The course 'general history offers a brief orientation in global history, its general trends from the Antiquity to the present, and its current methods and historiography. The course focuses on the main trends in the history of civilzations all over the world and deliberatedly avoids an European centred world view. Working from the heritage available in Dutch museums the lectures illucidate what we know and what we don't know of our common past. We approach world history by looking at the world of Antiquity, world religions, cultural and scientific history, political, social and economic history and world history from a anthropological perspective.

Contact hours listed under a course description may vary due to the combination of lecture-based and independent work required for each course therefore, CEA's recommended credits are based on the ECTS credits assigned by VU Amsterdam. 1 ECTS equals 28 contact hours assigned by VU Amsterdam.