Introduction to Topics in History (292-0-22)

Topic

A Beginner's Guide to Forgery

Instructors

Paul James Gillingham
847/467-4829
Harris Hall - Room 323

Meeting Info

Harris Hall L05: Tues, Thurs 2:00PM - 3:20PM

Overview of class

Societies forge the objects they value most. This course examines forgery as a window onto the cultural values, economies and geography of knowledge of assorted countries in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, exploring frauds such as the evolutionary "missing link" of Piltdown Man, the tomb of the last Aztec emperor and the Hitler diaries. These historical detective stories are juxtaposed with social histories to analyze why people go to the trouble of making fakes; why other people buy them; and what their efforts tell us about societies ranging from Imperial China to revolutionary Mexico.

Learning Objectives

Training in the science of lying ; the basics of making and detecting forgeries, and what they tell us about different times and places

Evaluation Method

Participation, 10%; research paper, 35%; midterm, 15%; final exam, open book, 20%; visual media presentation, 20%

Class Materials (Required)

TBA

Class Notes

Concentration: Global

Class Attributes

Historical Studies Distro Area