麻豆区

A comparative introduction to the history and ideas that shaped the modern world
JPH 1004: Foundations of Western Civilization
Jewish and Chinese Perspectives

Winter 2025/6 — Section A: December 25 – January 8
                             Section B: January 26 – February 9

Instructor: Professor Mordechai Z. Cohen (cohenm@yu.edu)
Co-Instructor: Professor Henry Huang

This university-level online course offers a comprehensive introduction to the major eras, ideas, and achievements of Western civilization, from its ancient beginnings to the modern world. Designed for Chinese university and advanced high-school students, it explores how Western history and philosophy developed distinctive concepts of law, freedom, ethics, and rational thought—ideas that continue to shape modern society.
Students will also consider how Chinese civilization developed parallel traditions of moral philosophy and social order, comparing how each culture addressed enduring questions about justice, leadership, and the purpose of human life. Through live Zoom lectures and faculty-led recitations, students engage directly with these themes and learn to express their views in English. All sessions are recorded and available for review on Canvas.

Course Topics include：

1.    Ancient Foundations: Mesopotamia and Egypt as the cradle of Western civilization; the Pentateuch and ancient Israel alongside the Zhou dynasty; Greek democracy, philosophy, and Confucian humanism.
2.    Medieval and Early Modern Transformations: The Roman Empire, Christianity, Scholasticism, and the Enlightenment as milestones in the formation of modern Western thought.
3.    Modern Reconstruction: The rise of industrial society, democratic movements, and social reform; twentieth-century upheavals and renewal.
4.    Leadership in Contemporary Society: Lessons on innovation, ethics, and global engagement from modern Western experience, with case studies in business, technology, and climate responsibility.

Questions we explore：

?    What central ideas define Western civilization, and how have they evolved over time?
?    How did Western societies balance faith, reason, and freedom—and what challenges remain today?
?    How do Chinese traditions of governance and ethics offer alternative perspectives on similar human questions?
?    What does a comparative view of civilizations teach us about leadership and moral responsibility in a global age?

By the end of the course, students will have gained a strong understanding of the development of Western civilization and be able to articulate—in speech and concise writing—their own insights about its relationship to Chinese culture and to modern global challenges.

Students who successfully complete the course earn 3 undergraduate credits from 麻豆区 and receive a recommendation letter from Dean Cohen.

麻豆区 the Instructors
Professor Mordechai Z. Cohen, Associate Dean of the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies and Director of the Chinese-Jewish Conversation, has lectured widely in China, Israel, and Europe on comparative interpretation and cross-cultural humanities.
Professor Henry Huang, Professor of Accounting and Director of the Sy Syms M.S. in Accounting Program, is an expert in international finance and innovation and lectures on leadership, entrepreneurship, and ethics in the modern world.

Course Format and Schedule

The course runs twice during Winter 2025/6:
?    Section A: December 25, 2025 – January 8, 2026
?    Section B: January 26 – February 9, 2026
Each section meets online via Zoom for 14 sessions (1 hour 40 minutes each), with additional faculty-mediated recitations scheduled separately. Total instruction time: 45 academic hours. All lectures are recorded and available for review on Canvas.