2007-08 - Pitzer College

124 HISTORY
HISTORY
At Pitzer, history invites students to understand the contours of their world-its political
boundaries, its economic systems, its social structures, and its cultural practices-as
historical products. It pushes them to question assumptions and to approach the present
through the prism of a rich and variegated past. It uses investigation and interpretation,
both to explore the unfamiliar and to reconsider what we think we already know. Thus,
courses in history encourage students to analyze documents critically, to evaluate
historical arguments thoughtfully, and to examine theories of history and culture. Far
from being a simple chronicle of facts, history demands that students consider how the
past is used and remembered.
Pitzer Advisers: S. Glass, C. Johnson, S. McConnell, D. Segal, A. Wakefield.
Requirements for the Major
A major in history requires the successful completion of at least 11 courses in history.
Included among these must be the following required courses:
• History 21 (The World Since 1492)
• History 22 (History of the Disciplines)
• Either History 55 (U.S. History, 1620-1877) or History 56 (U.S. History,
1877-present).
With the approval of a history major adviser, students may substitute one of the
following courses for History 55/56: History 17CH (Pomona) Chicano/a History; History
111aBK (Scripps) African American History to 1877; History 111bBK (Scripps) African
American History Since 1877; or History 125AA (CMC) Asian American History,
1850-Present.
It is preferable that students take these required introductory courses during their first
two years at the college. In addition to these three courses, students must complete:
• History 197 (Seminar in History, normally taken in the junior year).
• At least one (1) course focusing on a geographic region outside of the United States
and Europe. At Pitzer, courses fulfilling this requirement include:
History 33 (Caribbean Cultures, Societies, and Histories), History 40BK (History of
African to 1800), History 41BK (History of Africa 1800-Present), History 170
(Hybrid Identities: Spanish Empire), and History 172 (Empire and Sexuality).
Certain courses offered at the other Claremont Colleges also may fulfill this
requirement; students should consult with a history major adviser in selecting
appropriate courses.
• At least one (1) course focusing on a temporal period before 1600. At Pitzer,
courses fulfilling this requirement include:
History 20 (Greece and Rome), History 73 (The Problem with Profit), History 170
(Hybrid Identities: Spanish Empire), History 173 (Religion, Violence, and
Tolerance, 1450-1650), History 174 (Holiness, Heresy, and the Body), History 175
(Magic, Heresy, and Gender, 1400-1700), and History 184 (Women and Gender,
1300-1650). Certain courses offered at the other Claremont Colleges also may fulfill
this requirement; students should consult with a history major adviser in selecting
appropriate courses.
• Five (5) additional courses in history.
HISTORY
Finally, each student is expected to develop a coherent thematic or topical focus
comprised of at least three (3) courses in history; of these three courses, at least one must
involve producing a significant research paper. For example, a student might construct a
thematic focus on labor and economic history by taking U.S. Labor History, Marx in
Context, and The Great Depression; or a focus on knowledges and sciences by taking
Schooling, Early Modern History of Science, and History of the Police State. Many other
configurations are possible: students should consult with their history major advisers in
developing appropriate thematic clusters.
While the history major does not require the study of a foreign language, students are
strongly encouraged to develop language skills relevant to their thematic or topical foci.
Students hoping to pursue graduate study in history (other than U.S. history) are
especially urged to acquire a competence in a relevant language as early as possible.
Double Major: Students must complete the requirements for both majors, including any
theses or honors requirements. Normally, no more than two courses can be counted to
fulfill the requirements in both fields.
Minor in History: The history minor requires the student to complete six (6) graded
courses in History. These must include at least two (2) of the following courses: History
21, History 22, and History 55 or 56. Students should consult with a member of the
history field group to design a topical focus for the minor.
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AP Credit: Students scoring a 5 on the AP History exam will receive credit for one
history course, which may be counted as one of the eleven courses required for the major.
The AP credit, however, will not be accepted as a substitute for History 21,22, 55, 56 or
197 in meeting the major requirements designated above, nor can it be used in the
development of a student’s thematic or topical focus within the major.
Honors: Students whose overall GPA equals or exceeds 3.5 may be nominated by the
history faculty to write theses, which will be considered for honors by the field group.
Independent study courses taken in order to write honors theses (typically History 199)
will be counted as additions to the 11 courses required for the major.
11. Modern Europe 1789-1989. This lecture and discussion course on Europe from the
French Revolution to the fall of the Berlin Wall introduces students to the politics and
culture of societies that have helped shape the Western and Westernized world. We will
examine the state, absolutism and liberalism, and the later challenges of nationalism,
socialism and feminism. [not offered 20007-08]
16. Environmental History. For some, environmental history recounts humanity’s long
encounter with nature; for others, it is the changing story of the land itself; for still others,
it is an account of humanity’s changing ideas about nature and wilderness. In this course
we will familiarize ourselves with all of these approaches. The course, which is global in
scope, surveys materials from the past five centuries. Major themes include: the history of
globalization and industrialization, ecological imperialism, the history of ecology, the idea
of wilderness, science and environment, and global environmental change. Fall, A. Wakefield.