The course focuses on five distinctive historical periods: the Babi movement (1844-53); the emergence of the new Bahá’í religion under Bahá’u’lláh (1853-1892); and the subsequent development of the religion under his successors: `Abdu’l-Baha (1892-1921); Shoghi Effendi and the Custodianship of the Hands of the Cause (1922-1963); and the Universal House of Justice (1963-2021). It will examine several themes that can be traced across Bahá’í history, including geo-social expansion and the ‘cultural breakthroughs’ which that entailed; leadership development and construction; attracting minorities; social action and public discourse; and persecution of the Bahá’í community. Meeting times TBD.