HIST 175

Sections of this course examine the complexity of identity and the ever-changing and complicated nature of community through an exploration of history. Identities are never ‘fixed’ or constructed in isolation; they are always both ‘invented’ and the result of historical change. Communities are similarly complex: never autonomous, always shaped by history and the interplay between internal dynamics and relationships with forces outside of the community. All sections of this course are linked through their exploration of the history of identities and communities but they explore that history in different places and times. Some courses will take a micro-level view, exploring the history of identity in one particular location or community over time and relating those changes to broader perspectives; others will look at the way broad historical forces shaped identities. Possible areas of exploration may include: historical roots and myths surrounding so called "tribalism" in Africa and the contemporary impacts of this discourse; the spread nationalism in the 18th and 19th centuries and the rise of the modern nation-state; how such groups as Kurds have been able to maintain a distinct identity over time; Quebec’s status as a separate ‘nation’ in Canada.