070265 KU Theories, Sources and Methods of Global History (2016W)

Content: The course provides a broad, inter alia, space-and aspect-cross base and contextual knowledge, especially about the history of the late modern period with an emphasis on the 19th Century. Starting point is a global historical perspective, as used in recent years also increasingly for tests of a "comprehensive view" of the 19th Century is claimed. Based on a rough thematic division (the scientific nature of the world, Great Domestication, revolutions, conflicts, imperialism and nation-state and Frontiers), a more intensive study of specific topics is suggested and thus the idea of ​​global history well continued. Based on the processing of each block, students should be enabled to gain an overview of the current theories and debates of global history, they should know how they can search for suitable materials and how they attain the knowledge of the central methods of Global History.
Methods: This course sees one of his main tasks is to bring the students basic knowledge of global history - academic work closer. Therefore the students should be given a first overview of the literature and this introduction should be initial for the following historical case studies. It covers not only individual regions, but it will also seek a type of knowledge network through the earth to stretch, which provides a possibility for understanding of recent topics in history, politics, economics, religion and culture.
It shall be understood that by using alternative teaching methods, the global historical contexts are illuminated and the acquired theoretical knowledge content can be practically applied. In addition to this set of alternative teaching methods (e.g. Simulation Game “Congo Conference”, perspective changes, Think Pair Square Share, World Café,…) nevertheless also classical skills and techniques (for example, book reviews, reviews , bibliographic enrollments and discussions) can be applied and passed. Due to the perceived as particularly important importance of teaching adapted to anchor learning content of students is also sustainable, paid particular attention to how the knowledge will be taught. Therefore, special emphasis is placed on the self-organization of students in terms of a constructivist learning theory that manifests itself among other things in the guide the students through learning blogs, alternative forms of presentation in the form of a market place, and various other methods.
The students will ultimately lead to a critical examination of the sources, but are also enabled to rate the theories and the scientific literature of Global History. Likewise, students should be able to overlook the state of research and can independently detect and evaluate sources and secondary literature.
Goals: The main objective of the course is to provide the basic techniques in global history. Starting from the joint discussion of basic texts, the participants have the opportunity to acquire in-depth knowledge of a specialist area and to bring into the course. All these fields of specialization ideally represent the history of the regions of the Late Modern Age. In addition it is considered as an important goal for the students to implement also several meta-goals (including brokerage of presentation techniques in practice).