Module HIST20A1: Constructing Identities: Gender, Sexuality and Age in Early Modern England

Department: History

HIST20A1: Constructing Identities: Gender, Sexuality and Age in Early Modern England

Prerequisites

• A pass mark in at least ONE level 1 module in History

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To introduce students to the history of gender relations, sexual identity, and age in England c.1500-1800.
• To explore early modern attitudes towards gender and sexuality, and the ways in which these intersected with concepts of age and experiences of the life cycle.
• To develop students' ability to evaluate a wide range of sources.

Content

• The module explores gender relations in early modern England. It begins by considering the associations that were made between gender and biological sex, and asking whether new ideas about human physiology altered perceptions of femininity and masculinity. It considers the ways in which the cultural and physical distinctions made between men and women were age-related. It asks to what extent marriage was an essential element of manliness, and if womanhood was synonymous with motherhood. It looks at the patriarchal structures of society and how they influenced attitudes towards gender roles. It also examines the socialisation of girls and boys, the distinct opportunities offered to male and female youths, and gendered experiences of old age. Finally, it considers how ideas of femininity and masculinity transcended the distinctions between gender and sexuality, looking at projected norms alongside illicit sexualities that breached the boundaries imposed by legal sanctions and moral proscription. It examines the consequences of a growing emphasis on binary categories of male and female, and questions whether there was an early modern sexual revolution, and if the idea of sexual identity was an eighteenth-century invention.

Learning Outcomes

• A knowledge of key historiographical debates surrounding the concepts of gender, sexuality, and age in early-modern England.
• An understanding of contested contemporary notions of gender and how these related to both sexuality and age.
• A sensitivity to the problems of interpreting evidence relating to underrepresented sections of early-modern society, whether LGBT, women, the young, or the elderly.

• Students will be introduced to primary source analysis, and should gain preliminary skills to evaluate both archival and oral historical sources.

• 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:
• 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:
• 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:

A written assignment of 1500-2000 words to be submitted in Michaelmas 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