HIS 4History of the Present: Investigating the Historical Origins of Contemporary Problems
This course answers big questions about the present state of the world by excavating their historical development. Each year, instructors identify four new contemporary questions to explore through lecture, podcasts, readings, and videos. Students learn historical methodologies, including gathering and evaluating evidence, and developing compelling arguments and narratives. Students use these skills to investigate questions that matter to them through a collaborative research project, learning that everything has a history, including the issues grabbing our attention right now.
Find a section and add it to your scheduleLive seat counts, time-conflict checks and the walk from your previous class.
When it runs
Spring 2026Open Spring 2026
| Section | Type | When | Where | Instructor | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Lecture | Mon Wed 5:20pm–6:55pm | Steven Acad 150 | M. A. Matera | Open 117/120 |
Who teaches it
| Instructor | Rating | Difficulty | Would take again | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marc Matera | 4.4 / 5 | 3.3 / 5 | 86% | 7 |
From RateMyProfessors, which is student-submitted and not a survey. Small review counts move a long way on one bad quarter.
SlugAtlas is a student project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by UC Santa Cruz. Course data is a snapshot of the public class search; myUCSC is authoritative for enrolment.