UKC 181 - America and the Cold War, 1945-1991 (Dr. Mark Summers)

Lecture: TR 11:00-12:15

The Iron Curtain, a nuclear arms race, the making of NATO, a wall in Berlin, Coca-Colonialism, isolationism, Asialationism, the Common Market, and uncommon sense. People get shot, lawful governments get overthrown, public officials lie like statistics, and we never learn to stop worrying and love the Bomb. Lots of music and pictures! (Click here for an interview with Dr. Summers; additionally, here is an article on Dr. Summers the cartoonist.)

UK CORE: U.S. Citizenship, 3.0 credits.

HIS 104 - History of Europe through Mid-17th Century (Dr. Bruce Holle)

Lecture: MW 12:00-12:50

Recitation Options: W 1:00-1:50, W 2:00-2:50, F 11:00-11:50, F 12:00-12:50
An award winning teacher with a special interest in undergraduate education leads a dynamic course on the history of western civilization. From the Greeks to Louis XIV, this course critically examines the roots of the modern world. (Click here to hear Dr. Holle speak about his own experiences in college.)

UK CORE: Humanities/Global Dynamics, 3.0 credits.

HIS 105 - History of Europe, 1648 to the Present (Dr. Tammy Whitlock)

Lecture: TR 11:00-11:50
Recitation Options: T 2:00-2:50, W 10:00-10:50, W 11:00-11:50, W 1:00-1:50,
R 2:00-2:50

Europe, the universe and everything starting with the colonization of the Americas and ending with the recent birth of Prince George. Answers burning questions like “Why don't we have a monarch?” and “Was empire a really bad idea?” (Click here for an interview with Dr. Whitlock. [Dr. Whitlock's part begins at 17:22.])

UK CORE: Humanities/Global Dynamics, 3.0 credits.

HIS 108 - History of U.S. through 1876 (Dr. Amy Taylor)

Lecture: MW 10:00-10:50

Recitation Options: W 11:00-11:50, W 12:00-12:50, R 2:00-2:50, F 9:00-9:50,
F 10:00-10:50  

A survey of U.S. history from the first British settlements c. 1585 to the end of Reconstruction in 1876, exploring the most important events, ideas, and people that created the foundations of the American nation. (Click here to watch Dr. Taylor talk about teaching at UK; and click here to watch her speak on C-SPAN.)

UK CORE: U.S. Citizenship/Humanities, 3.0 credits.

HIS 109 - History of U.S. since 1877 (Dr. Mark Summers)

Lecture: MW 9:00-9:50

Recitation Options: M 4:00-4:50, T 2:00-2:50, W 10:00-10:50, W 11:00-11:50,
F 9:00-9:50

Examines U.S. history from 1877 to the present, including the Gilded Age, the Progressive Era, the New Deal, the Age of Affluence, the Great Society, and two Great Wars. You will find out how much and how little America has lived up to its ideals, how it grew from a nation of farms and cotton mills to an industrial giant, and how it became a world power.  Lots of music and pictures!  (Click here for an interview with Dr. Summers; additionally, here is an article on Dr. Summers the cartoonist.)

UK CORE: U.S. Citizenship/Humanities, 3.0 credits.

HIS 122 - War and Society, since 1945 (Dr. Stephen Davis)

Lecture: MW 1:00-1:50

Recitation Options: M 12:00-12:50, W 2:00-2:50, F 12:00-12:50, F 1:00-1:50,
F 2:00-2:50

Examines the social impact of warfare from a transnational perspective following the end of World War II, focusing on such areas as gender relations, technology, ethics, propaganda, the welfare state, and postwar efforts to come to terms with the atrocities of war.

UK CORE: Global Dynamics, 3.0 credits.

HIS 130 - Drugs and Alcohol in Western Civilization (Dr. Scott Taylor)

Lectures: TR 9:30-10:20

Recitation Options: R 11:00-11:50, R 12:30-1:20, F 11:00-11:50, M 10:00-10:50, M 11:00-11:50

An overview of the history of drugs and alcohol and the social problems that surround their use, beginning with the early emergence of new stimulants like coffee, tea, tobacco, chocolate, sugar, and distilled spirits, and the emergence of increasingly potent drugs like heroin, cocaine, and cigarettes in more recent times. 

UK CORE: Humanities/Global Dynamics, 3.0 credits.

HIS 203 - History of British People Since the  Restoration (Dr. Tammy Whitlock)

MWF 12:00-12:50

What happens when you take a textbook written by a German used in a class taught by an American on the British since the 1600s?  You get a very different view of what British history means—includes Winston Churchill!  (Click here for an interview with Dr. Whitlock on the history of crime. [Dr. Whitlock's part begins at 17:22.])

UK CORE: Humanities/Global Dynamics, 3.0 credits.

HIS 207 - History of Modern Latin America (Dr. Francie Chassen-López)

TR 2:00-3:15

Beginning with a short introduction on the legacies of three hundred years of Spanish and Portuguese colonial rule, we will examine the main currents and events in modern Latin American history from 1810 to the present. Using a variety of sources (primary, secondary, audio, and visual), we will explore the peoples and histories of the nations of the region in order to understand their differences as well as their similarities and, often, a history of troubled relations with the United States. (Click here for an interview with Dr. Chassen-López.)

UK CORE: Global Dynamics/Humanities, 3.0 credits.

HIS 230 - Hellenistic World and Rome to Death of Constantine (Dr. Bruce Holle)

MWF 10:00-10:50

An award-winning teacher with a special interest in undergraduate teaching opens the ancient world inside out.  The Hellenistic world, Rome, the death of Alexander, the death of the Roman Empire.  A lot of death . . . and life . . . and a teacher who will know your name.  (Click here to hear Dr. Holle speak about his own experiences in college.)

UK CORE: Humanities, 3.0 credits.

HIS 254 - History of Colonial and Postcolonial Africa (Dr. Francis Musoni)

TR 9:30-10:45

A history of Africa from the onset of colonial rule in the 1880s to the present, introducing students to the major social, political, and economic developments that made Africa what it is today.  Topics include the European conquest of Africa and Africans' responses, African nationalism and struggles for independence, as well as post-colonial African politics, culture, and economic development.

HIS 240: History of Kentucky (Dr. Melanie Goan)

TR 8:00-9:15

Covers more than two hundred years of history, including the early challenges and possibilities of the frontier, the terrible divisions rent by the Civil War, Kentucky's unique position as a border state, and the stereotypes that emerged in the late nineteenth century and still persist today.  Includes Bluegrass music and Kentucky cuisine!

HIS 320-401: Advance Studies in American Military History

M 5:30-8:00

Examines American military campaigns and leaders in the broader context of U.S. history.  If you’re in ROTC, this is the course for you!

HIS 323: The Holocaust (Ryan Voogt)

Section 001: TR 2:00-3:15

Section 002: TR 9:30-10:45

Examines the events that resulted in the virtual destruction of Europe’s Jews during the Second World War, including a history of anti-semitism, the ways in which Nazi policies against Jews were implemented, Jewish resistance, and the responses of non-Jews and other governments to the Holocaust.

HIS 351-001: Topics in U.S. History - History Careers (Dr. Melanie Goan)

TR 12:30-1:45

You dread the questions from your parents and others: A history major?  What are you going to do with that?  This course enables students to articulate a response, going beyond law and teaching to consider all the possibilities a history degree offers.  We will strategize about how to best position yourself to make your dreams reality, emphasizing the importance of networking, study abroad, internships, and other experiences outside the classroom.  By the end of the course, students will be prepared to sell their skills to future employers in a variety of settings. 

HIS 351-002: Topics in U.S. History - Life and Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Dr. Gerald Smith)

T 3:30-6:00

HIS 351-003: Topics in U.S. History - America and the Cold War, 1945-1991 (Dr. Mark Summers)

TR 11:00-12:15

The Iron Curtain, a nuclear arms race, the making of NATO, a wall in Berlin, Coca-Colonialism, isolationism, Asialationism, the Common Market, and uncommon sense. People get shot, lawful governments get overthrown, public officials lie like statistics, and we never learn to stop worrying and love the Bomb. Lots of music and pictures! (Click here for an interview with Dr. Summers; additionally, here is an article on Dr. Summers the cartoonist.) 

HIS 353: Topics in European History - World War I and Memory (Dr. Karen Petrone and Terri Crocker)

Section 001: TR 3:30-4:45 (Western Front)

Section 002: TR 3:30-4:45 (Eastern Front)

This course will examine how the memory of World War I formed, and the implications of that memory today, using official war documents, battalion diaries, fiction, movies, and poetry to bring World War I to life and to provide a window into what front line battles looked like to the soldiers themselves. Taught in conjunction with an optional study abroad opportunity in France and Belgium during Spring break, enabling students to travel to the front lines of the War (A&S 500, 1 credit hour). (Click here to see Dr. Petrone speak about the memory of World War I in contemporary Russia.)

HIS 355-001: Topics in Non Western History - Modern South Africa (Dr. Stephen Davis)

MWF 11:00-11:50

A specialist on South African guides students through the region’s history, focusing on the conflicts and resolutions that have made South Africa what it is today. 

HIS 355-401: Topics in Non Western History - Gender in Latin America (Dr. Francie Chassen-López)

T 5:30-8:00

HIS 360: Race and Sports in America (Dr. Gerald Smith)

W 3:30-6:00

This course examines the history of race and sports in America since the nineteenth century from an African American perspective, addressing cultural, historical, political, and ideological issues and debates. (Click here to see Dr. Smith talk about teaching.)

HIS 391-001: Christians in the Roman Empire (Dr. David Hunter)

TR 9:30-10:45

Covers the changing status of Christians in the Roman Empire between 100 and 500 CE. Topics include heresies, persecution, definitions of doctrines and practices, the relationship to the Roman Empire, and more. (Click here to see Dr. Hunter speak about his own research on the historical origins of priestly celibacy.)

HIS 461-001: The American Revolution, 1763-1789 (Dr. Jane Calvert)

TR 11:00-12:15

A rigorous and demanding course taught in seminar format with a wide range of extensive readings that focus on the disagreement between Great Britain and the thirteen colonies, the decision for independence, and the progress of revolutionary change through the ratification of the U.S. constitution. (Click here to see Dr. Calvert speak about her research on John Dickinson and Quaker Constitutionalism.)

Please note that the History Department does not distinguish between 300, 400, and 500-level courses; each is weighted equally in our undergraduate curriculum. So please don't hesitate to enroll in a 500-level course if it looks of interest—some of our finest courses are offered at the 500-level!

HIS 543-001: German History since 1918 (Dr. James Albisetti)

MWF 11:00-11:50

This course examines the history of Germany from the end of World War I to the present, including the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, the occupation regimes after World War II, the division between East and West, and a reunified Germany since 1990, primarily focusing on political and social history.

HIS 546-001: The Byzantine Empire (Dr. Bruce Holle)

TR 9:30-10:45

The Byzantine Empire from the time of Constantine the Great to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Romans, Greeks, crusaders, civil wars, Macedonians, Turks, Bulgars, and iconoclasm—they're all in there along with an assortment of two dozen other heroes and villains for your historical enjoyment. The ancient world like you never knew it before, taught by an award winning teacher with a special interest in undergraduate education. (Click here to hear Dr. Holle speak about his own experiences in college.)

HIS 557-001: British Empire and Commonwealth, 1869-2016 (Dr. Mark Summers)

MWF 11:00-11:50

Dr. Mark Summers presents . . . The Greatest Empire on Earth [the British Empire, that is]. Bigger than Lord Curzon's ego! More advanced the Wallace's Techno-trousers! With a supporting cast of . . . Zulus, Asante, Sepoys, Ghurkas, Memsahibs, Bureaucrats, upper class twits, Tommies, and Maxim guns. Subject peoples, object lessons, failures galore, and buckets of blood, along with a weekly assortment of music, movies, pictures, and occasional hopping and jumping (on tables) for good measure!  (Click here for an interview with Dr. Summers; additionally, here is an article on Dr. Summers the cartoonist.)

HIS 563-401: History of Women in Latin America (Dr. Francie Chassen-López)

T 5:30-8:00

HIS 564-001: History of Brazil (Dr. Erik Myrup)

MWF 12:00-12:50

Introduces students to the historical roots of modern Brazilian society and culture, interweaving stories of slavery, gender, race, and nation building into a broader history of the modern world.  Taught by an award-winning teacher who can’t sit still. Includes pictures, music, stories, and . . . cashew juice! (Click here for sample lecture; click here for an interview with Dr. Myrup; and click here to see Dr. Myrup talk about the use of technology in the history classroom.)

HIS 584-001: Health and Disease in the United States (Dr. Eric Christianson)

TR 3:30-4:45

HIS 595-002: Studies in History - Slavery, Memory, and Public History (Dr. Amy Taylor)

W 1:00-3:30

From movies like "12 Years a Slave" and "Django Unchained," to the recent controversies over Confederate monuments, Americans have long grappled with the meaning and legacy of slavery in our present-day lives. Why has the remembrance of slavery been so fraught? How has the present continually impinged on the way we see and document the slave past? This course will take a "hands on" approach to these questions by examining the history and memory of slavery here in Lexington, Kentucky, and in particular, at the Waveland State Historic Site. Students will first research the history of the men, women, and children who were enslaved and later emancipated at Waveland by examining original documents and artifacts at Waveland, as well as at local archives and repositories, like the King Library's Special Collections and the Fayette County Courthouse. Then, as a class, we will piece together the story of slavery at Waveland in order to assist the site in developing its interpretation and tours. This course is open to all students but will be of particular interest to anyone who wants to explore ways of "doing" history beyond the traditional classroom setting. PLEASE NOTE: Any student who registers for this course must be available to travel to the Waveland Historic Site in Lexington (Nicholasville Road, past Fayette Mall) on multiple occasions during class hours. Any questions about the course may be directed to Dr. Amy Taylor. (Click here to watch Dr. Taylor on C-SPAN; and click here to watch her talk about teaching at UK.)

Graduate-Level Seminars (open to advanced undergraduates)

HIS 595-003: Modern U.S. Political Development (Dr. David Hamilton)

M 1:00-3:30

HIS 637-001: Readings in Colonial Latin American History (Dr. Erik Myrup)

R 3:30-6:00
This course introduces students to the history and historiography of colonial Latin America and is especially well suited for advanced undergraduates who are considering a graduate degree in History. Over the course of the semester, we will explore questions that have broad relevance to the making of the modern world, including the multi-faceted nature of cross-cultural encounters during the early modern era, the dynamics of slavery and race in comparative context, the roles of church and state across the Iberian world, and early modern connections between Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Emphasis is especially placed on the art of teaching history. (Click here to see Dr. Myrup talk about using technology in the history classroom.) For undergraduate permission to enroll, please contact Dr. Erik Myrup.

HIS 301-001: History Workshop: Introduction to the Study of History (Dr. Kathryn Newfont)

R 3:30-6:00

HIS 301-002: History Workshop: Introduction to the Study of History (Dr. Akiko Takenaka)

TR 11:00-12:15

Using the major events of the Pacific War (Pearl Harbor, the atomic bombs, etc.), a specialist on the history of modern Japan introduces students to the skills of historical research and writing.  (Click here to watch Dr. Takenaka speak on Japanese history.)

HIS 301-003: History Workshop: Introduction to the Study of History (Dr. Jane Calvert)

TR 2:00-3:15

An introduction to the skills of historical research and writing taught by a specialist on the history of the colonial United States. (Click here to see Dr. Calvert speak about her research on John Dickinson and Quaker Constitutionalism.)

HIS 301-004: History Workshop: Introduction to the Study of History (Dr. Melanie Goan)

TR 9:30-10:45

HIS 499-001: Senior Seminar: Europe and America: Perceptions and Influences, 1865-1914 (Dr. James Albisetti)

R 1:00-3:30

Between the American Civil War and the beginning of World War I, the United States and much of Europe faced similar problems stemming from urbanization, industrialization, democratization of education and other realms, women’s rights, public health, crime, etc. For many Europeans, America changed in this era from being a primitive agrarian society to appearing as the “land of the future.” And for Americans, Europe appeared both as the aristocratic “Old World” that had been left behind as well as the home of “modern” administration, city government, universities, and social legislation.  In this seminar students will draw upon travel accounts and other sources to produce a substantive research paper that focuses upon transnational perceptions and influences during this era.

HIS 499-002: Senior Seminar: Pandemic Historical Studies (Dr. Eric Christianson)

TR 12:30-1:45

Come sing and dance to the tunes of Tom Lehrer: “I got it from Agnes / She got it from Jim / We all agree it must have been Louise who gave it to him!” In this seminar students will draw upon primary source material to produce a substantive research paper that focuses upon the effects of disease and epidemics on human society. (Click here for an interview with Dr. Christianson.)

HIS 499-003: Senior Seminar: Great Crimes in History (Dr. Tammy Whitlock)

TR 2:00-3:15

Description forthcoming. (Click here for an interview with Dr. Whitlock on the history of crime. [Dr. Whitlock's part begins at 17:22.])

HIS 499-004: Senior Seminar: Kentucky History (Dr. Tracy Campbell)

W 1:00-3:30

Description forthcoming. (Click here for an interview with Dr. Campbell. [Dr. Campbell's part begins at 2:00.])