History is about change and continuity over time and space.
The range of topics open to historians is virtually endless. Some historians deal with global issues like the rise of capitalism or the origins of WWI, others take a microhistorical approach and closely study a small sect or community within a carefully bounded period of time so as to recover deeply buried experiences and meanings. The power of ideas in shaping past societies is a popular field, as is the impact of social and economic structures on such societies. Historians study the origins of conflict as well as the impact that such conflicts have upon those caught up in them. Our geographical scope is just as wide-ranging, with historians in our department studying Canada, China, Europe, Latin America, the United States, Africa and India.