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HIS42660

Academic Year 2024/2025

Historiography and Historical Debate in Twentieth-century Ireland (HIS42660)

Subject:
History
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
History
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Dr Susannah Riordan
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module aims to introduce unfamiliar students to historiography (the study of the writing of history and of written histories); to enhance all students’ understanding of the key developments in the historiography of modern Ireland, and to develop the historiographical skills essential to the successful completion of postgraduate research in modern Irish history.

The module will explore key developments (and lacunae) in the writing of the history of political, social and cultural history, including the Irish revolution, religion and gender. and social and cultural history. It will examine the evolution of emphasis, source identification, methodologies and chronologies. Particular attention will be paid to debates on the writing of Irish history from the revisionist controversy of the 1980s and 1990s to the twenty-first century ‘history wars’ surrounding the War of Independence.

Emphasis will be placed on encouraging and enabling students to situate their own research within the appropriate historiographical context(s) and to engage in a conversation with previous scholars.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module students should have developed their understanding of the main currents in historiography in twentieth-century Ireland; critically examined key historical texts and enhanced their skills in critical analysis; engaged in group discussion of historical writings; further developed the historiographical skills essential to the successful completion of postgraduate research in modern Irish history; presented their work to peers and engaged in debate; produced an original paper situating their own research within existing scholarship.

Indicative Module Content:

This module will explore how historians of Ireland have approached their subject; the rise of new topics, metholodogies and interpretations; and the debates arising from these. It will begin by focusing on case studies and key texts, before moving to broader issues of political social and cultural history, including those relevant to students' own research interests, and to works of historical synthesis.


Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Seminar (or Webinar)

20
Specified Learning Activities

95
Autonomous Student Learning

95
Total

210

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The key teaching and learning approaches used in the module include reflective learning; peer discussion; student presentation; and critical writing.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Participation in Learning Activities: Students will be graded on their participation during seminars. (NB: This is not based on attendance but on active participation and discussion.) Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No

20

 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Each student will make a presentation on the contribution to historiography of a key research text relevant to their research. One week later, they will submit this as a written essay. Week 8, Week 9 Graded No

20

 No
Assignment(Including Essay): A 4,000-word historiographical essay on the student's thesis or project topic. Week 14 Graded No

60

 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback will be given individually after the presentation and, on an ongoing basis, during preparation for the final essay. Feedback on the final essay will be provided individually once provisional grades have been published.

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