History Department Committed To History 10a

To the editors:



Your March 10th editorial (“Et Tu History”) urges that History 10a, “Western Societies, Politics, and Cultures: From Antiquity to 1650,” not be eliminated. You need not worry. The history department is considering various revisions to its curriculum, but there is no sentiment in favor of discontinuing History 10a. A number of faculty members in the department are committed to teaching the course. With these and the rest of my colleagues, I believe it is important that we continue to offer it. As your editorial correctly notes, this is an important offering not only for concentrators but for students fulfilling core requirements or seeking an interesting elective; it is certain to remain so in any foreseeable new structure of general education. The change under discussion would remove the requirement that concentrators take this course, and require instead that all concentrators take at least one course in pre-modern history, one course in western history, and one course in non-western history. We will be discussing these changes with concentrators as our planning continues, and we welcome opinions on this proposal from all students, whether concentrators, prospective concentrators, or Crimson editors.



ANDREW D. GORDON

Cambridge, Mass.

March 11, 2006



The writer is Folger Fund Professor of History and chair of the history department.