History BA (Hons)

This module offers you an introduction to social and cultural history by studying the ancient Greek world of the 5th and 4th centuries BC. As culture is a multi-dimensional phenomenon the module examines many aspects of it in the ancient Greek context. You consider politics, material culture such as buildings and sculpture, technologies, city life, religion morality, gender relationships, education, intellectual life, literature and drama.

You gain overview of Britain from the Second Boer War (1899-1902) to Brexit. The module takes a largely chronological approach, emphasising the impact of two world wars on British politics and society, the implications of the introduction of the welfare state and Keynesian economic policies during the ‘consensus period’, and the shift towards neo-liberal forms of governance and politics in the late twentieth century and beyond.

History is composed of struggles - struggles for power, struggles for land, struggles for rights, struggles to find work, struggles between peoples, struggles between classes, struggles against nature to sustain families and entire economies, and the list goes on. The academic discipline of history is also composed of contestation, debate, argument, passion, and struggles to provide the most compelling and most widely-accepted explanation of why history happened as it did, and also why other possible futures did not come to pass. You examine a case study that forms one of the most contested areas of historiographical debate. In doing so, you will not only learn about a crucial period in history, but will also gain a deeper understanding into how the discipline of history works.

For much of human history, empires were the most common form of political organisation. You examine one of history's most important political phenomena, and draw comparisons across space and time. You also focus on empires, ranging from the ancient world to our own day, including analysing the vexed question of whether the current global hegemonic power, the United States, should be seen as an empire. The module gives you the opportunity to think conceptually, transnationally, and across time, while rooting your studies in concrete historical examples.

Europe after 1914 was characterised by a struggle between competing political, economic and social systems. This module surveys these struggles. Consideration is given to the emergence of authoritarian and totalitarian dictatorships in interwar Europe, above all in Italy, Germany, Spain and the USSR. Following the defeat of fascism in the Second World War, the Cold War led to the division of Europe into two mutually hostile blocs with fundamentally different political, economic and social systems. Our understanding of Europe has continued to develop into the twenty-first century with the expansion of the European Union and Britain's exit from this bloc in 2019.

The United States is more divided now than it has been for quite some time – or so goes a popular theory. You explore the factors that have led to the current political situation in the US, where Republicans and Democrats are embroiled in a political struggle and culture war that centres on issues surrounding women’s rights, immigration, healthcare, climate change and science, taxation, the media, the powers of Congress, and the presidency. You examine the idea that the divisions among the political elite and the most politically active are mirrored within US society as a whole.

Nationalism has been a powerful force throughout history, intersecting with concepts of nationhood, and shaping the character of states. It has been both a unifying agent, binding together some communities and peoples under a shared, inclusive patriotic banner, as well as a disruptive force, tearing other peoples and communities apart, through conflict and war. Its relevance and potency in today's world is both obvious and undeniable. Indeed, in some respects, it appears stronger than ever. You examine nationalism and its connection to the emergence and development of nations. You interrogate nationalism's historical persistence, the dynamics behind its development, the differing forms it has taken, the interplay between nationalism and nationhood, and its enduring impact throughout history.

You explore the impact of the First World War on the societies of the major combatants, and how world’s first total war influenced social change, either by accelerating or preventing it, and whether any social changes that did occur due to the war had lasting effects. This is done in a transnational and comparative framework.

You build upon the Contested Histories module, and study historical controversies in greater depth, examining primary sources as well as the historiography at a more advanced level. Historical controversies are widely defined, and the content of the module will vary by tutor. You develop your understanding of the dynamics, practices, and ethics of the historical profession through examining instances of historical controversy among historians, and, where appropriate, the wider public. You enhance your conceptual understanding of the discipline, while thinking about the place of history in broader society.

Explore relationships and social change by conducting a case study of a particular historical theme as part of a small group, working under the supervision of a tutor, to produce a group reader. The module emphasises group work and presentation skills, as well as individual writing. Students work together in small groups of about 5-7, with tutor supervision to develop a research question and then answer it, as a group, within a co-ordinated and unified.

You develop your graduate skills in preparation for employment in a professional context. You have the opportunity to gain academic credit based on your participation in work experience, a short period of professional activity or work-related learning relevant to the discipline or area of professional interest. You develop an understanding of graduate employment pathways, opportunities, reflective practice and experiential learning. The core focus of the module will be helping you prepare for a graduate career, developing an understanding of professional working contexts and enabling you to identify and evidence your own graduate skills.

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Gloria Steinem said, 'The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn'. This module takes as its starting point the idea that it is not possible to understand human history if we fail to examine the lives of over half the population. You look at how economic circumstances, work, sex, marriage, motherhood, religion, politics and culture shaped women's experiences and what this tells us about the societies in which they lived. Through an examination of primary source material and current historiography you develop an understanding of significant themes in women's history. The content of the module will vary by tutor. You will become conversant in debates on the current status of women's history as an academic discipline and assess its influence in popular culture.

Over the past several centuries, revolution and counter-revolution have shaped and reshaped the modern world. The American Revolution, the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution, the Chinese Revolution, the anti-colonial revolutions, the Iranian Revolution, and the (counter-)revolutions of 1989-91 have proven immensely influential across the globe. This module examines theoretical approaches to understanding the phenomenon of revolution. It looks at some of the major scholars who have offered theories for understanding the origins and developments of revolution, and then moves on to study a case study of a revolution in world history in light of these theoretical approaches.

This module examines the rise of the Labour Party from the formation of its first majority government in 1945 up to the challenges facing the party in the present day. You explore the history of the Labour Party by analysing ideological development of the party both inside and outside of government, whilst also considering Labour’s relationships with its membership, trade unions and the public.

You explore Roman history, culture, art, philosophy and literature from the mythical foundations of the city of Rome in 753 BC, through the Punic Wars with Carthage, the Social Wars and Civil Wars of the Late Roman Republic up to the establishment of the Roman Empire under Augustus and to the end of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty. Some quarter will be given to the later Empire and its decline and dissolution in the 4th/5th centuries AD. You consider how the Romans viewed their own history, society and destiny through primary sources illuminated by contemporary historiography. You look carefully at the works of Roman historians, poets and philosophers as well as art and architecture, taking into account Hellenistic Greek influences on all of these. Relevant areas under consideration will include ancient Europe and the Mediterranean as well as North Africa and the Near East. You gain a greater understanding of Roman history in general as well as, more specifically, social and material culture of this ancient civilisation that so greatly influenced subsequent history in the West and beyond.

Understanding political violence is a major concern of both academics who study politics and policy makers, and government and law-enforcement bodies charged with dealing with it. You study some of the major theoretical approaches to understanding the use of political violence, and then apply those approaches to concrete historical examples. You will thereby get a better understanding of political violence, one of the most prominent political phenomena of the modern age.

Building on skills in the use of sources and on the capacity for critical engagement with you, under the guidance of experts in the field, take an in-depth study of a particular theme or period in history, with your learning centred on an increased focus and engagement with primary source material. This is an opportunity to further develop your research skills, as well as enhancing your capacity to engage in critical thinking, playing a central role into your transition into a capable and confident graduate ready for the world of work or further study.

You engage in a piece of advanced research into history to produce your dissertation, allowing you to follow a theme of particular interest, under the guidance of a supervisor.

By examining a case study of the interconnectedness of conflict, culture, and civil disorder you are stimulated to think about the causes and nature of historical change, the role of the state, the elites, of ordinary people, and of structural forces. You analyse a substantial number of primary sources, and use the historiography in a critical and creative way to produce your own knowledge exchange project on important aspects of your case study. You must also reflect on your own learning via a commentary, thus emphasising developing your transferable skills for the world of work.

You develop your graduate skills in preparation for employment in a professional context. You have the opportunity to gain academic credit based on your participation in work experience, a short period of professional activity or work-related learning relevant to the discipline or area of professional interest. You develop an understanding of graduate employment pathways, opportunities, reflective practice and experiential learning. The core focus of the module will be helping you prepare for a graduate career, developing an understanding of professional working contexts and enabling you to identify and evidence your own graduate skills.

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Issues with memory can be about the ways in which primary sources have recorded historical events. Or, it can be about the way that eye-witness accounts have been distorted by biased perspectives, or just by the influence of time and the limitations of the observer. This module examines key historical themes through the lens of memory and its limitations. You consider the problem of assessing historical events that have been reported differently by different sources and the ways in which the secondary historiography has attempted to make interpretations based on such accounts. Content may span ancient to modern history.

The victory of the allies in the Second World War seemed to sound the death knell for fascism. However, the persistence and resurgence of the extreme right suggests that we are witnessing a rebirth of fascism. This module uses theoretical and conceptual approaches to examine both historical and contemporary forms of fascism You examine the nature of anti-fascism both historically and in the present day because fascism cannot be fully understood without comprehending the interaction between the fascists and their opponents. You gain a theoretically and historically-informed understanding of one of the major forces of modern times.

You explore the politics of division in Northern Ireland using a mixture of theoretical approaches and the study of concrete events during and after the Troubles, you examine not only the politics of violence, but also the process by which violence gave way to peace (however unsteady). Drawing on a broad range of sources, including official reports and correspondence, newspapers, pamphlets, posters, film and television, and memoirs of those involved, you will take an in-depth look at one of the biggest issues in historical and contemporary politics in the United Kingdom.