWER: THE UNUSUAL ORIGINS OF AMERICA'S WORLD ROLE
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Examinations and Assignments:
Several two-page discussion papers, a research proposal, a preliminary and final bibliography, a draft of the research paper, an oral presentation of the project, and a final research paper of 25-30 pages will be required. |
| Instructor(s): Pomper,Philip Times: .M..... 01:10PM-04:00PM; Location: PAC136; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 15 | | SR major: 3 | JR major: 3 | | |
| Seats Available: 5 | GRAD: 0 | SR non-major: 3 | JR non-major: 4 | SO: 2 | FR: 0 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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