Macquarie University

War and Peace in World History - MHIX211

War is a central feature of human history. But why? This unit looks at the ways in which issues of war and peace are shaped by specific cultural and historical conditions that can only be understood in a broader international context. While war is often viewed purely in terms of military strategy, it also always depends on social, economic and cultural contexts for its meaning and practice. This unit explores the changing relationships over time, between understandings, practices and experiences of war. It also examines the practice of peace-making – how have societies and cultures sought to create peace? What might a history of peace-making look like? Our travels will take us from Ancient Greece and Rome through to the 'war on terror'. In between, we explore the early modern world, colonial empires, South Africa, the United States, Japan, Vietnam, New Zealand and Australia. This unit offers an opportunity to consider the centrality of war to human history (and the social and cultural ramifications of this) as well as providing a solid grounding in the discipline of world history.

All enrolment queries should be directed to Open Universities Australia (OUA): see www.open.edu.au