Module HIST43130: Culture and Consumption in Modern Europe

Department: History

HIST43130: Culture and Consumption in Modern Europe

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To gain an advanced understanding of advanced themes and debates about the centrality of consumption to the social and cultural history of modern Europe.

Content

• This module examines the social and cultural history of post-1945 Europe. It focuses on the experience of Germany and Britain but also draws on a wider European literature. It defines the cultures of consumption as inclusive of a range of practices and ideologies. It explores issues of sport, leisure, Americanization, consumerism, television, film, advertising, heritage and nostalgia, and the arts; covers debates about the consumer as citizen, the Cold War and the consumption of politics and also conceptual approaches such as post-materialism and cultural studies. Students are encouraged to focus in detail on one of these themes in their written work, but are expected to engage with a wider range of themes in classes.

Learning Outcomes

• advanced knowledge and understanding of key issues and debates about consumption in the social and cultural history of modern Europe.

• Subject specific skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/history.internal/local/PGModuleProformaMap/

• Key skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/history.internal/local/PGModuleProformaMap/

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Student learning is facilitated by a range of teaching methods.
• Seminars and Group Discussion require students to reflect on and discuss: their prior knowledge and experience; set reading of secondary and, where appropriate, primary readings; information provided during the session. They provide a forum in which to assess and comment critically on the findings of others, defend their conclusions in a reasoned setting, and advance their knowledge and understanding of the role of consumption in modern European history.
• Structured reading requires students to focus on set materials integral to the knowledge and understanding of the module. It specifically enables the acquisition of detailed knowledge and skills which will be discussed in other areas of the teaching and learning experience.
• Assessment is by means of a 5000 word essay which requires the acquisition and application of advanced knowledge and understanding of an aspect of the history of consumption in modern Europe. Essays require a sustained and coherent argument in defence of a hypothesis, and must be presented in a clearly written and structured form, and with appropriate apparatus.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

One or more short assignments delivered orally and discussed in a group context.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University