Why is history important Why is the knowledge

Why is history important?

Why is the knowledge of World Civilizations Important?

World History: Recent and Popular Taught at nearly all US universities, many European 2. Important NEW research field 3. Public interest– best selling history books 4. One of most important developments in US education and scholarship in the last 20 years! 1.

World History can be anything It is not random selection… There are three main approaches to World History

Approach #1: Civilizations approach The study of major civilizations How did each civilization develop and change? How does each civilization help define the experience of many people in societies around the world? Allows one to compare civilizations What do civilizations have in common? How do they differ?

Approach #2: Contact The study of contact between societies and civilizations Scholars study how contact occurs How does contact with different societies change both parties? This allows scholars to see broad changes in the experiences of peoples throughout the world

Approach #3: Broad Forces The study of broad forces that define societies, contacts, and experiences of individual civilizations New trade patterns Migration patterns New disease patterns Missionary efforts Etc

The 3 Approaches Used in combination By using them key time periods are easily created Time periods can be defined by patterns of contact or changes in broader forces—like the diffusion of new technologies (cars, phones, printing etc) or new trade patterns (capitalism etc) 1. Early Modern 1500 -1800 2. Long 19 th Century (1750 -1914) 3. Contemporary

How did World History develop? Teaching field (US)—not a research field 2. It developed in less prestigious universities in the US (San Diego State)—not in the Ivy Leagues 3. It ironically has not developed around the world 1. Most of the research and pedagogies have been developed in the US 2. Outside of the Netherlands, few European countries have developed significant World History programs 3. The UK refuses to teach World History—mostly Why are others less interested? ? 1.

Reasons for Interest in World History Diverse US student body 1. 1. Since the 1950 s the US has become increasingly involved in the non-European world 2. 1. 3. There is a demand for teaching which reflects the diverse student body in US classes Our interaction with the WHOLE world causes us to want to understand the world better The World History perspective can help to understand crucial historical events and processes better

BYU and diversity Around 13% of the BYU student body are ethnic minorities students Asian/Pacific Islander 1, 365 Hispanic 1, 261 Native American 129 Black 173 Multi ethnic/other 1, 320 There over 2, 000 international students from 110 countries— 0 ver %6 of the student body

US universities 2006, %59 of graduate students were female Between 1996 and 2006 minority enrolment increased %5 each year, white enrolment increased none.

Objections to World History: Challenges Western Civilization teaching approaches 1. 1. 1994 national standards condemn Western Civilization tradition traces a line of historical development from ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt to Greece and Rome to Western Europe and North America 3. West Civ argues the US is a part of the Western Tradition, therefore students should be taught about Western institutions and values 2.

Argument #1: World History is West bashing 1. It is more important for American students to understand the world as a whole and how the West is a part of the world

The Keystone of Manhattan Bridge’s Triumphal Arch

Argument #1: World History is West bashing It is more important for American students to understand the world as a whole and how the West is a part of the world 2. Students cannot understand the West without understanding World History 3. World History avoids Euro-centrism: it is misleading to merely look at the West. The West did not develop autonomously! 1.

Argument #2: Too Broad Historians of East Asia claim the field cannot adequately convey the complexities of individual traditions How can one teach Chinese History, with all its nuanced complexities, to American students who have never experienced or been taught Chinese culture, philosophy and/or religion? 1.

Argument #3: product of American imperialism World History is simply a biased American perspective on the world! 2. World History is another way to define American foreign policy Is this Orientalism? “Since the time of Homer every European, in what he could say about the Orient, was a racist, an imperialist, and almost totally ethnocentric. ” 1.

Why then is a World History/World Civilizations course Necessary?

Comparative themes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Knowledge Literature Art Power Politics Government Technology Race Environment