1. What was the condition of Europe at the end of World War II?
2. What were the three major historical developments since WW2? What forces moved them forward, and how did they unfold during the postwar years? What have been their results?
3. What is globalization? What changes has this process wrought throughout the world? With what non-Western forces has globalization clashed, and with what results?
4. What are the essential principles of existentialism? Why did this philosophy appeal to so many postwar Westerners? Who were the leading existentialists, and what are some of the important differences among them?
5. What is postmodernism, and what does it represent in the history of Western thought? What is deconstruction, and how does it exemplify many of the principles of postmodernism? In what terms do critics of postmodernism reject it?
6. How has Western literature developed since WW2? From what country do many of the age's most prominent authors come and why? Who are the leading writers of the period? For what works are they best known, and what thematic concerns do these works explore?
7. What is the historical significance of Abstract Expressionism? What were its major influences and aesthetic aims? Who were the major Abstract Expressionists, and what are the defining characteristics of their styles?
8. What is Pop Art, and how does it differ from Abstract Expressionism in its goals and methods? Who were the leading Pop artists, and how did they represent familiar objects?
9. How does Minimalism in sculpture represent a break with Modernism? Who are the most prominent Minimalists? For what works are they best known, and what has been the impact of those works? Who recently reacted against Minimalism, and how has that sculptor done so?
10. How has postmodernism affected the visual arts? Who are the leading postmodern conceptualists, and what media and techniques have they employed? What do they seek to accomplish through those works?
11. How does postmodern architecture differ from the Modernist International Style? Who are the major postmodern architects, and what are the distinctive features of their designs?
12. How has classical music developed since 1945? Who were the leading postwar composers, and what aesthetic directions do their works represent?
13. What is the historical significance of the Broadway musical? How has the form developed? Who are its leading writers, and what are their most memorable shows?
14. How did rock music evolve? What was its earliest form, and what distinctive styles have developed since the fifties? What forms are especially popular today?
15. What are the origins of the motion picture industry? What are the important technological innovations in the history of film? How did the industry develop from the nineteen-teens to the present? Who are the most notable actors and directors, and for what styles and/or works are they best known?
16. In what terms have recent critics attacked the Western tradition? How have proponents defended that tradition? What are the potential advantages of studying the Humanities today?