FRS 002 — Sec. 011 — (2 unit) — CRN 73055 —T 3:10-5:00pm — 203 Wellman
Natural Disasters in World History

Instructor: Charles Walker, Department of History, College of Letters & Science

Description: This course examines natural disasters from an historical perspective. We will move through the continents and over time, studying the Pompeii eruption; the Lisbon, Lima, and San Francisco earthquakes; and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Students will read and present on these catastrophes and write three short (2-3 pp.) papers. Participation is crucial—you will present your observations on the readings and the phenomena and pose questions and comments.

Format: The course seeks to improve your ability to think and analyze historically and comparatively. You will have the opportunity to present in class and develop your arguments in short papers. The readings include selections from Jelle Zeilinga de Boer and Donald Theodore Sanders, Earthquakes in Human History, and Robert Harris, Pompeii. I will distribute readings on Lisbon and Lima, part of my own research. Grading: Grades will be based on: Participation (40%); Presentations (20%); and Short Papers (40%).

About the Instructor: Chuck Walker teaches Latin American History in the History Department. He teaches a Summer Sessions International course on the Andes in Cusco almost every summer. Students spend a month there and visit Machu Picchu and other Inca monuments. He is currently finishing a book about the 1746 earthquake/tsunami that struck Lima, Peru.