Spencer M. Di Scala: Professor, Historian, and Author

Graduate Seminars

Research and Methods: The Atomic Bomb^†

The first atomic bomb test, Trinity Site, New Mexico, July 16, 1945

This course investigates the history of the atomic bomb from the early discoveries by nuclear physicists to development of the bomb to its use in World War II to how the world lives in the shadow of nuclear weapons.

Research and Methods; Colloquium; Topics in European History: Contemporary Europe

Symbol of the Euro

A close examination of Contemporary Europe, its problems and its prospects, with an emphasis on very recent developments.

Research and Methods: World War I^†

Trench Warfare, World War I

An examination of the causes, development, and impact of World War I, up to its influence on current events.

Research and Methods; Colloquium: World War II^†

Battle of Kursk, July 1943

An analysis of the causes, fighting, and effects of World War II through the examination of important texts.

Research and Methods; Colloquium: Fascism^†

Hitler and Mussolini

An analysis of the Fascist phenomenon through the reading of important primary and secondary literature.

Research and Methods; Colloquium; Topics in European History: Socialism

Marx, Engels, Lenin

An examination of socialism through the study and comment of important primary and secondary texts.

Undergraduate Courses

Europe in the Nineteenth Century^†

Metternich

A survey of European history in a turbulent century.

Italy, 1815 to the Present^†

Silvio Berlusconi

A survey of Italian history from the Nineteenth Century to the Present.

Europe 1900-1945^†

Kaiser Wilhelm II and German industrialists

An examination of European history during the crucial first part of the twentieth century, including the development of physics, World War I, Communism, Fascism, and World War II.

Europe from 1945^†

Tony Blair

European developments after World War II, including economic and political revival, the Cold War, the division of the continent, the fall of communism, and construction of the European Union.

^†Also given online.