In this course you will be provided with an overview of different ideas as to why some countries have flourished and others have failed to do so. You will hone your presentation skills through the presentation of a major work in the field of the study of the Great Divergence. Furthermore you will be trained in multiple creative ways of expressing what you have learned. Although we see developing good writing skills as an important aspect of the programme, this course will also focus on the visualisation and communication of your research results for a wide audience
Learning outcomes: after completing the course, students will have:
- knowledge and understanding of historical developments related to the course topic;
- knowledge of the historiography within the course topic;
- familiarity with the diverse ways in which historical knowledge of the course topic can be relevant to their own job market prospects;
- a skills set enabling them to think, act and communicate at an academic level and in line with academic standards of conduct ('academic integrity').
Learning objectives and skills: after completing the course, students will be able to:
- explore a broad historical or historiographical topic in depth;
- critically evaluate different interpretations and formulate their own viewpoint;
- present a well-formulated discourse analysis both orally and in writing;
- collaborate with fellow students on a group presentation;
- link knowledge of historical thinking on the course topic to their own job market prospects;
- connect historical knowledge of the course topic to modern-day social and political issuesÂ
- work in accordance with academic standards.
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This is the first course of specialisation 4 - The Great Challenges
Priority rules apply to this course. Make sure you register for this course before June 17, 12.00 noon to be considered for enrollment.
Students who major in History, TCS or LAS and take this course as part of their specialization, and pre-master’s students are guaranteed a place.
Other students will be placed through random selection.
For LAS and TCS students who follow this course as part of the core package of their main subject, compulsory preparation applies. Information: https://tcs.sites.uu.nl/
The lectures of this course are in English. If there is only 1 seminar group, the seminars and discussions will also be entirely in English. When there are two seminar groups, there is one seminar group in English. For Dutch students, assessment can take place in either English or Dutch.
The assessment for students who major in History (English) is in English.
Why are few countries rich and many poor? How can we explain big differences in wealth even within countries? If the turbulent development of countries like China and India is any measure to go by, we are likely to see major changes in the future. To understand how such economic transformations work, and what their effects might be, this course looks to the historical record. Why did the Industrial Revolution take place in England and not in China? Why could other western countries easily catch up with England, while large parts of Asia, Africa, and South-America remained underdeveloped? Many theories and concepts have been developed to help answer these questions, ranging from the role of climate, culture or population, to the institutional approach that is currently fashionable. In this introductory course students will get an overview of these theories and concepts, and will learn how to use them to analyse the social, economic and political development of societies in different parts of the world from the Middle Ages to the present.
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