History 201-206 seminars are open to history majors only during pre-registration. If the course does not reach its enrollment maximum, it will be open to all students beginning with drop/add on a first-come first-serve basis.
HIST 204 Politics of Cultural Heritage
Taught as schedule allows (consult the Course Directory)
R | SEM
Through a series of historical case studies, this course explores the politics of cultural heritage, when culture has been claimed, defended, denied or effaced. Topics include: conflicts over the display and interpretation of national treasures, cultural artifacts, and history in museums, historical sites, and tourist spots; the evolution of laws and public policy pertaining to cultural property; the preservation and restitution of looted art and cultural objects; the repatriation of classical antiquities and Native American sacred objects; cultural heritage and public diplomacy. The course focuses on the United States, but includes comparative examples from around the world. Students will develop a research paper based on primary sources and write a number of short papers to develop their skills as historians.
Course Syllabus (PDF)
