Syllabi

Below are downloadable copies of both of syllabi used in course I have taught syllabi and perspective course syllabi. I believe they reflect my commitment to engaging students in under-studied histories, the connections that have existed throughout the history of the non-Western world, and of goal of using writing assignments to help students hone their writing skills and ability to distill complex topics and large amounts of information and in concise and effective narratives.

Course Syllabi

Histories of Religion: Islam (Fall 2022)

I taught this course in the fall of 2022 as an online adjunct instructor for Saint Mary’s University, Minnesota. The course was an online asynchronous class based on recorded lectures and distance assignments. The course surveyed the history of Islam and its impact on global history from the inception of Islam to the twenty-first century.

World History Since 1750 (Summer 2022)

This course was taught in the summer of 2022 as an online asynchronous class. It surveyed world history from roughly the Enlightenment to the present day. I emphasis global systems and forms of interconnection and influence between regions of the world. I also emphasis the non-Western experiences and perspectives of historical events students are likely familiar with (I.E. The Great Depression, World War II, Etc.) Because the class was taught online in an asynchronous format, I recorded a total of twenty-three roughly fifty-five minute lectures. Students were responsible for watching four video lectures each week (The course ran for a little under six full weeks) and completing a weekly quiz and discussion post.

African History Since 1800 (Spring 2019)

I taught this course in the spring semester of 2019. It emphasizes the historic events that took place across the African continent since 1800 and the importance of Africa, and Africans, in modern world history. Topics covered include, nineteenth century precolonial development, the scramble for Africa, the destruction and change of the colonial period, decolonization, the Cold War, and the postcolonial challenges facing Africa states. I also approached Africa from a global perspective to showcase the globality of the continent historically. One of my primary goals for this course was to use Africa’s modern history to dispel the many inaccurate and popular stereotypes and portrayals of Africa and Africans in popular culture today.

Merchants, Migrants, and Monsoons: The Early Modern and Modern Indian Ocean World (Spring 2021)

I taught this course in the spring of 2021 after being selected to teach the graduate student instructed special topics course for the year. Because of on-going covid-19 pandemic restrictions, this course was taught in a hybrid format with about 50% of the students attending in person and 50% attending via Zoom. This course focuses on the Indian Ocean World as a historical interconnected region and the exchanges that occurred between Indian Ocean societies. It highlights the role of the Indian Ocean and the annual monsoonal winds in fostering connections between Eastern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. The course focuses on the period from the 15th to the 21st centuries (From Zheng He’s voyages to the present day). I take a writing-oriented approach in this course because I believe the process of writing helps students manage and remember the diverse and often unfamiliar history of the Indian Ocean World.

Perspective Course Syllabi

East Africa and the World (Upper Division)

This course could be offered as an upper division class and potentially cross-listed as a graduate course. It takes a “big history” approach to studying the longstanding globality of East Africa. The first lectures focus on the geography of East Africa and the birth of humanity in the region. The course examines the historical global connections of East Africa to other parts of the world and the cultural, religious, and political exchanges that occurred as a result. The course concludes by focusing on the challenges and opportunities facing East Africa in the twenty-first century