HIST 2299 — Uses and Abuses of History: Historical Reasoning in U.S. Global and Domestic Policy
4 semester hoursUndergraduateLectureNUpath ICNUpath SI
Studies how historical information influenced decision making in the United States during four policymaking episodes of the post–World War II era: the confrontation with the Soviet Union during the Cold War; the expansion of the welfare state during the 1960s; the war in Vietnam; and the Reagan “revolution.” Focuses on decisions made by policymakers as these four episodes evolved. Analyzes why decision makers did what they did; what extent they were guided by their understanding of history; how accurate their historical information was; and how usefully they applied their historical understanding to the situation at hand.