HIST 289/3.0 Modern Britain and the World

A survey of British history in the 19th and 20th centuries. This course is designed as a survey of the development of England from the Great Exhibition of 1851 to the present. The course will include both lectures and seminars, and give particular emphasis to the social and cultural changes that shaped the nation. Topics to be examined will include the legacy of Empire, the impact of war, the development of the welfare state, racism and national identity and popular culture.

Learning Outcomes

HIST 289 will provide students with a good overview of some of the key developments that shaped modern British culture. Students are expected to acquire a good understanding of such topics as the British Empire, World War I and II, Class and Race Relations as Britain developed into a vibrant, yet often troubled, multi-cultural society. As the course is built upon the examination of a wide variety of primary source materials, students will develop their ability to critically analyse different archival materials.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

Potential VELOs for this course include a virtual tour of the Hall of Remembrance at the Imperial War Museum, London. The Hall was designed and planned to open after the First World War, but the money ran out! This virtual online experience is a fun way for students to visit the Imperial War Museum and see something that would never have actually existed, but for the digital world. Previous ELOs on this course have included a trip to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and a visit to The Beatles Experience in Liverpool to examine the phenomena of Beatlemania and how it related to the growth of youth culture, consumerism and changing notions of British Identity in the 1960s.