HIS32830 History of the American south

Academic Year 2021/2022

This course introduces students to the history of the American South after the Civil War. A central focus of the course will be the development and changes in southerners’ thinking about race and racial difference. We will also consider other ways that southerners identified and organized themselves – by gender, class, religious beliefs, political ideologies, and residence. Of central importance will be the social and economic changes in the twentieth century, including the increasing industrialization and urbanization of the region. Students will be encouraged to think about how they understand the meaning of the South today; we will explore the roots of common stereotypes and popular images of the region. In order to construct a rigorous historical understanding of the recent South, students will read a wide array of material. We will watch movies and documentaries and listen to a variety of music from different parts of the South over the twentieth century. From these sources, students will develop their own explanations of how southerners built and sustained their communities and of the place of the South within the United States.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

1) Understand the development of a distinct regional identity and the legal system of segregation (Jim Crow) within the US between the Civil War and today.
2) interpret key primary documents concerning these processes.
3) engage in debate about the context and meaning of those documents.
3) formulate an argument derived from a close reading of a memoir left by a participant in the era.

Indicative Module Content:

Week 1 - Introduction
Week 2 - Southern reconstruction
Week 3 - Redemption
Week 4 - The promise of Southern populism
Week 5 - The Jim Crow South
Week 6 - Southern progressivism
Week 7 - Great Depression and New Deal in the South
Week 8 - The Southern renaissance and WWII
Week 9 - The long civil rights movement
Week 10 - The solid South
Week 11 - The Sunbelt and the modern South

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

11
Seminar (or Webinar)

22
Specified Learning Activities

95
Autonomous Student Learning

95
Total

223
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This is a small-group, seminar-based module. It is taught through a one-hour weekly lecture and a two-hour seminar. The lecture provides an overview of the week’s topic, focusing upon key historical trends, debates and events. The weekly seminar is focused upon individual active / task-based learning by means of class debates, discussion and student presentations. Advanced research, writing and citation skills are developed through a combined individual student presentation on primary sources and written essay, and a semester-long 4000-word research project. Autonomous learning is advanced through student-led debate and discussion of set primary sources and student presentations each week. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Continuous Assessment: Students are graded on their contributions to seminars throughout the semester. Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

20
Essay: An extended essay of 4000 words, based on work undertaken over the 12 weeks of the semester. Week 12 n/a Graded No

40
Presentation: A combined 15-20 minute seminar presentation and a 1500-word written essay. Varies over the Trimester n/a Graded No

40

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

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback on seminar contributions will be given informally during class time. Feedback on the mid-term presentation will be given in writing, either on the hard-copy of the written work or via brightspace. Feedback on the end-of-semester essay will be provided in writing and opportunity will be given for one-to-one meetings with the module coordinator to discuss this further.

Name Role
Mr Aaron Sheehan-Dean Lecturer / Co-Lecturer