This course traces the evolution of the world from a constellation of relatively isolated regions in 8000 BCE to global interdependence of the present-day. The emphasis in the course will be on tracing the emergence of the interdependence between world regions. Together these forces shaped the modern world. In analyzing and understanding global histories as inter-connected, we will pay close attention to the social, cultural, political, economic, demographic, and ecological implications of this history.
Class lectures and readings will stress upon issues of diversity, power imbalances, and the interactive workings of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and national variables.Though primarily a course in world history, it will draw upon materials and pedagogical approaches from other disciplines, such as feminist studies, anthropology, literature, political science, and art.