GHS stands for Global Historical Studies, which is a series of core classes offered at Butler University, with two classes required for all students. The goals of GHS are:
To employ a conceptual framework for Global and Historical studies which appreciates cultures as dynamic, heterogeneous, and constantly in conversation with one another.
To draw on a variety of sources and disciplines - including the arts, the humanities and the social and natural sciences.
To recognize both the benefits and challenges of living in a culturally diverse and increasingly globalized world.
To continue development of skills of expository writing.
Butler University: Revolutionary Europe and Africa
This GHS course examines the cultural traditions of Europe and Africa and their confrontations with modernity in the 19th and 20th centuries. The old order ends in violence, replaced by the beginnings of democracy, science, capitalism and imperialism. This project in is based on the premise that we could all learn a great deal from designing a website for the study of Africa. The work-product of this project will be a website that will actually go live and give visitors a clear vision understanding of Africa in the world. The class has worked in small groups devoted to one particular topic, which we have examined in great detail.
Our Project
Our group was assigned the topic of North Africa from 1950-1980. We decided to split this topic into four sections, to accommodate the four students working on the website.
The first section covers to progression of North African independence, decolonizing from European rulers. This section also follows the governmental shifts that took place as a result of this independence.
The second section covers the wars that took place during this time period, and the conflicts that caused and were a result of this.
The third section explores the geography of the North African region. This includes agriculture and natural resources.
The fourth section of the website covers religion in the North African region.