World History
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/72.241.114.28|72.241.114.28]] to last version by Leonard^Bloom (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]])
{{otheruses4|the field of historical study known as World History|the actual history|History of the world}}
'''World History''' is a field of [[historiography|historical study]] that emerged as a distinct academic field in the [[1980s]]. It examines [[history]] from a global perspective.
==Overview==
World History looks for common [[pattern]]s that emerge across all cultures. World historians use a [[theme (literature)|thematic]] approach, with two major focal points: [[syncretism|integration]] (how processes of world history have drawn people of the world together) and difference (how [[pattern]]s of world history reveal the diversity of the human experience).
The study of world history is in some ways a product of the current period of accelerated [[globalization]]. This period is tending both to integrate various cultures and to highlight their differences.
The advent of World History as a distinct field of study was heralded in the [[1980s]] by the creation of the [[World History Association]] [http://www.thewha.org/] and of graduate programs at a handful of universities. Over the past 20 years, scholarly publications, professional and academic organizations, and graduate programs in World History have proliferated. It has become an increasingly popular approach to teaching history in [[United States]] high schools and colleges. Many new [[textbook]]s are being published with a World History approach.
==Analogous works==
Many works are analogous to World History, in that they discuss "the history of the world" in a unified framework — For example, it was a genre popular in the 19th century with [[universal history]], and with Christian historians going back to at least the 4th century. Other analogous works include:
*Shortly after [[World War I]] several popular books were written which dealt with the history of the world, though with a somewhat different approach. These included the children's book ''[[The Story of Mankind]]'' (1921) by [[Hendrik Willem van Loon]] and the textbook ''[[The Outline of History]]'' (1918) by [[H.G. Wells]].
*[[William McNeill]]'s ''[[The Rise of the West: A History of the Human Community]]'' (1963).
*[[Marshall Hodgson|Marshall Hodgson's]] writings were a precursor to the modern World History approach.
*[[Arnold J. Toynbee]] was a precursor of modern World History with his vast project, ''[[A Study of History]]''.
*William McGaughey's ''Five Epochs of Civilization'' (2000).<ref>[http://www.worldhistorysite.com/gensummary.html Summary of Five Epochs of Civilization<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
==See also==
*[[Big History]]
*''[[Guns, Germs and Steel]]''
*[[Historic recurrence]]
*''[[The World's History]]''
*[[Universal history]]
*[[Natural history]]
*[[World development]]
==Notes==
<references />
==External links==
*[http://www.worldhistorynetwork.org/ World History Network]
*[http://www.learner.org/channel/courses/worldhistory/ Bridging World History]
*[http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/chinawh/index.html China and Europe]
*[http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/jwh/ Journal of World History]
*[http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/10/041.html The Changing Shape of World History], [[William H. McNeill]], Paper originally presented at the History and Theory World History Conference, March 25-26, 1994
*[http://worldhistoryconnected.press.uiuc.edu/ World History Connected]
*[http://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/ World History For Us All] - World History Model Curriculum
*[http://www.studenthandouts.com/worldhis/ Student Handouts, Inc.] Free World History Lesson Plans, Handouts, and Worksheets
*[http://chnm.gmu.edu/worldhistorymatters/ World History Matters]
*[http://vlib.iue.it/history/index.html WWW-VL World History Index]
*[http://www.worldhistoryblog.com/ World History Blog] - World History blog.
*[http://www.world-history-today.com/ World History Today] - World History blog.
[[Category:Fields of history]]
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[[he:היסטוריה עולמית]]
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[[zh:世界歷史]]
[http://www.worldhistorynetwork.org/dev/main.html]