Course content

This course explores globalization from a historical perspective, with focus on European overseas expansion and colonization. It focuses on the trans-continental processes (connections, interactions and networks) that bound various parts of the globe together from the 19th Century to the present. The geographical focus is, though not exclusively, the Atlantic and Indian Ocean arenas: Africa, America, Asia, and Europe. Themes include dynamics of dominance and resistance; colonialism and decolonization; colonial decentralization (emergence of India as a peripheral metropole in the Indian Ocean Arena); processes of socio-cultural cross-fertilization; trans-national economic and social formations through oceanic trade and migration; and Colonialism and international law. Concepts like globalization, empire, imperialism, colonialism, decolonization, the Atlantic World; and Indian Ocean Arena will be interrogated.

Learning outcome

A candidate who goes through this course is expected to have the following learning outcomes according to the course curriculum, defined as knowledge and skills:
Knowledge:
- will acquire a broad knowledge base about European expansion and colonization from the 15th Century
- the nature, impact and implications of this process in fomenting transformations on a global scale.
- will acquire an understanding of how colonized peoples engaged and managed their colonial situation
- will acquire an insight into the historiography of expansion, colonization, and globalization.
- will acquire the ability to apply theories and perspectives used in analyzing imperial expansions in general, and in the context of international developments and globalization

Skills:
- should be able to critically interrogate the ideas and theoretical assumptions and established perspectives of the field
- should be able to write an extended independent, well-structured analytical essay/paper, using the relevant empirical and theoretical knowledge of the field
- should be able to give an oral presentation on a chosen topic/theme during lecture/seminar sessions
- should be able to locate the history of expansion and encounter within a context of broader global historical changes.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and seminars. Each student participant who wants to take exams in this course shall present a curriculum based paper on an assigned topic. Evaluation is by "Home Examinations".

Compulsory assignments

• Godkjent seminarinnlegg

Recommended previous knowledge

None

Required previous knowledge

BA in history or equivalent.

Course materials

See syllabus