History of World Civilizations, 1500 to Present
This course is a survey of world history from the 16th century to the present, with particular emphasis on the increased integration of peoples and cultures as the result of the continuing process of globalization. The focus is on the revolutionary transformations of human society and human social relations caused by such new ideas as scientific racism, nationalism, imperialism, and constitutional government. It also covers important trends of the past five-hundred years including the increasing prevalence of migration, the changing nature of warfare, the harnessing of fossil fuels, the growing integration of global economies, and the scientific and technological breakthroughs that are continuing to revolutionize humanity's understanding of and relationship with the natural world. Through this focus it is possible to better understand the forces that have shaped world society over the past five-hundred years and that continue to shape the world today. These analyses are set within the context of such historical concepts as cause and effect, multiple causation, multiple frames of reference, and historical interpretation from evidence.
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