2025 Summer
HIS200H5S - Topics in History: The Nature of Things: Medieval Material Cultures (Instructor: J. McCart)
This course surveys the medieval period, c. 400–1500, through the lens of its material culture, here conceived broadly as its physical remains, artefactual survivals, and deluxe and everyday goods. It is, above all, a history through and with objects. It uses them to explore questions of change and continuity, asking how they reflect religious and social change, attitudes toward death and devotion, and developments in trade and connectivity. Each week will include relevant historical or methodological readings, along with a selection of objects (some from collections in Toronto) and related primary sources.
HIS221H5F - Themes in Medieval History: How the 99% Lived: The Late-Medieval European Peasantry and Poor (Instructor: J. Cole)
This course introduces students to the lesser-known history of the majority of people in late medieval Europe. Focusing on primary sources and understanding how we study the history of the peasantry and poor, students will discover histories of work, families, food, and more. The topic will be studied through regional groups first, then by a series of topics such as systems of poor relief and migration.
HIS395H5S - Topics in History: Mathematics in History and Culture (Instructor: M. Karrass)
Explore how Mathematics has shaped civilizations, from ancient number systems to modern cryptography. This course examines the role of Mathematics in art, architecture, science, and philosophy across different cultures and historical periods. Discover the stories behind groundbreaking mathematical ideas and the people who developed them. Whether you love Mathematics or just want to see its impact on the world, this course offers a fascinating perspective beyond equations and formulas.
HIS493H5S - Advanced Topics in Global History: The Bandung Third World Movement and the Global Cold War (Instructor: D. Fergani)
This course explores the historical significance and political legacy of the Bandung Conference of 1955, a pivotal moment in the emergence of the Third World as a global political force. Through an analysis of decolonization, anti-imperial solidarity, and Cold War bipolarity, students will examine the ideological and geopolitical struggles that shaped the post-World war II world order in the third world. Interdisciplinary readings highlight how Afro-Asian solidarity fostered alternative visions of global justice, economic development, and political autonomy. By the end of the course, students will gain a nuanced understanding of how the Bandung spirit challenged Cold War geopolitics and shaped global discourses on decolonization, non-alignment, and postcolonial solidarity.