HIS-375: Warfare, Culture, and Social Change in European History

This course examines the powerful and enduring influence of warfare in European history within a global perspective. Students will explore the nature of war in the broadest sense, addressing its military, political, economic, social, and cultural aspects. Particular attention will be paid to the role of warfare in the social transformation, political development, and cultural evolution of Europe, as well as in Europeans' encounters with non-Western civilizations and cultures of war. Students will examine such specific issues as the nature of modern combat, the destructive role of technology, the influence of popular nationalism and militarism, values and attitudes regarding violence, conceptions of gender, the experience of the home front, and the practice of ethnic discrimination and genocide. A combination of lecture, discussion, and media will be used.