The Historical Review's Blog

Hello historians! We hope you're having a great start to the new year. To kick off the 2025-2026 season's blog, we asked our staff at the Historical Review about their favorite history/history-related classes offered at UW. We hope our recommendations will enhance your learning at the university!

Amber, Assistant Editor:

HSTCMP 340 | The Cold War: Realities, Myths, Legacies

One of the most interesting classes I’ve taken at the UW. Professor Kyle Haddad-Fonda emphasized the narrative over memorizing dates off a PowerPoint, and made it a point to cover topics and events of the Cold War that didn’t occur in the U.S. or Europe. Every lecture was its own micro-course on whatever the topic of the day was, complete with a 20-30 minute discussion on related primary sources, which was engaging and inspired a lot of discussion. I found this class to be especially topical in our current lives, as the impact of the Cold War continues to direct politics, culture, and society today.

Megan, Editor and Creative Editor: 

HSTAFM 263 | Identity and Politics in the Modern Middle East 

This class was an incredible deep dive into the complex identity and history of the Modern Middle East, pulling from multiple texts and perspectives.  From historical first-hand accounts and tourism posters to short stories and novels, Professor Bet-Shlimon led us through the evolution of community and its ties to monumental national events.  The professor’s passion for the subject was clear through the entire quarter, and I never remember a time when I wasn’t fascinated by her lectures.  Every class was discussion-based and I loved exploring nuances of the topics with classmates.  My favorite part of this class was the analysis of fiction as a reflection of history: my term paper focused on the short stories written by Ghassan Khanafani about the Palestinian Nakba.  I appreciated how Prof. Bet-Shlimon encouraged research using creative fiction and pushed us to combine our other interests with the class themes.  I would recommend HSTAFM 263 to anyone interested in history and cultural evolution, especially in a region that is so vital to today’s political landscape.  

Zoë, Editor and Creative Editor: 

ENGL 327 | Narratives of Bondage and Freedom

This is technically an English class, but ENGL327 with Professor Alys Weinbaum is exceptional. It’s a plunge into the darkness of American slavery with a focus on slave narratives and a deep consideration for the limitations of the archive. The class asks questions like, "whose stories are allowed to be told, and by whom?" Last spring, when I took ENGL327, Professor Weinbaum led a discussion-based class full of students with diverse perspectives and backgrounds, and class discussions were always thoughtful and engaging. We read critical essays like Saidiya Hartman's "Venus in Two Acts" in addition to historical autobiographies penned by the formerly enslaved (slave narratives) and fictional narratives written by contemporary critical fabulists (neoslave narratives). The readings were plentiful but never uninteresting; Toni Morrison’s Beloved especially haunts me. This class is emotionally and intellectually challenging, but deeply important and enlightening about American slavery and its lasting wake.

Nora, Editor: 

HSTAA 212 | The Military History of the United States From Colonial Times to the Present

This course focused on U.S. military history from colonial to modern times. Going into this class, I didn’t have a lot of knowledge on this subject other than what had been taught to me by Washington’s education system. I was very intrigued by the course’s title and felt that it was a unique approach to teaching the history of the U.S. One of the main focuses in this class was on how memories of war get created and the impact of remembrance on society today. Learning about the popularization of false narratives surrounding military figures and events provided context for a lot of current political issues. 

Jothsna, Secretary: 

HSTLAC 481 | History of Peru and the Andean Region

This was a really interesting lecture; there were weekly assignments that were more about cultural history, and the course covered a broad scope of Latin American history. Lectures were really engaging, as were the readings. Covering history before the Inca empire up till the early 2000s, this class covered a really wide array of topics and gave me a really different perspective on colonialism. One of the textbooks, Potosi, is a favorite of those I have read for class.  

Mary, Editor: 

HSTCMP 210 | Catholic Classics in Historical Context

Going into this class, I was thinking the best part would be fulfilling my comparative and transregional credit. However, I left a significantly better History student. The engaging lectures paired with reading classics, from Saint Augustine to Flannery O’Connor, connected the literature to the historical context in which these saints and figures lived. We got the chance to read and analyze Catholic literature from 400 AD to the 1950s. The weekly papers were challenging but helped me become a better writer. I still find myself thinking about the content I learned or the discussions we had as a class. I would really recommend this class; Professor Felak is the best! He is incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about the subject. 

Samira, Outreach Coordinator: 

HSTEU 245 | St. Petersburg/Leningrad: City as History

First off, the professor is just fantastic! She went through nearly the entirety of her post-secondary education in St. Petersburg, and I love when the professor has some sort of personal experience with the content they are teaching. She clearly knows the content well and teaches it very well! And lastly, she’s very intelligent and kind-hearted. I like that it focuses on a singular city, because I would imagine that a history class on the country of Russia could not possibly be as in-depth. And, St. Petersburg is a very interesting city, especially the perception of the city itself by Russians. Set in St. Petersburg, I noticed a common perception of the city amongst its visitors and residents—it has a mystical, enticing, yet dangerous energy. Classwork is not too difficult. Weekly, we read a source, which we then write about and have a group discussion.  Our readings include first-hand accounts, academic articles, and poetry. 

Kaitlin, Editor: 

HSTAA 402 | Witchcraft in Colonial New England

This class is the epitome of a college-level history class. It was such an interesting deep dive into just two years of colonial history, but only through a specific lens: witchcraft. It just absolutely blew my mind; Salem and other instances of witchcraft in New England are so incredibly complicated that every minute of the 10-week course was packed with new information. It felt like solving a mystery that even real historians don’t know the answer to either. Professor McNally framed the class through different modes of inquiry, from medicine to folklore and religion, but never gave a boring, run-of-the-mill lecture about the Salem Witch Trials, start to end. It was incredibly satisfying to take the myriad of primary sources together and piece through the crisis on your own. Though reading- and writing-heavy (as with most history classes), I actively looked forward to the lectures and talking with my classmates about this new piece of the puzzle. This class is what makes history a rewarding field to study, as not only do I now know everything about the Salem Witch Trials, but I also have a deeper understanding of historical inquiry and methods. This class solidified my choice to major in history, and I have not looked back since. 

Rachel, Editor: 

DANCE 239 | Tango

This class is not technically a history class, but while learning the dance, we explore the history of the dance, its origins, and how it's evolved over time. You learn about Argentina’s rich cultural history through practical methods, such as reading articles, as well as through movement by actually applying what you learn to your dance technique. We always discussed the articles and textbook pages we read on the history of tango, something that built community amongst our class and opened up new perspectives into something that might seem straightforward at first. The professor, Juliet McCain, is so incredibly passionate about the subject and dance, and cares more about your effort than your skill level. You do not have to know how to dance to take this class. Even if you do not enjoy dancing, there are so many lessons I walked away from this class with, both academically and personally. DANCE 239 is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in a piece of Argentinian history and be part of continuing its legacy. 

Caroline, Managing Editor: 

HSTCMP 245 | Exploration and Empire: The Art and Science of Global Power, 1300-1800

This class was a wonderful introduction into examining the ways European empires used art and science to legitimize their imperialist practices. While there is plenty of reading, all of it felt relevant in furthering my understanding of the course topics. The lectures were extremely well organized and became a highlight of my week. As I made my way through the course, I started to form the connections between the art, scientific objects, and readings we examined, which felt mind-blowing at times. If you have even a mild interest in the history of global empires or art history, then you should absolutely take this course (although I don’t think it is being offered this year)!

Anna, Layout Editor: 

HSTAA 337 | The Holocaust and American Life

This class changed how I viewed history and introduced me to the politics of memory. The professor, Susan Glenn, is an excellent teacher who encourages discussion in class. The class used readings, comics, and movies that were thoughtfully chosen, and the professor connected them to our lecture material in a way that didn't feel like busywork. The topic that stuck with me the most is the concept of the “banality of evil.” Professor Glenn does a great job of illustrating and explaining this, more than I could do in a paragraph. This class does not sugarcoat or attempt to shy away from the horror of the Holocaust, and if you take this class, you should be prepared to see and hear about death, dehumanization, racism, and antisemitism. The Holocaust is such an emotional topic, and this class did very well at navigating the legacies of grief, trauma, anger, and perseverance present in survivors and society today. I cannot recommend this class enough.

Annika, Editor: 

HSTAA 231 | Race and American History

This was one of the very first classes I took as a freshman at UW, and it really changed my understanding of the way I consume and engage critically with historical sources and courses going forward! The professor, Moon-Ho Jung, was absolutely incredible. He was a great lecturer with a breadth of knowledge on so many different topics in American history and an amazing passion for the role of race and hate infused within our country's history. I think it really opened my eyes to the fact that, while you can have a sense of the broad strokes of racism and how it shows up in America’s history, it’s extremely easy to allow yourself to become blind and complicit to how deeply it runs. 

While I did take this class in my first quarter here, I think the challenge this class provides is much above that of the average intro/freshman-geared course, so don’t shy away from it if you’re looking for something intricate and involved! There’s a lot of opportunity to discuss and delve deeper into topics you found interesting in lecture during the quiz section with your peers and TAs, and I made some friends in my quiz section that I’m close with to this day (one of them is even my roommate now!!). 

Brionna, Editor-In-Chief: 

HSTAS 402 | History of Medieval and Mughal India

I cannot recommend Professor Purnima Dhavan enough. While her lectures are definitely fast-paced, they are certainly the most interesting lectures I’ve taken at UW so far. This class broadened my understanding of the history discipline. By complicating evidence, discussing nuance, and the veracity of sources, your critical thinking skills literally explode. It’s awesome. This class made me realize that true learning exists in this ambiguity and creativity that is demanded by the study of history. The class structure is also very unique. Halfway through the course, you get to role-play a character in Mughal India, allowing you to understand the complexity of experiences up the entire social hierarchy ladder—from commoners to zamindars to brahmins and elites (and everything in between)! While Professor Dhavan’s intelligence and vast knowledge can honestly be intimidating, it is so incredibly remarkable and awing. You can tell she cares about her students — which only enhances the learning experience, especially in a 400-level class.

As a reminder, our winter quarter submissions are now closed! Be on the lookout for more blog content in the following months!