War and Society in the Premodern West (g)

Catalog description

This course will explore ideas, practices, and socio-cultural dimensions of warfare in the premodern Western world, from early historic times to ca. 1800. Students will scrutinize key aspects of the intersection of war on the one hand, and politics, societal arrangements, cultural imagery, and economic conditions of a roster of premodern societies on the other. Students will also tackle issues of enduring relevance, such as, but not limited to the nature of large-scale organized violence, its justification and condemnation, the human experiences of accommodating to the impact of war, etc. Prerequisites: none. (As offered)