http://www.whitworth.edu/history
Why study history at Whitworth?
There are many reasons to study history. First of all, it's just plain interesting. Far from being a mere recitation of names, dates and places, the study of history opens windows and doors to cultures all over the world, from the ancient world to the recent past. You can study the fall of the Qing dynasty in China, the impact of the Crusades on Europe and the Middle East, the rise of Mayan and Aztec cultures, the diversity and triumph of African culture, and the culture and influence of the United States. The list goes on and on. History focuses on powerful and influential individuals such as Adolf Hitler, Mao-Tse Tung, Mary Wollstonecraft, Malcolm X, Joan of Arc, Rosa Parks and Elvis Presley. Historians develop interest in cultures, institutions, politics, religions, economics, anthropology, sociology, science and psychology. Historians study dreamers, believers, artists, entrepreneurs, politicians and musicians.
Second, historians ask big questions, such as "Why?" and sometimes "Why not?" We ask why any human being would participate in the killing of 6 million Jews — and whether we could do such a thing ourselves. Historians ask small questions that often have big consequences. We are interpreters of the meaning of events who raise difficult questions and avoid easy answers, and we are careful thinkers who practice empathy and offer critical judgment with humility.
Third, history majors get jobs. We'll help you develop a set of skills in research, writing, speaking and thinking. We'll help you with internships and connections. The history department has guaranteed internship seats to offer annually at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. We prepare history majors and minors for careers in business, public service, law, teaching and public history. Mostly we'll help you develop broader interests and more enthusiasm for the world around you, which is one of the most important steps to meaningful employment.
Mission Statement
The history department strives to embody Whitworth's education of mind and heart through excellent teaching, open and robust debate, scholarship, mentoring, and thorough preparation of students for careers with purpose and potential.
Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of our program, students will build skills in the following areas:
Foundational Knowledge: Students will be able to describe major chronological, geographic and thematic areas of historical study and articulate the significance of these facts for understanding historical context, complexity and change over time.
Historical Methodology: Students will be able to critically evaluate and interpret primary and secondary sources.
Historical Argumentation: Students will be able to construct arguments about the past that exhibit evidence-based judgements derived from primary and secondary sources.
Diversity: Students will be able to apply relevant categories of analysis to explore questions that aim to deepen our understanding of the complexity, richness, diversity and power dynamics within human experience in the past and/or present.
Faith and Worldview Development: Students will be able to apply historical thinking to personal worldview development and articulate how historical study is central to matters of active citizenship, service to humanity and/or personal faith.
Experiential Learning: Students will explore how historical study creates opportunities for contemporary cross-cultural engagement, vocation, professional development and/or public outreach.
Courses
| HI 102 The Pacific World | 3 |
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One of four courses in world history, Pacific World introduces China as the focal point of a network of trade and culture that includes the Asian steppes, India, and the rise of Japan, Korea and Vietnam. Also listed as AS 102. Also listed as EMS 102. |
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| HI 104 Political History of Beijing | 3 |
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Provides historical understanding of the political and social history of China's capital city, Beijing. Listed in both Political Science and History. Also listed as AS 104. |
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| HI 105 Cultural Odyssey of China | 3 |
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Provides historical understanding of the cultural and religious history of China through its imperial and modern eras. Listed in both Political Science and History. Also listed as AS 105. |
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| HI 110 Pilgrimage: Mediev Pract & Contemp World Medieval Practice in the Contemporary World | 3 |
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In our own time, pilgrimage remains an important religious practice, and in many cases, is experiencing a revival. We will start with historical exploration of this practice. We will then look at continuing events outside the Christian tradition, like the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, and compare to similar practices in the Byzantine and Roman Catholic tradition that have their origin in the medieval world. The course is presented as a look at the practice as one connected to personal and identity issues. The students are asked to design their own pilgrimage, secular or religious, as course component. |
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| HI 131 American History Before 1877 | 3 |
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Discovery and settlement of North America; the Enlightenment and the American Revolution; early democracy and reform movements; Western expansion and slavery; the sectional crisis and causes and results of the Civil War. Course taught with a biographical focus. |
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| HI 182 American History Since 1877 | 3 |
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Historical analysis of the development and maturation of the United States from its emergence as a hemispheric power after the Civil War to the present. Particular emphasis on the sectional, national, and international movements that influenced or were influenced by the American democratic experience. |
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| HI 202 Roman Empire | 3 |
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This history of Roman society as it dominated the Mediterranean focuses on the celebration of the military power of the Greeks and Romans and the unashamed colonial aspirations of both societies. It also offers countering views from Roman subjects, including Europeans, Africans, Egyptians, Persians, and Jews. |
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| HI 203 Global Christianity | 3 |
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This course provides a survey of the history of Christianity in the global south. This course will introduce students to the history of Christian mission and colonization outside of Europe and the United States; the emergence and practice of Christianity in non-western regions; unique expressions of Christian mission and activism in non-western cultures; and an awareness of the most prominent social and political challenges faced by contemporary Christians in the global south. Particular attention will be paid to theories and debates about translation and indigenization, the development of liberationist and anticolonial Christian movements, the history of internal Christian debates and denominational fractures, the experiences of Christian women, the emergence of Pentecostal and charismatic traditions, and the growing influence of expressions of global Christianity on the western world (including migrations, "reverse" missions, and activist movements critiquing western expansion). |
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| HI 204 The Crusades | 3 |
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This course offers an introduction to two civilizations in conflict: the Byzantine Christian empire based at Constantinople and the Islamic empire based at Baghdad, from the seventh century. It culminates with an examination of the first four crusades in the twelfth century and an examination of how the language of crusading is still in use today. |
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| HI 206 Introduction to American Women's History | 3 |
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Explores the history of women in the United States from the colonial period to the 20th century, emphasizing the changing roles of women and their contributions to and participation in American society. Key themes include women's work, politics, religious experiences, and social reform movements. The course also explores gender roles in American history and ways that race, class, region, and the passage of time alter those expectations. |
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| HI 207 Crime & Punishment in American History | 3 |
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This course explores the history of American criminal justice, from the colonial era to the present. Students will learn to articulate how understandings of crime and systems of punishment are embedded in various cultural, political, economic, and religious contexts throughout American history. Students will become familiar with major concepts, individuals, and debates in the history of American crime and punishment, such as the origins of the penitentiary system, Prohibition and vice laws, debates about the rise of mass incarceration, "the prison industrial complex," prison abolition, and restorative justice. |
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| HI 208 African American History | 3 |
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This course surveys the 400 years of African American history, with particular focus on African-American politics, culture, intellectual life, and religion. The course proceeds in a broadly chronological manner, from the colonial period to the present. Topic covered in the course include experiences of enslaved Africans in the colonial period and the development of the trans-Atlantic slave trade; the development of African American cultures in the eighteenth century and revolutionary period; African American abolitionist movements and experience of the Civil War; Black food and musical cultures; Black institutional and intellectual life in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century; the Civil Rights movement; and recent Black political and activist movements. We will explore African American history by reading primary sources, watching films, and exploring scholarly interpretations of complex subjects. We will work on thinking and speaking together about how to best interpret and understand historical subjects, and we will work to consider the import of African American history for understanding our present moment and its various political, moral, and theological challenges. |
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| HI 210 Becoming a Historian | 3 |
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Foundational course for students considering a history major or minor. The course introduces students to ways historians interpret the past. Emphasis on preparing students to use primary sources, to write history, and to evaluate the work of other historians. Students will be introduced to careers that might be pursued with a history degree. |
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| HI 220H French Civilization & Culture | 3 |
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A survey of historical, religious, ethnic, philosophical, artistic and pop-cultural life in France. Periodic offering. |
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| HI 228 Identity, Race, and Power in American Life | 3 |
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History and culture of major ethnic and racial groups in American life. Special emphasis on the role of race and nationality in the pursuit and achievement of "the American Dream." |
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| HI 231 World at War: 1900-1945 | 3 |
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Comparative analysis of world cultures during the first half of the century of total war. Special emphasis on the broader cultural contexts of the world wars of the twentieth century and their aftermath. Sophomore status strongly recommended. |
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| HI 236 Monsters and Angels of the American Past | 3 |
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A historical overview of how American ideas about good and evil - the angelic and the monstrous - created cultural and social values that shaped the nation. Themes include zombies and witch hunts in the colonial era, utopian and millennial community experiments in the early republic, scientific monsters in the progressive era, and obsession with the supernatural in the modern period. The course uses these and related topics to interrogate the cultural logics and irrationalities of anxiety, belonging, and difference that defined the American past. Special attention is paid to how race, gender, and religious belief influenced the creation of ideas about the monstrous and angelic. |
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| HI 237 United States History Through Film | 3 |
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Explore the history of the United States through films depicting the colonial period through the Civil War. Situating itself within the tension between history, memory, and legend, this course equips students with the skills required to become discerning consumers and creators of cultural narratives about the nation's past. This course will not teach a history of film, but rather enable students to encounter U.S. history through a contextualization and critical viewing of historical films, with particular emphasis on themes of diversity and representation in the creation of cultural narratives. |
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| HI 238 Arthurian Literature | 3 |
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Traces the development of the Arthurian legend from its earliest appearance in chronicles through narrative romance, focusing on medieval texts. Also listed as EL/EMS 238. |
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| HI 250 History of Buddhism | 3 |
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Examines the historical and cultural birth and development of Buddhism in East Asia. Provides a comparative view of religious practice East and West. |
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| HI 251 History & Culture of Rome | 3 |
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An investigation of the emergence of various civilizations on the Latium plain, paying special attention to the Etruscan to Christian Baroque cultures. While living in Rome, classes explore Rome's structures of government, its society, architecture, and its art. |
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| HI 300W Christianity in Asia | 3 |
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This course confronts the Christian message and experience as it transcends national and cultural boundaries. Readings and lectures center on the history of Christian missions and the resulting indigenous Church in Japan and China, and examines how Asian Christianity has conformed to and transformed Christian belief. Also listed as AS 300W. |
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| HI 301 Oxford and the Christian Imagination Preparation Course | 1 |
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This one-credit preparation course covers important details regarding the "Oxford and the Christian Imagination" program in Oxford, England. |
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| HI 304W Political History of Beijing | 3 |
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Provides historical understanding of the political and social history of China's capital city, Beijing. Listed in both Political Science and History. Also listed as AS 304W. |
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| HI 305W Cultural Odyssey of China | 3 |
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Provides historical understanding of the cultural and religious history of China through its imperial and modern eras. Listed in both Political Science and History. Also listed as AS 305W. |
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| HI 307W History of Chinese Literature | 3 |
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Explores the history and development of Chinese literature during the late-imperial era. Focuses on China's most famous novel, Dream of the Red Chamber. Also listed as AS 307W. |
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| HI 315 Medieval Europe | 3 |
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Caesar through Charlemagne: European civilization in the first through the eighth centuries will be investigated, with an emphasis on ideas and institutions such as the medieval papacy, feudalism and the concept of Christendom. Also listed as EMS 315. |
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| HI 323 Religion in American Public Life | 3 |
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The major themes, movements, problems, people and institutions in American Christian history, with emphasis on the public practice of the Christian faith. Fall semester, even years. |
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| HI 328 European Myths of Identity | 3 |
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Traditional stories form an important part of the national identity of contemporary European states. Tourists viewing the Tower of London learn the basics of the British story, carrying the lesson away as part of their understanding of English culture. The best- and least-known national stories, from Galway to Budapest, will be examined for their historicity and contemporary influence. |
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| HI 345 Cultural History of China and Japan | 3 |
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Illustrates how cultural heritage can explain the current behavior and character of the Chinese and Japanese. Religions, philosophies, arts, politics, and social organizations as basic elements of Asian culture. Also listed as AS 345. Also listed as EMS 345. |
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| HI 346 Modern China and East Asia | 3 |
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Interpretation of recent events in China, Japan, Taiwan, and Korea. Chinese revolution of 1911, warlord era in China, Japanese militarism, communist revolution on the mainland, Japanese invasion of China, American occupation of Japan, normalization in China, Japan's economic ascendancy. Also listed as AS 346. |
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| HI 348 Medieval Islam | 3 |
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This course covers the foundation of Islamic civilizations from Arabia through North Africa, Europe, and Asia from the life of Muhammad through the origins of the Ottoman Empire. |
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| HI 351 Oxford and the Christian Imagination | 3 |
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This course explores the historical legacies of Oxford's most influential Christian writers. The works of such writers as J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Edward Bouverie Pusey, and John Henry Newman have transformed the historical contours of global Christianity. Students shall live at Oxford and critically engage with the ideas and publications of these writers. Visiting their homes, churches, and archives in and around Oxford, we will consider how their Christian imagination has changed the world. |
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| HI 354 Colonialism and Globalization | 3 |
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The major European nations move from constitutional monarchy to representative government. Their empires founder in the wake of World War I and II. European institutions and society are examined from 1848 to 1950. |
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| HI 362 Slavery and the Civil War | 3 |
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Evolution of the American slave system, its central importance in the development of sectional rivalries, and the great national crises of 1848-1877. |
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| HI 364 Medieval Russia: Mongols and Madmen | 3 |
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Survey of Russian civilization from earliest times to 1600. Evolution of the tsarist state from its roots in Byzantine and Mongol autocracies through the reign of Ivan the Terrible and the following Time of Troubles. Emphasis on culture and religion. Also listed as EMS 364. |
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| HI 375W Road to Revolution: Early American History | 3 |
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Journey through colonial America and witness the birth of the United States. This course explores indigenous cultures prior to European invasion, exchanges and clashes between the peoples who eventually lived together in North American, and the significance of race, gender, and religious beliefs to the colonization process. This course also examines the causes and consequences of the American Revolution from political, social, and religious perspectives. Discover the wartime experiences of patriots, loyalists, and undecided Americans, while critically examining the ideologies that drove the rebellion and gave rise to the republic. |
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| HI 377 The French Revolution | 3 |
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A focus on the French Revolution as the culmination of trends in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century European culture. Students will discover how projects of absolute monarchs in France, Germany, and Russia led to the violence of the Reign of Terror in France and the career of Napoleon I. |
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| HI 384 Pacific Northwest History | 3 |
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Explores the Pacific Northwest as a geographic culture area from prehistory to the present. Perspectives of the various peoples who have lived there: Native Americans, Europeans and Americans. Modernization and contemporary issues in the Pacific Northwest. Role of regionalism, international conflict and ecological issues. Also listed as ENS 384. |
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| HI 410W American Intellectual History | 3 |
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Focus on major thinkers and periods in American history. Special emphasis on Puritanism, the Enlightenment, Romanticism, Social Darwinism, and the major currents of 20th-century thought. |
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| HI 425W Holy War in Europe | 3 |
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Holy War in Europe begins with the later Crusades and flourishes during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, long known as "The Age of Religious Warfare." A survey of propaganda and context for conflicts in England, Germany, France and the Netherlands, the course looks at the rhetorical stance of Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox, and Ottomans during a period of endemic warfare. A major research paper is required. Also listed as EMS 425. |
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| HI 438W Women in the Early Modern World | 3 |
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Explores early modern Atlantic world history (c. 1400 to 1800) through the female experience, with particular attention to Europe and the Americas. The course examines how women lived, worked, reproduced, believed, and thought in the early modern era across multiple geographic contexts, while comparing and contrasting how contemporary societies in Europe and the Americas encouraged or persecuted such experiences. The course will also include an analysis of the use of gender as a theoretical framework and expose students to the major historiographical trends in the sub-field. A major research paper is required. |
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| HI 494 Research Assistantship | 1-3 |
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| HI 497 Medieval and Early Modern Studies Senior Portfolio | 1 |
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Students will submit a portfolio by April 15 of their final year (or mid-way through their final term). The portfolio will include a selection of work from 3 to 4 courses in the minor. Also listed as EL/EMS 497. |
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A history degree prepares successful candidates for jobs and for graduate school in a broad range of disciplines, including some for which there are tests such as the Praxis (education certification), the LSAT (law school admission), and the GRE (required by most graduate schools in most fields). Majors are urged to speak with their advisors about online or other preparation for such tests.
Requirements for a History Major, B.A. (45) |
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| HI 102 | The Pacific World | 3 |
| HI 131 | American History Before 1877 | 3 |
| HI 182 | American History Since 1877 | 3 |
| HI 210 | Becoming a Historian | 3 |
| 3 |
| 6 |
| Religion in American Public Life | |
| Slavery and the Civil War | |
| Pacific Northwest History * | |
| American Intellectual History | |
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| 6 |
| European Myths of Identity | |
| Colonialism and Globalization | |
| Medieval Russia: Mongols and Madmen | |
| The French Revolution | |
| Holy War in Europe | |
| |
| 6 |
| Christianity in Asia | |
| Political History of Beijing | |
| Cultural Odyssey of China | |
| History of Chinese Literature | |
| Cultural History of China and Japan | |
| Modern China and East Asia | |
| 12 |
| |
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History/Social Studies Major, B.A.
The Whitworth Department of History desires to equip the next generation of public and private school teachers with a broad interdisciplinary education rooted in a solid foundation in history appropriate to the K-12 programs. We provide coursework that will give students the necessary background in history and the social sciences and thus prepare them for the Washington state competency exams in the social sciences. Students are encouraged to pursue website practice opportunities prior to taking the state exams.
Requirements for a History/Social Studies Major, B.A. (44) |
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| HI 102 | The Pacific World | 3 |
| HI 131 | American History Before 1877 | 3 |
| HI 182 | American History Since 1877 | 3 |
| HI 202 | Roman Empire | 3 |
| HI 210 | Becoming a Historian | 3 |
| HI 384 | Pacific Northwest History | 3 |
| EDU 350 | General Methods Secondary | 3 |
| ** | 6 |
| 3 |
| ** | 3 |
| ** | 9 |
| |
| 2 |
| Social Studies in Secondary School (Prerequisite of EDU 350) | |
Allied Programs with Other Departments
Requirements for an American Studies Major, B.A. (45) |
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| EL 205 | American Literature Before 1865 | 3 |
| HI 131 | American History Before 1877 | 3 |
| HI 182 | American History Since 1877 | 3 |
| PO 102 | American National Politics | 3 |
| 6 |
| Identity, Race, and Power in American Life | |
| Introduction to Sociology | |
| Religion in American Public Life | |
| 6 |
| 6 |
| Gender, Politics and Law | |
| Slavery and the Civil War | |
| 6 |
| American Intellectual History | |
| American Constitutional Law | |
| 6 |
| 3 |
| Senior Seminar | |
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International Studies, History Emphasis, B.A.
The Whitworth Department of History offers this interdisciplinary program designed to encourage the development of a solid foundation of history coupled with coursework in foreign languages, political science, area studies and economics that will assist the students in developing skills necessary for work in the international context of non-governmental organizations, business, military, diplomacy, travel and other forms of international work.
Requirements for an International Studies Major, History Emphasis, B.A. (45) |
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| HI 182 | American History Since 1877 | 3 |
| HI 210 | Becoming a Historian | 3 |
| PO 151 | International Relations | 3 |
| PO 240 | Comparative Politics | 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| The Pacific World | |
| Roman Empire | |
| 3 |
| Principles of Microeconomics * | |
| Principles of Macroeconomics * | |
| Environmental Economics | |
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| 6 |
| The Crusades | |
| World at War: 1900-1945 | |
| International Development,Justice and Difference in Contemporary Political Theory | |
| Colonialism and Globalization | |
| The French Revolution | |
| International Political Economy | |
| 6 |
| |
| 9 |
| |
| Christianity in Asia | |
| Political History of Beijing | |
| Cultural Odyssey of China | |
| History of Chinese Literature | |
| Cultural History of China and Japan | |
| Modern China and East Asia | |
| Colonialism and Globalization | |
| Medieval Russia: Mongols and Madmen | |
| African Politics | |
| Contemporary South Africa | |
| Contemporary China and East Asia | |
| Sociology of Middle-Eastern Society | |
| 3 |
| Economic Development | |
| European Myths of Identity | |
| Asian Philosophy | |
| International Political Economy | |
| Revolution in History | |
| Intercultural Communication | |
| World Religions | |
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Requirements for a History Minor (18) |
|---|
| 18 |
Asian Studies Minor (18)
Requirements for an Asian studies minor are listed under the Asian studies page.
Medieval & Early Modern Studies Minor (19-20)
Requirements for a medieval & early modern studies minor are listed under the medieval & early modern studies page.
Public History Minor
Public history is a rapidly growing field. Students are introduced to museum studies, archival development, and the making of documentaries. Graduates are encouraged to pursue graduate studies in a variety of fields as well as to think broadly about the application of these skills to other professional areas.
Requirements for a Public History Minor (21) |
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| HI 210 | Becoming a Historian | 3 |
| HI 384 | Pacific Northwest History | 3 |
| 3 |
| The Pacific World | |
| American History Before 1877 | |
| American History Since 1877 | |
| Roman Empire | |
| 6 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| Internship | |
| |
Dean of Arts & Sciences
JOHN PELL
Chair
ELISE LEAL
Professors
ANTHONY CLARKCORLISS SLACK
Assistant professors
AARON GRIFFITHELISE LEAL