Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy

Courses

  • A Global History of Witchcraft

    This course introduces students to the phenomena of witchcraft, sorcery, magic and voodoo. Beginning in Babylon, the course orients students to an understanding of these subjects as practiced in the premodern world. With this conceptual foundation, students gain an understanding of the categorization of witchcraft and other questionable or deviant practices during the Middle Ages […]

  • Absolutism Revolution, 1660-1800

    Beginning with the reign of Louis XIV, students examine 18th-century European society. We explore how the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment challenged the ideas of the Old Regime and created new perceptions of humanity, society and government. The course concludes with an analysis of the French Revolution and the rise of Napoleon.

  • American Politics & Public Policy

    This course introduces students to the unique process by which American governments develop policies to address the nation’s most significant problems. In addition to studying specific policy issues, students will read about Congress and the presidency, political parties, elections, ideologies, the role of media and the psychology of politics. Each student will research one policy […]

  • Ancient Mediterranean History

    This course examines pressing and problematic debates concerning ancient Mediterranean history. We will examine the so-called Hellenistic period, bookended by the conquests of Alexander of Macedon and the death of Cleopatra VII. While the fifth and fourth centuries BCE have long been considered the “Classical” golden age of the Greek world, the subsequent Hellenistic period […]

  • Capitalism and its Critics

    This course provides a survey of the origins and evolution of capitalism in a global world up to the present, with emphasis on the political economies of the West. Students examine the ideas of the great political economists such as Adam Smith, David Ricardo, Thomas Robert Malthus, Karl Marx, J.M. Keynes and Friedrich von Hayek, […]

  • Classical Greece

    This course examines the culture, politics and society of the Greek city-states during the early and classical periods. The course emphasizes the rise and decline of democracy in Athens, as well as the conflicts with Sparta and the Persian Wars. A variety of materials introduces students to literature (such as The Odyssey and the plays […]

  • Classical Rome

    This course surveys the rise and fall of the Roman Republic and the emergence of the Roman Empire. Central themes include Roman expansion, imperialism, politics and culture. To supplement the text, students will read numerous primary sources. The course introduces and develops fundamental historical skills, particularly writing.

  • Contemporary Middle East

    The course begins with the breakup of the Ottoman Empire and examines the rise of Arab nationalism and the struggle against foreign domination. The strategic and economic importance of the region is studied along with the founding of Israel; the continuing conflict among Jews, Arabs, and Christians; and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. Particular emphasis […]

  • Early Modern Europe, 1350-1660

    The centuries following the Black Death saw the beginnings of modern Europe. This course focuses on the rebirth of European society and the new values, optimism and cultural achievements of the Renaissance. It then examines the turbulence of the Reformation – the shattering of Christian unity and the wars fought in the name of religion. […]

  • Europe Since 1945

    Once the region of geopolitical domination, Europe after World War II was forced to rebuild and redefine its place in a rapidly shifting world. This course examines the change in Europe’s position as it contended with the Cold War’s series of freezes and thaws; economic, political and social developments, such as the student revolts of […]

  • European Century, 1800-1914

    Beginning with the study of Napoleon’s Empire and the Congress of Vienna, this course examines how the French Revolution of 1789 and the Industrial Revolution transformed European society and politics in the 19th century and established Europe’s global preeminence. The course concludes with an examination of World War I, the shattering event that culminated Europe’s […]

  • Genocide in the Modern World

    This course studies the history of genocide in the 20th and 21st centuries, exploring both the patterns and unique circumstances of this important global issue. Students read and hear from historians, victims and perpetrators. Likely case studies are the Holocaust, Cambodia, the Balkans, and Rwanda, with time set aside for research into events determined by […]

  • Global Topics: Women, Gender & Society

    This course explores the role of gender in shaping humans’ identities and power structures in several 20th-century circumstances around the world. Questions of political and legal rights, including emotional equity, public health and definitions of marriage, as well as social issues, such as wearing a veil, family concerns, and work inside and outside the home […]

  • History of China: Qing

    This course explores Chinese history with a focus on the Qing Dynasty period (1644-1912). History 207 will tackle such questions as: How can Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism coexist in the same time? How did the role of the Qing Dynasty in global history shift across the centuries? What makes the Opium Wars (1839-1842, 1856-1860) and […]

  • History of Japan

    This course is an overview of Japanese history and considers how changes in political institutions, economic patterns, social organizations, and cultural practices took shape to transform the lives of individuals across the archipelago. We will explore questions that contemporary scholars grapple with to this day: How did the role of the emperor transform from the […]

  • History of Modern Africa

    This course is a study of the rise and fall of the racial segregation system that became known as apartheid in South Africa – the land of Nelson Mandela, Miriam Makeba, and Trevor Noah. Grounded within the context of African national liberation, the course begins with an examination of the historiography of the geo-political, economic, […]

  • History Through Food

    From the Neolithic Revolution through the emergence of the global food markets of the 20th century, this course examines the changing relationship between humans and food. Through a combination of readings, tastings and hands-on cooking, we will examine how food can help us understand various aspects of the past around the world. Topics include the […]

  • Humans and the Environment

    What drives human history? Do the pivotal factors such as climate, geography, ecosystems, and microbes lie beyond human control? This course examines the interactions between people and the natural world over time. In struggling to master an often-hostile environment, human societies have had an ever-increasing impact on the planet, and apparent success has often ended […]

  • Law and American Society

    This course provides students with an introduction to the American legal system and to the development of American constitutional law. Historic Supreme Court decisions and legal case studies will be used to develop an in-depth understanding of the historical background and present-day constitutional controversies over such topics as free speech, censorship, abortion, workplace discrimination, affirmative […]

  • LGBTQ+ History

    Until relatively recently, individuals who might currently identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender have lived mostly hidden lives, rarely open about expressing their sexual or gender identities. The past 30 years have seen a sea change in cultural understandings and acceptance of LGBTQ identities and same-sex relationships. Only recently, however, have LGBTQ identities become […]