All upcoming World History programs

Understanding the Bible means understanding the cities and cultures that produced it. The story of these centers—their history, their archaeology, their mysteries, and the inhabitants, and the people later excavated there—is also the story of the Bible itself. Professor of classics and religious studies Robert Cargill leads a fascinating tour through cities including Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Qumran, Babylon, Athens, Alexandria, and Rome to reveal how their stories shed new light on the Bible.

The potato famine of 1845 to 1849, known in the Irish language as "the great hunger," led to the death of a million people and the emigration of a million more, reducing the population of Ireland by roughly one quarter. Historian Jennifer Paxton explores the origins of the famine in the difficult economic and political circumstances of Ireland in the early 19th century and examines the controversy over the degree to which the British government can be held responsible for the disaster and its impact on the Irish landscape and culture.

For centuries, the royal court in London was the political, social, and cultural headquarters of the nation. A formal gathering there was a glittering stage where a guest could increase their power, consolidate their family’s importance, and share gossip and tales of palace intrigues—all with the goal of capturing the eye of the sovereign. Historian Robert Bucholz reveals why anybody who was anybody—or who longed to be somebody—coveted an invitation to court.

The age of the Baroque roughly coincides with the 17th century, one of the most transformational periods in European history. Despite the many variants of this style, its most salient features include emphasis on sensual richness, drama, movement, and emotional exuberance. Art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine discusses the main currents of Baroque art in Italy, Spain, France, and Holland and how they reflected significant social and cultural developments sparked by forces including religion, government, global exploration, and science. (World Art History Certificate core course, 1 credit)

In March 1945, the Rhine River was the last natural barrier left open to Germany’s heartland. As Allied troops advanced, the only bridge still spanning the river was the Ludendorff railroad bridge at Remagen. Military historian Mitch Yockelson examines how the 9th U.S. Armored Division took control of the strategically vital bridge only minutes before German forces had planned to destroy it and how this pivotal action ultimately shortened the war in Europe.

Long before royal exploits were splashed across the tabloids, England’s ruling clan played out their dramas on the national stage during the mid-to-late 15th century. The houses of Lancaster and York brawled through a series of family battles known as the Wars of the Roses, marked by enough drama, betrayals, and intrigue to fill a television series. Tudor and Renaissance scholar Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger looks at the conflict from the inside out, finding truth in the warning “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.”

With a dynamic and far-reaching history that spans the Neolithic period to the modern age, Chinese civilization has given rise to some of the world’s most remarkable artistic creations. Art historian Robert DeCaroli explores that complex legacy by examining how shifts in China’s social, religious, and political life have influenced transformations in its material culture. (World Art History Certificate core course, 1 credit)

In 1943, the people of Denmark—led by King Christian X—dared to stand up for their Jewish citizens in one of the largest actions of collective resistance to aggression in the countries occupied by Nazi Germany. To keep the population of 8,200 Jews safe from arrest and deportation, the Danes hid, protected, and then smuggled most of them out of the country. Historian Ralph Nurnberger recounts this extraordinary act of courage on the part of a nation.

The history of art forgery is packed with stories of tricksters who, while more pranksters than gangsters, succeeded in fooling the art world and profiting while doing so. Art historian Noah Charney uncovers the "provenance trap," a methodology that has most often and most successfully led to forgers fooling experts. He illustrates with intriguing, quirky, and enlightening case studies involving five famous forgers. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

The Borgias—a family synonymous with murder, rape, incest, and torture—have been immortalized by historians, authors, and a pair of dueling series on Showtime and Sky. But was it all sex, simony, and scandal? Art historian Elizabeth Lev examines their political aspirations, religious conflicts, fascinating artistic commissions—which, despite their extraordinary beauty, could not redeem the family's reputation—and the surprising epilogue to the clan’s inevitable downfall.