Imperialism

An overview of modern Chinese history, including the fall of the Qing and the end of imperial China. In the 18th century, the Qing Dynasty is at its height; it is the wealthiest, most powerful, most civilized state on earth. And yet the 19th century brought enormous challenges for [...]

This sequence of four courses will propose a multi-disciplinary approach to the study of Chinese cultural history conceived of as a succession of modes of rationality (philosophical, bureaucratic, and economic). The focus will be on the moments of paradigm shift from one mode of rationality to another. For each [...]

The purpose of this course is to summarize new directions in Chinese history and social science produced by the creation and analysis of big historical datasets based on newly opened Chinese archival holdings, and to organize this knowledge in a framework that encourages learning about China in comparative perspective. [...]

This course examines the transformation of Korean society beginning around the turn of the 20th century to contemporary times. In particular, it explores how shifting categories of masculinity, and by contrast, femininity have impacted upon, and in turn been influenced by social, cultural, and political change. [...]

The course presents the life and deeds of Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union from 1924 till 1953. It analyses the reasons for his actions and their results, as well as the causes of his popularity in Russia today. It offers an analysis of the phenomenon of [...]

Remarkable political cartoons and photography at the turn of the 20th century reveal debates over US entry into global imperialism through the conquest and occupation of the Philippines. Historians tour this rich content drawn from MIT Visualizing Cultures.