This module introduces some of the defining debates and moments in Modern British Studies. It offers the opportunity for you to work with a range of specialists from the History Department who will each week introduce key historical works which have stimulated new visions of the past and new ways of thinking about the practice of history. Alongside using these important texts to analyse how British society, culture, and politics has changed across the era spanning the eighteenth to the twenty-first centuries, we will consider how these scholars have approached and conceptualized this era, the subjects they have addressed, and the methods they have used. For instance, we will explore how hierarchical ideas about gender, race, ethnicity, and class shaped the lives of different historical subjects and consider too how these hierarchies have shaped Modern British Studies scholarship. Together, we will ask how we can best write histories going forward which are intellectually inclusive and create conversations that cut across regional, temporal and disciplinary boundaries. What should this kind of history take as its focus, subject matter, scope and methodology?
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Critically reflect on the methods and theoretical approaches that are applied to study of modern British studies.
Be able to research and present on key areas of debate within the field of Modern British Studies.
Be able to articulate their ideas and understanding of Modern British Studies in written form.
