HIST*1150*01: The Modern World

Term: Fall 2025

Course Format: 3 x 1 hour lecture/discussions per week

Course Synopsis:

In this course, we will explore select themes that highlight the complex history of the modern world beginning from the 20th century, focusing on how they have played out beyond Europe and North America, and especially in Africa, but also in Asia and Latin America. Our approach will be to compare analyses and conclusions of select themes in two e-textbooks on the history of the modern world. We will then source and use relevant primary sources to jointly produce our own new, revised, or updated version or edition of the e-text books.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have learned to:

• identify and explain major themes, events, and people in the history of the modern world.
• develop big picture views of these historical currents and events
• identify and understand the historical contexts of these themes
• develop a critical attitude to all historical information and appreciate the limitation of any source/historical knowledge of the past
• develop skills in different formats of research and information dissemination (written, oral, & digital).
• develop skills and capabilities for real time collaboration.

Prerequisites:

None.

Method of Evaluation and Weights:

60% Collaborative group project

Groups of students will work together on one or two chapters using primary sources like songs, photos, government documents, newsclips, letters, diaries, newspaper articles, oral interviews etc, to produce an improved revised edition of our assigned texts. They could produce supplements to the texts like short videos or podcast supplements, or upgrade/update their chosen chapters with cogent primary source materials.

20% Project presentation

20% Open book final exam

Texts Required/Recommended (e-texts freely available to registered students):

• Multiple Authors. (2025). Modern World History: New Perspectives (OERI). LibreTexts.
• Dan Allosso, & Tom Williford. (2022). Modern World History. LibreTexts.
• Online Primary source materials; some to be supplied, others to be sourced by group members.

*Please note: This is a preliminary website description only. The department reserves the right to change without notice any information in this description. The final, binding course outline will be distributed in the first class of the semester.