Unit name | Global Empires |
---|---|
Unit code | HIST30122 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | H/6 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
Unit director | Professor. Hilary Carey |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
none |
Co-requisites |
none |
School/department | Department of History (Historical Studies) |
Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This unit examines global empires as central agents in world history. Using examples from the ancient to the modern era, students will critically examine the rise and fall of empires, their strategies and drive to power as well as the seeds of their destruction. Case studies may include the empires of Rome, Islam, the Mongols, the Ottomans, the Spanish, the Mughals, the Manchus, the Dutch, the British, the Soviets, the Japanese and the Nazis. It will engage with key concepts such as the relationship between colonies and empires, the use of violence, forced labour and tribute to build power, and the ideologies of religion, ritual and imperium that sustained them. It will challenge students to reconsider the rise of the nation state and discover how global empires have shaped the world we live in.
On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
Classes will involve a combination of long- and short-form lectures, class discussion, investigative activities, and practical activities. Students will be expected to engage with readings and participate on a weekly basis. This will be further supported with drop-in sessions and self-directed exercises with tutor and peer feedback.
1 x 2500-word Mock Proposal (50%) [ILOs 1-4]
1 x Timed Assessment (50%) [ILOs 1-3]
Abu-Lughod, Janet, Before European Hegemony: The World System AD 1250-1350 (1991)
Barkey, Karen, Empire of Difference: The Ottomans in Comparative Perspective (2008)
Burbank, Jane and Frederick Cooper, Empires in World History: Power and the Politics of Difference (2010)
Darwin, John, After 'Tamerlaine': The Rise & Fall of Global Empires, 1400-200 (2007)
Kennedy, Dane, The Imperial 'H'istory Wars: Debating the British Empire (2018)
Stoler, Ann Laura, Carnal Knowledge and Imperial Power (2002)