1. Taught at nearly all US universities, many European 2. Important NEW research field 3. Public interest– best selling history books 4. One of most important developments in US education and scholarship in the last 20 years!

It is not random selection… There are three main approaches to World History

The study of major civilizations How did each civilization develop and change? How does each civilization help define the experience of many people in societies around the world? Allows one to compare civilizations What do civilizations have in common? How do they differ?

The study of contact between societies and civilizations Scholars study how contact occurs How does contact with different societies change both parties? This allows scholars to see broad changes in the experiences of peoples throughout the world

The study of broad forces that define societies, contacts, and experiences of individual civilizations New trade patterns Migration patterns New disease patterns Missionary efforts Etc

Used in combination By using them key time periods are easily created Time periods can be defined by patterns of contact or changes in broader forces—like the diffusion of new technologies (cars, phones, printing etc) or new trade patterns (capitalism etc) 1. Early Modern Long 19 th Century ( ) 3. Contemporary

1. Teaching field (US)—not a research field 2. It developed in less prestigious universities in the US (San Diego State)—not in the Ivy Leagues 3. It ironically has not developed around the world 1. Most of the research and pedagogies have been developed in the US 2. Outside of the Netherlands, few European countries have developed significant World History programs 3. The UK refuses to teach World History—mostly Why are others less interested??

1. Diverse US student body 1. There is a demand for teaching which reflects the diverse student body in US classes 2. Since the 1950s the US has become increasingly involved in the non-European world 1. Our interaction with the WHOLE world causes us to want to understand the world better 3. The World History perspective can help to understand crucial historical events and processes better

Around 13% of the BYU student body are ethnic minorities There over 2,000 international students from 110 countries—0ver %6 of the student body students Asian/Pacific Islander1,365 Hispanic1,261 Native American129 Black173 Multi ethnic/other1,320

2006, %59 of graduate students were female Between 1996 and 2006 minority enrolment increased %5 each year, white enrolment increased none.

1. Challenges Western Civilization teaching approaches national standards condemn 2. Western Civilization tradition traces a line of historical development from ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt to Greece and Rome to Western Europe and North America 3. West Civ argues the US is a part of the Western Tradition, therefore students should be taught about Western institutions and values

1. It is more important for American students to understand the world as a whole and how the West is a part of the world

2. Students cannot understand the West without understanding World History 3. World History avoids Euro-centrism: it is misleading to merely look at the West. The West did not develop autonomously!

1. Historians of East Asia claim the field cannot adequately convey the complexities of individual traditions How can one teach Chinese History, with all its nuanced complexities, to American students who have never experienced or been taught Chinese culture, philosophy and/or religion?

1. World History is simply a biased American perspective on the world! 2. World History is another way to define American foreign policy Is this Orientalism? “Since the time of Homer every European, in what he could say about the Orient, was a racist, an imperialist, and almost totally ethnocentric.”

1. Knowledge 2. Literature 3. Art 4. Power 5. Politics 6. Government 7. Technology 8. Race 9. Environment