Contemporary Period and Anthropocene History

lfial1424  2024-2025  Louvain-la-Neuve

Contemporary Period and Anthropocene History
5.00 credits
45.0 h
Q1
> Schedule
Teacher(s)
Debruyne Emmanuel; Van Ypersele Laurence;
Language
French
Main themes
This course presents the main frameworks of European history in the late modern and contemporary period (19th-21st centuries), from a global perspective. It also introduces the variety of sources, the main trends in historiography and a number of research issues, such as the totalization of conflicts and their effects on civilians, the nationalization of identities and its effects on colonial empires, and the individualization of families. Finally, the course looks at the question of the Anthropocene, and how human activities have increasingly disrupted the planet's ecosystem.
Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

1 Master disciplinary knowledge:
  • Master a foundation of knowledge in the fields of history, philosophy, arts and literature.
  • Articulate this knowledge in a historical, social and cultural context.
  • Master knowledge related to the ecological crisis and transition.
 
2 Make sense of a text, event or work:
  • Interpret an event, work, image or text in its historical, social and cultural context.
  • Evaluate the significance of cultural productions in a given property and account for their circulation.
  • Open up to other cultures, means of communication and expression, and perspectives.
  • Consider the systemic nature of the ecological and social crisis.
 
3 Become autonomous and responsible in your training:
  • Reflect on knowledge, methods and productions.
 
4 Learning outcomes specific to the teaching unit :
  • Master the chronology of contemporary history and its main frameworks.
  • Master the development of historical knowledge by examining a number of sources and works.
  • Be able to draw on a "portfolio of readings" to identify some major research issues.
  • Master historical knowledge related to the Anthropocene and the systemic nature of the ecological and social crisis.
 
Content
The course looks at the main themes (ideological, socio-economic and political) that run through the 19th and 20th centuries in the West.
It explores a series of concepts that are fundamental to understanding contemporary Western history (the concept of modernity, nation and nationalism, ideology and utopia, revolution, etc.).
Four sessions are devoted to the Anthropocene and its various dimensions during the period studied.
Teaching methods
Lectures open to dialogue with students
Evaluation methods
Exam consisting of open questions.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) must be used responsibly and in accordance with the practices of academic and scientific integrity. As scientific integrity requires that sources be cited, the use of AI must always be reported. The use of artificial intelligence for tasks where it is explicitly prohibited will be considered as cheating. 
Faculty or entity
> FIAL


Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Learning outcomes
Bachelor in History of Art and Archaeology : General
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Bachelor in Modern Languages and Literatures: German, Dutch and English
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Bachelor in History of Art and Archaeology : Musicology
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Minor in History
MINHIST
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Bachelor in History
HIST1BA
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Bachelor in French and Romance Languages and Literatures : General
ROM1BA
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Bachelor in Modern Languages and Literatures : General
ROGE1BA
5