After a year-long stint away from school, the time has arrived again to sign-up for classes! Last week, I received a package in the mail from LSE, which outlined my class offerings for my MA. I need to take three classes and I've chosen two thus far:
1.) Presidents, Public Opinion, and Foreign Policy: From Roosevelt to Reagan, 1933-1989
This class intrigues me because I really love 20th century American history and I want to learn about U.S. history from an international perspective. The course also provides an in-depth look on how public opinion has shaped domestic and foreign policy, especially during the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
2.) Sex, Race, and Slavery: The Western Experience
Sounds steamy! Haha, just kidding. I'm a cultural and societal historian at my core so this class definitely sounds intriguing.
3.) ???
I was disappointed to discover that my third-choice class would not be offered in the 2006-2007 academic year (Cultural Encounters from the Renaissance to the Modern World). Oh well. You can't have everything right?
Here are some of my options:
1.) Race, Violence, and Colonial Rule in Africa, taught by Dr Joanna LewisSounds fascinating because I'm interested in African history, but I lack a historical background in it. The only problem? I don't know if I have enough interest in African history. I would love to attend a few seminars on it, but I don't know if I want to take an entire class of it.
2.) Persecution in Europe: From Witch-Hunts to Ethnic Cleansing, taught by Dr Mia Rodriguez-Salgado
The title of the class sounded promising, but it was the class description that got me hooked: "The course is ambitious and conceptually challenging, and requires that students both enter and yet distance themselves from other mentalities in order to understand persecution in Europe across the centuries." I'm not a European history buff, but I might make an exception for this course.
3.) Empire, Colonialism, and Globalization, taught by Dr Joya Chatterji
Sounds bland, but this course would give me a broad understanding of empires and their impact on the modern world. This course appeals to me especially because its lectures will be given by faculty members in both the International History and Government departments.
Additionally, this class seems to be discussion-oriented; many of the lectures will include student projects.
4.) Warfare, Religion, and National Identity, taught by Dr John Hutchinson (photo unavailable)
After I read Imagined Communities, I love learning about national identity. And religion. And warfare sounds interesting, too.
(I think I might be leaning towards #3 and #4.)
So...what to choose, or what not to choose? That is the question. Any advice?
