HS3S038 - The Empire Strikes Back: History, Heritage and Race in Contemporary Britain 01 Sep 2021 - 31 Aug 2027 | Version 1
Associated Module Information
| Module Code: | HS3S038 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Module Title: | The Empire Strikes Back: History, Heritage and Race in Contemporary Britain | ||
| Faculty: | Faculty of Business and Creative Industries | ||
| Faculty Group: | Culture and Animation | ||
| Faculty Sub Group: | Culture | ||
| Module Leader: | Christopher Hill | ||
| Module Team: | Andy Croll, | ||
| First Intended Intake: | SEP 2021 | Final Year of Intake: | 2026 |
| Date Closed: | |||
| Credit Value: | 20 | Credit Level: | 6 |
| Language: | English | ||
| Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: | 0 | ||
| Equivalent Module: | |||
| HECOS codes: | 100302 - history | ||
| HECOS Code Weighting: | 100 | ||
Document Version Information
| Version | 1 |
|---|---|
| Valid From | 01 Sep 2021 |
| Valid To | 31 Aug 2027 |
Module Aims
The module aims to critically engage students with academic and professional fields of heritage and public history, focusing on the legacies of the British Empire in the UK, and to familiarise them with the source materials of heritage and public history, from museum exhibitions to history-related social media. It aims to introduce students to a range of theoretical approaches and practices by which they can make sense of the imperial past in the present, and to develop their understanding of the politics of human difference in historical and contemporary settings, as well as the interplay and linkages between them.
Content Summary
This module explores how histories of the British Empire and the imperial past are deployed and represented in current debates about race, nation and identity. This dialectic between the imperial past and the present – an example of what Priya Satia calls ‘history making history’ – is pervasive and can be studied in relation to statues, museum displays, archives, film, music and television and even the idea of the university itself. Students will learn to negotiate and think critically about legacies of the imperial past in the present, as well as how these legacies can be confronted – on the streets, in museums, on social media and even in the classroom.
Learning and Teaching Methods
| Activity Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 8 |
| Seminar | 20 |
| Practical classes and workshops | 12 |
| Independent Study | 80 |
| Directed Study | 72 |
| Formative Assessment - Scheduled | 8 |
| Total Hours Selected | 200 |
Learning Outcomes
| # | Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| LO1 | Explain and evaluate how ‘race’ is constituted and defined historically in contemporary Britain, making sense of the relationship between the imperial past and the present. |
| LO2 | Critically assess the source materials of heritage and public history, including museum objects, monuments and related media. |
Module Requisites
N/A
Assessment Criteria
| Assessment Category | Assessment Type | Description | Duration | Word Count | Weight (%) | Best of? | Pass Mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asynchronous Assessment | Project Output 1 | A heritage guide that critically assesses or re-appraises a site of significance for thinking about race, identity and the imperial past. | 0 | N/A | 50 | No | 40 |
| Asynchronous Assessment | Essay 1 | An essay addressing an aspect of the relationship between race and empire in modern and contemporary British history | 0 | 2500 | 50 | No | 40 |
Assessment Matrix
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| LO1 | LO2 | ||
| Project Output 1 | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Essay 1 | ✔ | ✔ | |