Listed in: History, as HIST-332
Moodle site: Course (Login required)
Andrew Bell (Section 01)
[AF/AS/EU/LA/ME/TC/TE/TR] This course investigates the history, politics, and culture of international archaeological research and expeditions from the mid-eighteenth century through the mid-twentieth century. Rather than discussing the achievements and material remnants of ancient and classical civilizations, it seeks to situate the discovery, study, preservation, and possession of antiquities within the wider global contexts of warfare, nationalism, imperialism, decolonization, social politics of inclusion and exclusion, and popular culture. The course will provide a historical basis for understanding relations between the Global North and the Global South, the debates around contemporary calls for the repatriation of plundered artifacts, the origins of the idea of world heritage, and the common misconceptions about who qualifies as a producer of scientific knowledge. Two class meetings per week.
Limited to 25 students. Fall semester. Professor Bell.
How to handle overenrollment: Preference given to History majors, by seniority if necessary
Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Close analysis of historical evidence, which may include written documents, images, music, films, or statistics from the historical period under study. Exploration of scholarly, methodological, and theoretical debates about historical topics. Extensive reading, varying forms of written work, and intensive in-class discussions.