History, Literature, and the Arts
The History, Literature, and the Arts (HLA) track is designed for the student who wishes to complement his or her work in History with study in literature, particularly in a foreign language. For the purposes of this major, literature is defined broadly, including art, drama, films and poetry, memoirs and autobiography, novels, as well as canonical works of philosophy and political science. It appeals to students who are interested in studying literature primarily in its historical context, or who want to focus on both the literature and history of a specific geographical area while also learning the language of that area.
Gateway CourseHISTORY 132A. Enlightenment and the Arts gives students a broad introduction to the study of literary texts in history. Note: The former gateway course, HISTORY 239E, History, Literature and the Arts in Great Britain, may be counted in lieu of 132A.
Methodological ClusterThis three-course cluster teaches students how historians, in particular, analyze literary texts as documentary sources. Students choose three courses from among the pre-approved HLA methodology curriculum. These courses need not be in the student's geographic concentration. For 2011-12, these courses are:
- HISTORY 8N. How We Remember the Past: Historical, Legal, and Artistic Interpretations
- HISTORY 22S. History of the Communist Secret Police
- HISTORY 30Q. English Society through Fiction
- HISTORY 36N. Gay Autobiography
- HISTORY 54S. Prohibition in America
- HISTORY 55S. Real Men & Dragon Ladies: Race & Sexuality in America, 1662-1965
- HISTORY 56N. Celluloid America
- HISTORY 109. Human Rights and Humanitarianism: A Global History
- HISTORY 145B. Africa in the Twentieth Century*
- HISTORY 150A. Colonial and Revolutionary America
- HISTORY 154. American Intellectual and Cultural History to the Civil War
- HISTORY 168. U.S. History through Film: since World War II
- HISTORY 183. Modern Iran*
- HISTORY 193. Late Imperial China*
- HISTORY 208C. History of Death and Dying
- HISTORY 211. Saints in the Middle Ages
- HISTORY 232A. Power, Art, and Knowledge in Renaissance Italy
- HISTORY 233A. Modern Intellectual History: From Bacon to Hegel
- HISTORY 233E. Modern Intellectual History from the Left Hegelians to Freud
- HISTORY 236B. The Idea of Society
- HISTORY 254. Popular Culture and American Nature
- HISTORY 263G. History Through a Life: The Allure of American Biography
- HISTORY 287D. Tel Aviv: Site, Symbol, City
- HISTORY 287E. Jewish Intellectuals and the Crisis of Modernity
* Courses marked with an asterisk are non-Western lectures that students in the The History, Literature, and the Arts (HLA) track can use towards both a HLA methodology course and as the non-Western lecture requirement.
Geographical ClusterStudents select four History courses in one geographic area. These are: Europe, Britain and the countries of the former British Empire, Asia, North America, Latin America, the Middle East, or Africa. These four courses must be taken in addition to the three methodological courses required above.
Interdisciplinary ClusterFour courses, taken outside the Department of History, must address the literature and arts, broadly defined, of the area chosen for the geographic concentration. The student's adviser must pre-approve all courses in this cluster; these courses may not be double-counted towards a minor or major other than History.
Research Seminar for MajorsHISTORY 209S; fulfills Writing in the Major requirement.
General RequirementsLike all History majors, students in History Interdisciplinary Programs must complete two lecture courses (one Europe or U.S, one Africa, Asia, Middle East or Latin America), two 200-level courses, a Sources and Methods seminar, and a Research Seminar for Majors.