Module HIST3413: Public politics: protest, petition and print in England, 1530-1640

Department: History

HIST3413: Public politics: protest, petition and print in England, 1530-1640

Prerequisites

• A pass mark in at least TWO level two modules in History.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To develop an advanced understanding of politics and political participation in England, 1530-1640.
• To develop an advanced understanding of the historiography of the subject and larger concepts (such as the ‘public sphere’) that are of more general importance to historians.
• To develop an advanced understanding of different types of primary historical sources.
• To fulfil the generic aims of Level 3 Special Subjects in History.

Content

• The issues surrounding political participation have long been of interest to historians of early modern England. Whereas early studies of popular political participation focussed on riots, rebellions and crowds, more recently attention has shifted to the growth of printed pamphlets and the development of debate in print or in salons and coffeehouses. This has raised many questions: how and why did people become politicised? How organised were they? What role did ideas and ideology play, if any? Was politics still an urban phenomenon, limited to the elite of the non-elite? If labourers and artisans engaged with politics principally through riots and rebellions, what did they do when they weren’t rebelling? How did political participation change over time, if at all?
• This special subject will analyse these and other related questions, beginning with the Break with Rome (when Henry VIII engaged parliament in effecting major constitutional change and then required a growing number of people to swear to these changes) and ending on the eve of the Civil War which ushered in a distinctive and intense period of political participation. The module suggests that we cannot understand political participation in this period without asking how contemporaries understood causation, what were the political roles of different groups of people, how information circulated and to whom. It explores a number of areas which expand on these questions and identifies different ways in which people engaged with politics, including riots, rebellions, petitions, print, prayer and preaching.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of the module, students will have developed:
• A deep knowledge of politics and political participation in England, 1530-1640.
• A knowledge of and ability to engage critically with the historiography of the subject and with larger concepts (such as the ‘public sphere’).

• Subject specific skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/History/ugrads/ModuleProformaMap/;
• In addition, students will have developed the ability to:
• test and apply concepts developed in other disciplines or for other periods to the period 1530-1640.
• develop arguments about political participation and to develop independently concepts or models to define it.

• Key skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/History/ugrads/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:
• 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;
• tutorials either individually or in groups to discuss topics arising from prepared work, allowing students the opportunity to reflect upon their personal learning with the tutor.
• 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;
• Assessment of Primary Source Handling Students are assessed on their understanding of original primary sources, usually in print, their character varying according to the nature of the subject, and the students' ability to bring that knowledge to bear on 'cutting edge' research-based monographs and articles. Students are given the opportunity to discuss and articulate an understanding of changing interpretations and approaches to historical problems, drawing evidence from a body of primary source materials. Students are required to demonstrate skills associated with the evaluation of a variety of primary source materials, using documentary analysis for a critical assessment of existing historical interpretations.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

One formative essay of not more than 2500 words (not including footnotes and bibliography), submitted in Term 1. This will be returned with written comments and a standard departmental feedback sheet. Coursework essays are formative as well as summative. They are to be submitted in two copies, of which one will be returned with written comments and a standard departmental feedback sheet. Preparation to participate in seminars and tutorials. At least one oral presentation in each term, and at least two practice gobbets in each term.

■ 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