Starting from map analysis, students will explore the different worldviews of medieval, early modern, and modern times from different perspectives. The focus will be on the connections between continents and peoples, with a large part of the course devoted to the cultural exchanges between Europe and Asia, one of the history department’s main areas of research. We will actively use maps to explore how peoples of the past understood or experienced the world and reflect on the connections between cartography and power relations, intercultural contact, modern historiography and contemporary society.

CILO-1: Identify and describe the features and functions of a map. CILO-2: Analyze maps as representations of past worldviews, contextualizing them in time and place. CILO-3: Differentiate past worldviews across cultures. CILO-4: Identify the connections and disconnections between these different worldviews. CILO-5: Acquire basic skills of studying material culture alongside text as historical materials. CILO-6: Acquire basic research and writing skills in field of history of maps.