Boğaziçi University, Department of History

HIST 106: THE MAKING OF THE MODERN

WORLD II

SPRING 2023

Coordinator: Z. Hale Eroğlu, e-mail: hale.eroglu@boun.edu.tr

Teaching Assistants:

Enes Niziplioğlu, Head TA, sections 11, 15 enesnzp@gmail.com

Fatih Öyük – sections 1, 6 fatih.oyuk@boun.edu.tr
Cem Almurat – sections 2, 7 cem.almurat@boun.edu.tr
Yasemin Orhun – sections 3, 8 yasemin.orhun@boun.edu.tr
Münevver Hatipoğlu – sections 4, 9 munevver.hatipoglu@boun.edu.tr
Berkin Hızlan – sections 5, 10 berkin.hizlan@gmail.com
Erkin Göçen – sections 12, 16 erkin.goecen@gmail.com
Deniz Yüce– sections 13, 17 deniz.yuce@boun.edu.tr
Kübra Nil Yılmazer – sections 14, 18 kubra.nyilmazer@gmail.com

Office Hours: Please contact the Teaching Assistants or the coordinator.

Lectures: MWF 12 , Ayhan Şahenk Hall (GKM)

Discussion Sessions: Fridays in North Park Building (KP) (online section alternatives will be
arranged)

Sections 1-5 between 09.00-09.50

Sections 6-10 between 10.00-10.50

Sections 11-14 between 11.00-11.50

Sections 15-18 between 13.00-13.50

Course Description:

The Making of the Modern World (HIST 105; HIST 106) is a two-semester course providing a
thematic history of the world from ancient to modern times. The course surveys the major patterns and
events of human activity from a global perspective within a broad chronological framework, while
familiarizing students with interactions, parallelisms, and incongruities in the historical and cultural
patterns of diverse societies and civilizations. The course aims to develop an understanding of modes
and patterns of historical change and provides a perspective on the complex ways in which the legacy
of the past shapes our present.
HIST 106 explores the paths of specific historical change in the early modern and modern periods in
different regions of the world, covering the period between the 15th and the 20th centuries. Therefore,
the course is as much about the Renaissance and Reformation in Europe as about culture and society
in the early modern Middle East; as much about transformations in European feudalism as about the
methods of rule of East Asian polities; as much about the revolutions of 1789 and 1848 in Europe as
about the transformation of Ottoman political power in relation to the Habsburg and Russian empires.
Issues regarding the political, cultural, ideological, and institutional structures and transformations that
ushered in the modern era are discussed, as well as aspects of daily life and material culture.
Connections and interactions across spatial and cultural divides remain a focus throughout the survey.

Format:

The course is team-taught by members of the History Department. Each week’s lectures will be
followed by one-hour discussion sessions on Fridays led by the teaching assistants. There are two types
of readings for the course. The primary source readings for each week introduce a set of issues and
themes directly related to the lecture topics. The Heritage of World Civilizations, vol. 2: Since 1500
by A. M. Craig, W. A. Graham, D. Kagan, S. Ozment, F. M Turner, (New Jersey, 2011) and The Birth
of the Modern World,1780-1914, C. A. Bayly (Oxford: Blackwell,2004) are the required readings,
which provide an introduction and background to the topics to be covered in the lectures.

It is highly important that students participate fully in the course attending the lectures (hybrid, live
online session, link will be provided) before the discussion sessions* and having made the readings
(preferably before lectures, certainly before the Friday discussion hours). Friday discussion hours led
by the teaching assistants will be devoted to an in-depth discussion and interpretation of the primary
sources. The discussion sessions are designed to make the students express their opinions. The
students’ performance in discussion sessions will contribute substantially to the final grade. The
students are not allowed to use any kind of electronic devices, including laptops and tablets (if in-
class), during the discussion sessions. Please bring a notebook and a pen if you would like to take
notes during the discussion sessions.

All readings will be available as electronic documents on the Boğaziçi Library online reserve web site
(go to Catalogue Search; Search Course Reserves). Lecture outlines, course announcements, and
additional materials will be posted on Moodle.

Requirements and grade distribution

Attendance: 11%
Participation in discussion: 11%
Creative assignment: %8 (10 May)
Mid-term exam: 30% (TBA)
Final exam: 40% (TBA)

*
Discussion sections will be in class. There will be another online discussion section for students who have a valid
reason. The first discussion section will be in hybrid format.
There are no pre-requisites for HIST 106.

To be eligible to take the final exam, the student will have to obtain at least 15 points on the
midterm exam. If this condition is not met, the student will be disqualified from taking the
final exam. Participation in the final exam is necessary to receive a passing grade.

Creative Assignment:
You will be asked to express your opinions on a theme covered in the course in a creative format. You
can choose to write a short story, draw a picture, compose a song, write a poem, diary, travelogue, or
even make a short movie. If you choose to write a poem, compose a song, draw a picture, or design a
poster, you will also be asked to submit a commentary, explaining the ideas, concepts, and symbols
you used. The commentary should be around 350 words. Your work should reflect the themes,
concepts, and ideas you will be learning in the lectures and discussion sections.
For instance, in discussion 7, you will discuss Marx’s ideas. You might consider writing a
revolutionary poem, designing a propaganda poster, or writing a letter to a friend expressing your
appreciation or criticism of Marx’s ideas.
At the beginning of the semester, the Teaching Assistants will provide you with more guidelines.

Important Reminders:

All necessary information regarding the course will be shared via Moodle course page reserved for
each section. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that they have access to the system, to
check their Moodle regularly, and to make sure that there is enough room in their inbox to receive
the e-mail notifications sent by Moodle system.

Please note that the weekly schedule may be subject to alteration and students will be notified in
case of a change.

SCHEDULE

20 February M Introduction Eroğlu

PART I: DISCOVERIES AND EXPANSION

22 February W European Expansion in the Atlantic and Girardelli

Indian Oceans

24 February F Early Expeditions and Asian Trade Esenbel

 Discussion 1 (Friday, 24 February): Introduction

PART II: RELIGION, CULTURE AND SOCIETY IN THE EARLY MODERN ERA

27 Feb M The Renaissance in Italy and Northern Girardelli

Europe

1 March W The Age of Religious Reforms Girardelli

3 March F Social and Cultural Transformation in the Kafescioğlu

Middle East

Required Readings: Craig, Ch. 15 (448-458), Ch. 16 (460-496) and Craig, Ch. 17 (496-527)
Forges and Major, The Asian World 600-1500, Chapter 4 and 12

Discussion 2 (Friday, 3 March):

Primary Sources for discussion:
Renaissance Maps and Visuals
Francis Drake, Voyages 1580
Mappa Mundi
Recommended: Martin Luther, Address to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation

PART III: STATE BUILDING AND POLITICAL CONFLICT

An "Islamic” Empire in the Lands of Rum:

6 March M Terzioğlu
The Ottoman Empire during the Fifteenth
and Sixteenth Centuries

An “Islamic” Empire in Hindustan: The

8 March W Terzioğlu
Mughal Empire during the Sixteenth and
Seventeenth Centuries
The Power of the Prince: The Renaissance
10 March F Kafescioğlu
State
Required Readings: Craig, Ch. 19 (575-583) and Ch. 20 (612-630)

Discussion 3 (Friday, March 10)

Primary Sources for discussion: Mustafa Ali, The Tables of Delicacies (Excerpt)

Ming Bureaucratic Empire in China

13 March M Esenbel

15 March W Campbell
Absolute Monarchy and Its Challenges:
France and England in the Seventeenth
Century

17 March F Esenbel
Tokugawa Centralized Feudal Order in Japan

Required Readings: Craig, Ch. 19 (575-583) and Ch. 20 (612-630)

Discussion 4 (Friday, March 17)

Primary Sources for discussion:
Abu’l-fazl Allami, Akbarnama [Book of Akbar] (Excerpt)
Excerpts from Bitlisi’s The Essence of Kingship

PART IV: ENLIGHTENMENT AND REVOLUTION

20 March M The Scientific Revolution: From Yerlioğlu

Renaissance to Newton

22 March W The Enlightenment and the Campbell

Critique of Monarchy

24 March F The French Revolution and the Birth of Campbell

Modern Politics

Required Readings: Craig, Ch. 18 (575-583)

Discussion 5 (24 March, Friday)

Primary Sources for discussion:
Selections from Miyamoto Musashi.
 27 March M The American Revolution Campbell

PART V: EMERGENCE OF CAPITALISM

29 March W Agrarian Origins of Capitalism Terzibaşoğlu

31 March F Industrial Revolution Terzibaşoğlu

Required Readings: Craig, Ch. 21 (637-666) and Ch. 22 (667-698)

Discussion 6: 31 March, Friday

Primary Sources for discussion:
Voltaire, The English Letters: “On Parliament”, “On the Government”, “On Commerce”
Rousseau, The Social Contract, Book I
Visual Materials on French Revolution
Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizens

3 April M Convergence and Divergence around the Terzibaşoğlu

Globe

Imperialism: States and Capitalists

5 April W Terzibaşoğlu
around the world

PART VI: EMPIRES AND NATIONS

7 April F Nations and Nationalism Eldem

Required Readings: Craig Ch. 23 (705-712); Craig, Ch. 24 (731-748), Bayly, Ch. 2 (49-76) and
Ch. 3 (86-112)
 Discussion 7 (Friday, 7 April)
Primary Sources for discussion:
Friedrich Engels, The Condition of the Working Class in England
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto
The People’s Petition, 1838
Movie for section discussion: The Young Karl Marx

10 April M Reform as Resistance: Meiji Modernity Esenbel

and Japan’s Asian Empire

12 April W Old Empires, The Struggle for Survival: Eldem

The Ottomans

14 April F Old Empires, The Struggle for Survival: Eroğlu

The Opium Wars and the
Qing Empire

Required Readings: Craig, Ch. 26 (2nd part: 803-820); Bayly, Ch. 6 (199-243)
Halcombe, “Meiji Restoration” in A History of East Asia, pp. 213-229.

Discussion 8 (Friday, 14 April)

Primary Sources for discussion:
E. Renan, What is a Nation?

17 APRIL- 21 APRIL SPRING BREAK

24 April M Origins of WWI Eroğlu

26 April W Orientalism Ersoy

28 April F Colonialism and Decolonization Ersoy

Required Readings: Craig, Ch. 26 (1st part: 792-803); Craig, Ch. 27 (695-710); Ch. 28 (863-892)
Discussion 9 (Friday, 28 April)
Primary Sources for discussion:
Excerpts from Ahmet Midhat, Basis of Reform
Excerpts from Fukuzawa Yukichi, Outline of a Theory of Civilization
Suggested Film: How Japan Became a Great Power in Only 40 Years (1865 - 1905)
https://youtu.be/n9MNGdqsHKE

PART VII: NEW CULTURAL FORMS AND PRACTISES

3 May W Women’s Movement Öztürkmen

5 May F The Changing Urban Landscape Ersoy

Required Readings: Arzu Öztürkmen, “The Women’s Movement under Ottoman and Republican
Rule: A Historical Reappraisal,” Journal of Women’s History, 25:4, 2013.
Jürgen Habermas, “Modernity, an Incomplete Project”, in: Hal Foster, ed., The Anti- Aesthetic
Essays on Postmodern Culture, 1998, pp: 1-16

Discussion 10: (Friday, 5 May)

Primary source for discussion:
Olympe de Gouges, The Declaration of the Rights of Woman (September 1791)

8 May M Agency of Technology Ersoy

10 May W Exaltation of the present: The Babaoğlu

New consciousness of time

PART VIII: REVOLUTION, WAR, AND MODERNITY

12 May F A World of Extremes: Russian Revolution Eroğlu

Required Readings: Bayly, Ch. 5 (170-198), Bayly, Ch. 10 (366-392)

Discussion 11 (Friday, 12 May)

Sources for discussion:
Evgeny Morozov, “The Death of the Cyberflâneur”, New York Times, Feb 4, 2012.
Movie: Dziga Vertov, “Man With A Movie Camera,” 1929. (Movie will also be discussed in the
discussion session)

15 May M A World of Extremes: National Socialism Eroğlu

17 May W China between Two Revolutions Eroğlu

and concluding remarks