History, Literature, and the Arts

The History, Literature, and the Arts (HLA) track is designed for the student who wishes to complement his or her work in History with study in literature, particularly in a foreign language. For the purposes of this major, literature is defined broadly, including art, drama, films and poetry, memoirs and autobiography, novels, as well as canonical works of philosophy and political science. It appeals to students who are interested in studying literature primarily in its historical context, or who want to focus on both the literature and history of a specific geographical area while also learning the language of that area.

Gateway Course—HISTORY 132A. Enlightenment and the Arts gives students a broad introduction to the study of literary texts in history. Note: The former gateway course, HISTORY 239E, History, Literature and the Arts in Great Britain, may be counted in lieu of 132A.

Methodological Cluster—This three-course cluster teaches students how historians, in particular, analyze literary texts as documentary sources. Students choose three courses from among the pre-approved HLA methodology curriculum. These courses need not be in the student's geographic concentration. For 2009-10, these courses are:

HISTORY 6N. Utopia: History of Nowhere Land

HISTORY 20Q. Russia in the Early Modern European Imagination

HISTORY 30Q. English Society through Fiction

HISTORY 31S. The Renaissance of War: War, Technology, and Art in the High Renaissance

HISTORY 36N. Gay Autobiography

HISTORY 36S. Folk Tales, Fairy Tales, Carnival and Magic: Popular Culture in Early Modern Europe

HISTORY 48N. African History through Literature and Film

HISTORY 54N. African American Women's Lives

HISTORY 67S. The Virgin Mary: Religion and Identity from Mexico City to Los Angeles

HISTORY 68S. The Cultural Margins of America: Witches, Indians, and Arabs in the 18th Century Imagination

HISTORY 90S. The Social and Cultural History of Tokugawa Japan, 1603-1868

HISTORY 154. 19th Century U.S. Cultural and Intellectual History, 1790-1860

HISTORY 154A. Religion and American Society

HISTORY 165. Mexican American History through Film

HISTORY 168. American History in Film: Since World War II

HISTORY 207. Biography and History

HISTORY 208. Private Lives, Public Stories: Autobiography in Women's History

HISTORY 209B. The Century: The Problem of the Present in Twentieth Century Thought

HISTORY 230A. The Witness in Modern HIstory: Memoir, Reportage, Image

HISTORY 231S. Early Modern Things

HISTORY 233F. Political Thought in Early Modern Britain

HISTORY 236B. The Idea of Society

HISTORY 247S. Intellectual and Cultural History in Modern Africa

HISTORY 254. Popular Culture and American Nature

HISTORY 255D. Racial Identity in the American Imagination

HISTORY 287E. Jewish Intellectuals and Modernity

HISTORY 292F. Traditional Korea: History and Culture

Geographical Cluster—Students select four History courses in one geographic area. These are: Europe, Britain and the countries of the former British Empire, Asia, North America, Latin America, the Middle East, or Africa. These four courses must be taken in addition to the three methodological courses required above.

Interdisciplinary Cluster—Four courses, taken outside the Department of History, must address the literature and arts, broadly defined, of the area chosen for the geographic concentration. The student's adviser must pre-approve all courses in this cluster; these courses may not be double-counted towards a minor or major other than History.

Research Seminar for Majors—HISTORY 209S; fulfills Writing in the Major requirement.

General Requirements—Like all History majors, students in History Interdisciplinary Programs must complete two lecture courses (one Europe or U.S, one Africa, Asia, Middle East or Latin America), two 200-level courses, a Sources and Methods seminar, and a Research Seminar for Majors.

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History, Literature, and the Arts