LARTS 356 — Fin-de-Siècle Europe (1880-1914): Promises, Crises, Catastrophes

3 credits
Fall
Gonzalo Sánchez

Prerequisite: LARTS 112 . At the end of the 19th century (“fin-de-siècle”), Europe as a continent held political and economic dominion over much of the globe. Advances and accomplishments in the sciences, technology, mass communication, and the fine arts seemed to promise a new (20th) century of Eurocentric dominance. Yet Europe’s uneven relationship with the world—colonialism, imperialism, and cultural hegemony—only further exposed the deep rifts undermining Europe itself. Unprecedented revolutions, wars, and even genocide characterized a period of crises and catastrophes ending with the “Great War” (1914-1918). This course will survey European and global historical developments of the period through an interdisciplinary perspective integrating social and economic history, fiction, drama, philosophy, and the arts—from both European and non-European voices.