Between 1500 and 1800, the world was transformed. The peoples of Europe, Africa, and America, brought together in an often violent colonial process, created a New World and transformed the old. These lectures examine the relations of the colonies with the native people, the relations between the British colonies and the colonial outposts of Spain, France, and the Netherlands, and how British attempts at colonial governance led, ultimately, to resistance,...

People who are anonymous and whose lives are usually ignored in traditional historical accounts are no less important than more prominent individuals in influencing the flow of events. These ordinary, but often heroic, people are the focus of this course. Each of the 48 lectures looks at history from a nontraditional perspective, that of the weak and marginalized-- the poor, sick, disabled, and elderly, as well as the refugees, slaves, women, children,...

"Understanding the connections between music and mathematics helps you appreciate both, even if you have no special ability in either field--from knowing the mathematics behind tuning an instrument to understanding the features that define your favorite pieces. By exploring the mathematics of music, you also learn why non-Western music sounds so different, gain insight into the technology of modern sound reproduction, and start to hear the world around...

What, exactly, is religion? Why does one religious tradition often differ so markedly from another? Why--despite their common source--are the Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam so different? What kinds of factors separate the beliefs of a Hindu or Buddhist from the 'people of the book' and from other sects of Hindus or Buddhists? Religion affects everyone's life, whether directly or indirectly, and as religious issues become more...