Courses

• MET HI 331: History of Europe, 1815-1914
  International relations. Political, social, and ideological developments in the principal countries of Europe from the Congress of Vienna to the outbreak of World War I.
• MET HI 332: Recent and Contemporary History of Europe
  Using historical studies, fiction, and film, this course explores the major twentieth-century European political struggles from the perspective of ordinary citizens. Topics include the cultural impact of mass warfare, the invasion of ideology in private life, sexual politics, and the drive for independence of the colonized peoples. The course stresses the building of writing and discussion skills with the chance to rewrite and to debate interpretations of events and trends with classmates.
• MET HI 333: History of the Middle East II
  Middle East history and society from World War I to the present. Emphasis on the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, colonial rule in the Arab world, formation of the nation states, rise of nationalism, struggle for independence, discovery of oil, modernization, the Arab and Israeli conflict, revolution, reemergence of Islam as a political ideology, the Gulf War and United States involvement, Arab spring and concept of democracy.
• MET HI 342: History of America at War
  This course surveys the history of America at war from pre-conquest Native American warfare to modern times. It covers colonial-era traditions, the Revolutionary War, 19th century wars with Britain, Mexico, and Spain, the Civil War, the two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, and modern wars in the Greater Middle East. Attention is paid to varying military traditions, military culture and capabilities, from backwoods skirmishing to set-piece battles, to total war on a global scale, to today?s fighting against irregular enemies employing evolving combat doctrines and assets. Documentary and other films will enhance class discussion of the evolution of American warfare and of Americans at war.
• MET HI 355: Modern China
  Exploration of twentieth-century China. Emphasis on the conditions inside and outside China that led to the revolution and to the establishment of the present state. The Cultural Revolution and its effect on present-day China.
• MET HI 363: Twentieth-Century United States, 1901-41
  Impact of industrialization; progressive impulse and politics; American imperialism; World War I; reaction and social revolt; technology, prosperity, and fundamentalism; the Great Depression; Roosevelt, the New Deal, and welfare capitalism; and politics and foreign policy.
• MET HI 364: Twentieth-Century United States, 1941-Present
  The origins and consequences of World War II; the Truman administration and the Fair Deal; the origins of the cold war; international and domestic issues and conflicts from the 1950s to the 1980s.
• MET HI 371: History of African Americans
  Historical patterns of racial relations and participation of African Americans in American social, economic, political, and cultural life. Major historical events and institutions: the slave system, Civil War and Reconstruction, industrialization, urbanization, the New Deal, and the civil rights movement.
• MET HI 373: History of Boston
  The foundations, development, and "fate" of Boston since the colonial period. Explores the architecture, geography, social structure, and economic development of the city, as well as political changes.
• MET HI 374: Women in American History
  American women's history from the time of European settlement to the 1980s. Women's changing patterns of family life, paid and unpaid work, political and social involvement, and attempts to change the shape of their world. The goals of the course are to acquaint students with the significant concepts and events in women's history and, through class discussions, to engage students in ongoing debates about their meanings.
• MET HI 380: Magic, Sorcery, and Witchcraft in History
  Historical contexts of the magical world view; charms and spells, oracles and divination, control of spirits, metamorphosis, and alchemy in selected periods of the ancient and medieval world.
• MET HI 395: Film and History
  This course compares and contrasts the ways that historians work in varied media: books, essays, feature films, and documentary films. The class pursues the histories of past events and periods in American history, analyzing how writers and film-makers develop a narrative approach to events, time periods, or individuals' lives. The course also looks not only at history in film but also at the history of film and its development as an artistic and cultural expression during the twentieth century. The class considers the ways that films are themselves cultural artifacts of the time in which they were produced: what movies tell us about American values, myths, and character at a particular point in time and how the requirements of a particular film genre affect the cultural information it presents.
• MET HI 425: Women in European History
  This course provides an introduction to the role of women in European history. Readings and discussion focus broadly on changing attitudes, expectations, and opportunities for women by exploring such topics as convent life, working conditions, charity, the witch craze, and political and religious upheaval. It also examines the challenge of writing women back into history and looks at the lives and strategies of individual women.
• MET HI 440: Twentieth-Century American Social History
  Significant themes in American social history in the twentieth century, including radical and protest movements, mass media, ethnic movements and conflict, urban disorders, and attitudes. Basic themes vary with the instructor and semester.
• MET HI 450: American Popular Culture: Humor and History
  The increase in scholarly and popular interest in humor during the past several decades demonstrates a heightened awareness of the significance of humor in American culture. This course analyzes the historical and sociological patterns of humor and their relation to social change and conflict in twentieth-century America. Includes readings from the social sciences and humanities and a series of films.
• MET HU 221: Major Authors I
  Introduction to major works of ancient and medieval European literatures that influenced later Continental, English, and American literature: the Bible, Homeric epic, Greek Tragedy, Virgil's Aeneid, and Dante's The Divine Comedy.
• MET HU 400: Great Works of the Modern Era
  The 20th century presented the most accelerated period of social evolution in human history: two World Wars were fought; technology developed at a dazzling pace; psychological exploration and scientific discovery assailed traditional conceptions of religion and the nature of reality; the relation of the individual to society fluctuated as new social and political models originated. Our main focus will be the literature and film within this time frame, but parallel developments in art and music will also be discussed.
• MET IS 308: Exploring Philosophy through Film: Knowledge, Ethics, & Personal Identity
  This introduction to philosophy revolves around selected films and related texts that provoke serious reflection on issues of knowledge, ethics, and personal identity. The main objective of the course is to provide an introduction to the nature of philosophical inquiry and analysis by exposing the student to specific philosophical problems and issues. By focusing on film as the visual and narrative medium in which these problems and issues emerge, the student will also consider the ways in which art (with the focus here being on cinematic art) can represent and embody philosophical questions, ideas, and positions. Related objectives include the development of critical thinking and writing skills as well as the cultivation of the student's appreciation of film as an art form.
• MET IS 312: Food Stuff: A Taste of Biology
  This course, we will explore biological principles in the context of food. It will focus on biodiversity, evolution, biochemistry, symbioses, and humans in the biosphere. Students will be encouraged to make their own connections about the world of food by learning about biological interactions and relationships.
• MET IS 325: Explorations in the Essay: History, Theory, Practice
  The purpose of the course is threefold: first, to introduce students to a wide variety of essay forms, arranged historically and considered in historical context; second, to provide the opportunity to practice these forms and by imitating models to become more adept and polished writers of the essay, and finally, to explore the theory of the essay, by examining discussions among literary critics concerning the defining characteristics of the genre.

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