Topics in premodern history with emphasis on regions outside of the ancient Mediterranean world.

Focus on India's classical epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, with emphasis placed on understanding the epic characters in relation to the heroic traditions of premodern India, as well as on the role of the epics in contemporary Indian political and religious culture.

An exploration of the religious encounters between eastern and western Christians, Christian heretics, Jews, Muslims, and polytheists; political, military, and cultural changes of the high middle ages; and the ways that crusading ideas and symbols have been reused in contemporary politics and popular culture.

Through Niccolo Machiavelli's chief writings, consider the local, regional, Mediterranean, European, and global aspects of his work.

Examine signature works in the history of medicine.

An examination of social, cultural, and intellectual developments in eleventh- and twelfth-century Europe.