This seminar critically examines the use of prehistory and antiquity for the construction of accounts of national origins, historical claims to specific territories, or the biased assessment of specific peoples. The course begins with an examination of the phenomenon of nationalism and the historically recent emergence of contemporary nation-states. It then proceeds comparatively, selectively examining politically motivated appropriations of the remote past that either were popular earlier in this century or have ongoing relevance for some of the ethnic conflicts raging throughout the world today. The course will attempt to develop criteria for distinguishing credible and acceptable reconstructions of the past from those that are unbelievable and/or dangerous.

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 15

Prerequisites: One 200-level unit in anthropology, economics, political science, sociology, or permission of the instructor.

Distribution Requirements: HS - Historical Studies; SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Not Offered; Spring