Eagle Glassheim

In the 1970s, fundamental shifts in the global economic, social, and geo-political order surfaced, challenging the post-war prosperity and certainties of Europeans and North Americans.  Some historians have called the 1970s a decade of crisis, others consider the decade a harbinger of crises and dilemmas to come (and still coming).  This seminar examines the intertwined economic, ecological, and diplomatic challenges of the 1970s, as well as global, national, and local responses to those challenges.  Our readings will focus on de-industrialization in North America and Europe, the energy crisis of 1973-74, the challenges of population growth for global cities, and the United Nations conferences that attempted to formulate global responses to these economic, social, and environmental challenges.  The course will have a substantial research component, with each student expected to become an expert on a topic of their choice, using both primary and secondary sources to prepare a 15-20 page research paper.