What were the conditions that led to Brexit? This module will critically examine not only the complex social, cultural, and political dynamics that led to the UK leaving the EU when other countries did not, but also the dynamics of power that shape what we know about Brexit. In this module, students will consider mainstream theoretical and methodological approaches to Brexit and Euroscepticism, alongside critiques employing feminist, queer, postcolonial, and critical race theory to unpack gendered, racial, and sexual hierarchies embedded in attitudes to European integration. The module will cover topics such as the historical drivers of the UK’s membership of the EU, national and European identity, party and media Euroscepticism, public opinion, and political campaigns. The module will therefore support students in analysing in-depth not only the long- and short-term factors that created the conditions for Brexit, but also to understand who and what is left out of the story of the UK’s membership of, and ultimate departure from, the EU. Through this, students will be able to consider the ways in which Brexit has shaped and will continue to shape (in)equalities in a post-Brexit UK in a post-Brexit Europe.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
Identify the key short- and long-term factors behind Brexit and explore the complexity of attitudes towards EU.
Critically examine the role of intersectional inequalities related to class, gender, race, and sexuality in shaping the conditions of Brexit.
Evaluate and apply key theoretical and methodological approaches to understanding the political and socio-cultural dynamics of Brexit and Euroscepticism in Europe.
Assessment
31393-01 : 1,000 Word Assessment : Coursework (25%)
31393-02 : 2,500 Word Assessment : Coursework (75%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions
Assessment: 1,000 word reflective piece (25%); 2,500 word essay (75%)
