Although there is no consensus on the exact definition of the concept of history, it could broadly be said that it is a discipline that is related with the study of a chronological record of events, related to the life or development of people or institutions. However, such a study will merely be chronological in nature. What we need to do is to find out “why?” to understand not only the past but to see who we are and to evaluate the social and political environment that we live in. An approach based on understanding the “why?” helps to have a complete analysis and explanation of historical developments.
This course introduces students to the world history from the mid-15th Century to the beginning of the 20th Century. Many historians define this period as the early modern/modern era. This is a period of the emergence of new ideas -be it artistic, scientific, religious, political and philosophical ideas- as well as numerous inventions and geographical explorations. Europe was the major source of these developments which spread all around the globe through colonization, with lasting consequences even today.
In order to comprehend and appreciate today’s global, postindustrial world studying the developments of these centuries is important. Our priority will be to concentrate on historical changes in all walks of life at a conceptual level rather than detailed dates, thus, we will try to analyze the origins and consequences of major social, cultural, political, and economic developments at a global level, from the 1450’s to 1914. This will be an introduction to PSIR 110 and be instrumental in appreciating the contemporary international order.
Since this is a course about the “World” history, our approach will not be regional, but rather a global one. In other words, the relevance of certain developments in a region to the other parts of the world will be our focus. As a result, we will not only study the West, but also, the other continents/civilizations in a broad chronological path, as appropriate. The rise and fall of great powers as political, military and economic entities, with reference to economic and political relations of large states like the Ottoman Empire, France, Great Britain, Austrian-Hungarian Empire, Prussia, China and Japan as well as the United States and Russia, within the framework of global but especially European Balance of Power will be addressed.
- Instructor: RAFET AKGÜNAY