Module HIST2361: BRITAIN AND THE GREAT WAR: CULTURE AND SOCIETY, 1914-39

Department: History

HIST2361: BRITAIN AND THE GREAT WAR: CULTURE AND SOCIETY, 1914-39

Prerequisites

• A pass mark in at least ONE level one module in History.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To introduce students to the cultural and social themes that emerge from the study of the way in which the First World War affected Britain;
• To introduce students to the historiography of the study of the Great War and the different perspectives that emerge therefrom;
• To develop students’ historical awareness of the complex relationship between war, politics, society and culture using the example of Britain in the first half of the twentieth century

Content

• This module examines the Great War and its impact on British culture and society. Covering perspectives from political, cultural and intellectual history, it surveys the period between 1914 and 1930. As well as exploring Britain at war, students will study the longer-term impact of the war and its influence on the post-war development of British culture.
• It delves into the themes of modernism in the arts and perceptions of Britishness during the post-war consensus. Students will gain an understanding of the ambiguous, and often contradictory, ways in which the war shaped British society.
• The module further emphasises the historiographical positions that have defined the recent study of the Great War and its aftermath.

Learning Outcomes

• An understanding of the impact of the First World War on British culture and society.
• A historiographical basis for further detailed work in the cultural history of modern Britain at Level 3.
• A more sophisticated understanding of the interaction between cultural memory, social change and dislocation, and war.

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

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

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

• Student learning is facilitated by a combination of the following teaching methods:
• lectures to set the foundations for further study and to provide the basis for the acquisition of subject specific knowledge. Lectures provide a broad framework which defines individual module content, introducing students to themes, debates and interpretations. In this environment, students are given the opportunity to develop skills in listening, selective note-taking and reflection;
• seminars to allow students to present and critically reflect upon the acquired subject-specific knowledge, methodologies and theories, and to identify and debate a range of issues and differing opinions. The seminar is the forum in which students are given the opportunity to communicate ideas, jointly exploring themes and arguments. Seminars are structured to develop understanding and designed to maximise student participation related to prior independent preparation. Seminars give students the opportunity to develop oral communication skills, encourage critical and tolerant approaches to reasoned argument and historical discussion, build the students' ability to marshal historical evidence, and facilitate the development of the ability to summarise historical arguments, think in a rapidly changing environment and communicate in a persuasive and articulate manner, whilst recognising the value of working with others and, occasionally, towards shared goals.
• Assessment:
• Unseen Examinations test students' ability to work under pressure under timed conditions, to prepare for examinations and direct their own programme of revision and learning, and develop key time management skills. The unseen examination gives students the opportunity to develop relevant life skills such as the ability to produce coherent, reasoned and supported arguments under pressure. Students will be examined on subject specific knowledge;
• Summative essays remain a central component of assessment in history, due to the integrative high-order skills they develop. Essays allow students the opportunity to recognise, represent and critically reflect upon ideas, concepts and problems; students can demonstrate awareness of, and the ability to use and evaluate, a diverse range of resources and identify, represent and debate a range of subject-specific issues and opinions. Through the essay, students can synthesise information, adopt critical appraisals and develop reasoned argument based on individual research; they should be able to communicate ideas in writing, with clarity and coherence; and to show the ability to integrate and critically assess material from a wide range of sources.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

One or more short assignments submitted in writing or delivered orally and discussed either 1:1 or 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