HIS32850 Settler colonialism

Academic Year 2021/2022

Settler colonialism is the history of expansion, occupation, elimination, and commemoration. This module is an investigation of those currents, using case studies from Africa, Oceania, North America, the Middle East, and Europe. The creation of frontiers and the expansion into peripheries focus us on the occupation of ‘space’ that underpins settlement. Encounters with Indigenous peoples created colonial binaries of ‘civilised’ and ‘savage’ in order to justify racially motivated violence, removal, and extermination. Issues of sovereignty were enshrined in material and cultural markers, from statutes to statues.

In this module we will engage with the historiography of settler colonialism studies and primary source materials. Moving beyond written texts, we will also examine illustrations, songs, films, and memes. Beginning with a theoretical overview, we will seek to uncover the ways settler colonialism differs from imperialism. We will then blur these distinctions using specific source materials in order to view colonialism from a range of perspectives. We will explore settler colonial policies and the technologies of governance. We will engage in issues of belonging, assimilation, and collaboration. Finally, we will explore past and contemporary resistance movements to settler colonialism. We will ask if settler colonialism ever ends, and explore the ways in which settler societies can decolonise.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:

1) Explore detailed connections and collisions between settler societies, colonial rule and resistance movements on a global scale
2) Evaluate settler colonialism under political, economic, social, and cultural historical approaches
3) Engage with a wide variety of primary and secondary materials, including unconventional sources
4) Write analytical essays to the standard of a third level history student
5) Assess and analyse module themes, readings, and historical debates in group discussions, presentations, and written assessments.

Indicative Module Content:

Week 1- Introduction
Week 2- Imperialism and Colonialism
Week 3- The Economics of Settler Societies
Week 4- The Politics of Colonial Governance
Week 4- Citizenship, Autochthony, Belonging
Week 5- Gendering Geographies
Week 6- Disease and Unease in Environmental and Ecological Histories
Week 7- Europe Sets Sail
Week 8- North America: Manifest Destiny, Reservations, Residential Schools
Week 9- Scrambling and Settling in Africa
Week 10- Oceania: Race and Place
Week 11- Middle East: Apartheid and Resistance

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 via a one-hour weekly lecture and a two-hour seminar. The lecture aims to provide an overview of the week's topic, familiarising students with key debates and events. The seminar is focused upon individual active and task-based learning by means of class debates, discussion and student presentations. Advanced research, writing and citation skills are developed through a combination of individual student presentations on primary sources, the write-up of this presentation and the extended 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
Presentation: A combined 15-20 minute presentation and a 1500-word written essay. Varies over the Trimester n/a Graded No

40
Continuous Assessment: Students are graded on their contributions to seminars throughout the semester. Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

20
Essay: A semester-long research project comprising an extended essay of 4000 words. Week 12 n/a Graded No

40

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Remediation Type Remediation Timing
Repeat Within Two Trimesters
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 combined presentation/written assessment will be provided in writing post-submission, either on the hard copy or via brightspace. Oral feedback will be provided on an ongoing basis in seminars in response to student contributions. Feedback on the end-of-semester research project assessment will be provided in writing post-submission, either on the hard copy or via brightspace. Students will also have opportunity to book a one-to-one consultation to discuss their progress either pre- or post-assessment.

Name Role
Dr Jeremiah Garsha Lecturer / Co-Lecturer