Instructor TBA
| This is a course focusing on major world civilizations, stopping off at various points across the globe over a broad range of time. From the earliest examples today, we will analyze specific instances of change and transformation as societies of the past begin to look more similar to our own. This course takes a critical look at the origin and development of civilizations, how they are portrayed and, compared to Western scholarship and influences that affected their trajectories, and eventually their collapse. It takes the basic approach of anthropological archaeology, but also includes Western and Indigenous histories, and cultural studies, as well as other social and ecological sciences. The main focus will be on cases of pre-colonial era (Pre-AD 1500) civilizations around the world centering on change, sustainability, and social inequality. This course also considers more recent developments including the effects of colonialism, disease, the Industrial Revolution, and twentieth century globalization. By taking this course you will gain knowledge and skills critical to understanding the processes and debates surrounding what has been termed civilization. This includes the domestication of plants and animals, the origins and consequences of agriculture, the influence of religion and technology, and key aspects of village and urban life and state formation. This level of critical thinking will help you to better comprehend our world today and civilization’s progression into the future. |