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HIS21140

Academic Year 2024/2025

History Today (HIS21140)

Subject:
History
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
History
Level:
2 (Intermediate)
Credits:
5
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 is a module that explores the place of history in society. It looks at how historians work and how this work fits into the modern world. Historians have adopted a variety of different approaches to their studies and have often disagreed about the causes, meanings, and implications of certain historical events. For some, the pursuit of history has been a truth-seeking exercise, based on empirical evidence and objectivity. For others, ideas about the past have been shaped by political beliefs, by the application of political ideologies and philosophies, popular culture and by the desire to produce a more inclusive version of history, focusing on the experience of the working classes, women, racial minorities, and other groups marginalised in established accounts. This module examines how the writing of history has evolved over time and also assesses how individuals, communities, states, nations and institutions use history for their own ends. It asks how history is used, and is consumed, by the public. It asks, also, what informs people’s attitude to the past? Is it shaped by the history of historians? How and why do we remember the past? When and why do we invoke history? If historical memory evolves, what forces tend to influence it? Ultimately, what is the function of history and historians in wider society today?

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

Students who complete this module should be able to:1. Demonstrate an understanding of diverse academic viewpoints and methodologies;2. Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of the role of history outside academia; 3. Assess the importance of history and its uses in wider society; 4. Analyse how history is used by states, institutions and entrepreneurs; 5. Be familiar with the historiography and techniques public history;6. Demonstrate a knowledge of research skills that are fundamental to historical inquiry and more broadly applicable;7. Submit written work appropriate to a Stage Two student of History.

Indicative Module Content:

The module will be drawn from the following main topics:
Week 1: ‘How it really was’?: An Introduction to ‘History Today’
Week 2: Revolting historians: How the present can change the past
Week 3: Ordinary people: History from below
Week 4: Changing the subject: Finding women, and others, in the past
Week 5: Changing the rules: Gender, sexuality, and identity
Week 6: Changing perspectives: Race, ethnicity, and power
Week 7: Looking for the big picture: Global History
Week 8: Reading Week
Week 9: Memory and Cultural Turns
Week 10: When the old becomes new: The case for Political, Diplomatic and Military Histories
Week 11: The Historian as Activist?

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

0

Seminar (or Webinar)

10

Autonomous Student Learning

120

Total

130


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module combines weekly lectures and seminars. In general, the lectures will give a broad overview of the week's topic and the seminars will focus on key historical trends and debates, and examples of these in practice. The seminars also focus on student-led debate and and small-group active / task-based learning using sources related to the weekly topic. Autonomous learning is nurtured through required preparatory reading each week, and formative and summative written assignments. Key historiographical, analytical and critical reading skills are explicitly incorporated into seminar work.

Generative AI may not be used for assessments in this module. If you have any concerns about what is included in the remit of generative AI, please consult with your Module Coordinator.

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
Assignment(Including Essay): Final essay Week 14 Graded No
50
No
Participation in Learning Activities: Students will be graded on their participation during the seminars; this includes engagement in small group work. This is not based on attendance, but rather active discussion and participation. Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11 Graded No
20
No
Assignment(Including Essay): Literature Review Week 7 Graded No
30
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, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback on the end-of-semester Essay Assignment will be given in writing.

Name Role
Dr Jenna Byers Tutor
Nathan Millin Tutor
Dr Chiara Tedaldi Tutor

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 10:00 - 10:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 15:00 - 15:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 3 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 11:00 - 11:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 4 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 11:00 - 11:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 5 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 13:00 - 13:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 6 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 13:00 - 13:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 7 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 14:00 - 14:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 8 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 14:00 - 14:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 9 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 15:00 - 15:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 10 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Fri 13:00 - 13:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 12 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 16:00 - 16:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 13 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 16:00 - 16:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 14 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Fri 12:00 - 12:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 16 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Fri 12:00 - 12:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 18 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Fri 11:00 - 11:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 20 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Fri 11:00 - 11:50