The British Empire from Emancipation to the Boer War
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| HIST2038 | History | 2 | 20 | Spring UK |
- Code
- HIST2038
- School
- History
- Level
- 2
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Spring UK
Summary
This module examines the history of the British Empire from the end of the slave trade in 1833-4 to the Second Anglo-Boer War in 1899-1902. The module is divided into three major geographic and chronological sections. In the first part of the course, we will discuss the British Caribbean, with a particular focus on the transition from slavery and the period of instability in the decades that followed. In the second part, we will focus on India and the changeover from East India Company rule to the direct administration by the British government in the wake of the Indian Mutiny (aka the Sepoy Rebellion). In the final section, we will discuss Britains participation in the Scramble for Africa and the rise of popular imperialism with the 2nd Anglo-Boer War. The final, pre-revision class meeting will also discuss the metropolitan aspects of empire, examining Londons status as the Imperial Metropolis.
Target Students
Students must have taken HIST1001 or HIST1002. Also available to exchange students hosted by the Department of History.
Classes
- One 1-hour seminar each week for 10 weeks
- One 2-hour lecture each week for 10 weeks
Assessment
- 50% Coursework 1: Individually assessed coursework item (2,500 words)
- 50% Coursework 2: Individually assessed coursework item (2,500 words)
Assessed by end of spring semester
Educational Aims
The British Empire and its legacies have become an increasingly important topic in the debates over Britain’s modern history and British identity in historical perspective. These discussions also dovetail nicely with both intellectual and popular interest in the idea of globalism and neo-Liberalism. Yet, many British University students, even at Russell Group schools, remain remarkably ill-informed about the history of the Empire itself. This lacuna in knowledge is particularly apparent when the histories of India, the Caribbean and Southeast Asia are raised in other contexts. This module will serve as a critical introduction to several key regions of the British Empire, and will also provide students some basic knowledge about these regions vital role in the development of economics, politics and culture more broadly in the nineteenth century. Lastly, it will allow students to engage with some of the key theoretical frameworks employed in the historical analysis of imperialism, postcolonial theory and the “New Imperial History” in particular.Major topics include:1.) Emancipation of Slavery in the British Empire; 2.) Popular Imperialism; 3.) Indian Rebellion; 4.) The British Raj; 5.) Indentured Labour; 6.) Race and Migration in the British Empire; 7.) The “New Imperialism” in Africa; 8.) The Second Anglo-Boer WarLearning Outcomes
a. Knowledge and Understanding.
By the end of the module, in their assessed work, students should be able to:
• explain and interpret the politics, society, and culture of the British Empire from 1834-1902;
• demonstrate an understanding of the major events in this period;
• evaluate the forces of change and continuity at work within the period.
b. Intellectual Skills.
By the end of the module students should be able to:
• think critically and imaginatively about the subject matter;
• identify and address key problems relevant to it;
• interpret secondary sources upon it and be aware of differing historical interpretations of the subject matter;
• construct coherent and independent historical arguments of their own.
c. Professional/Practical Skills.
The module will develop students ability to:
• select, sift and synthesise information from a range of primary and secondary sources;
• identify and compare key arguments in those materials;
• demonstrate appropriate footnoting and bibliographical skills.
d. Transferable Skills.
The module will also develop students ability to:
• manage a large and disparate body of information;
• express themselves clearly, coherently and fluently in writing essays;
• work and learn actively with others;
• manage and take responsibility for their own learning;
• use IT to word process their assessed essays.