History of England

obligatory courses

That for a student of English, background knowledge of the social, cultural and political history of England is essential. The course is also suitable for students of other specialisations.

Blended learning
Classroom

A survey outline of the history of England, from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, with particular attention paid to social and cultural trends and developments. The course begins with a review of the geographical and economic conditions and the main themes of mediaeval English history before examining in detail the period from 1485 to 1945.

A survey outline of the history of England, from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, with particular attention paid to social and cultural trends and developments. The course begins with a review of the geographical and economic conditions and the main themes of mediaeval English history before examining in detail the period from 1485 to 1945, within the following framework, treated chronologically:

- changes in patterns of agriculture, manufacture and commerce;

- rural England: the agricultural labourer, domestic service;

- urbanisation, particularly in the period from 1780;

- the impact of changes in transport and communications;

- local government structures and community organisation;

- the growth of the middle classes and middle-class life styles and demands;

- the standard of living and housing of the labouring classes;

- self-help, self-association, Luddism, the growth of trade unions;

- social reform movements from the late 18th century, including the Methodist movement, Temperance, the anti-slavery campaign;

- the development of public education from 1870, developments in higher education;

- changing patterns of crime and punishment;

- the development of welfare provisions, particularly from 1834;

- political structures from the Elizabethan parliament through to the parliamentary reform movements of the 19th century;

- overseas expansion, the growth of Empire and the two world wars.

The general themes examined in this context are:

- shifting balances of wealth and power, land versus money;

- the relative significance of the urban and the rural;

- the impact of material progress, housing, medicine;

- relations between rulers and ruled, attitudes to authority, ideologies of collectivism and individualism;

- religious belief and ideology;

- ideas of nation, nationalism, attitudes to the outside world and Empire;

- senses of the centre and periphery, regionalism and centralising tendencies;

- attitudes to crime and punishment;

- war and peace;

- sex, gender, family and the community;

- education;

- leisure, recreation and sport;

- attitudes to the past.

Kenneth O. Morgan (ed.) Oxford History of Britain, OUP, 2001:

John Guy, John Morrill, The Tudors and Stuarts.

Paul Langford, Christopher Harvie, The Eighteenth Century and the Age of Industry.

H.C.G. Matthew, Kenneth O. Morgan, The Modern Age.

Asa Briggs, A Social History of England, Penguin 1986.

Henryk Zins, Historia Anglii, Ossolineum, 2001.

Pelican History of England:

S. T. Bindoff, Tudor England.

Maurice Ashley, England in the Seventeenth Century.

J. H. Plumb, England in the Eighteenth Century.

David Thomson, England in the Nineteenth Century.

David Thomson, England in the Twentieth Century.

Knowledge

The student will be able to:

K_W01 identify the place and specificity of English Studies against the background of other academic disciplines within the humanities,

K_W09 identify on an advanced level the multiplicity of cultures and their complexity, cultural codes, as well as structural and institutional background of culture, with special focus on England and other English-speaking countries,

K_W10 describe on an advanced level the geography, history, politics, economy, as well as cultural and societal problems of England and Great Britain.

Abilities

The student is able to:

K_U01 employ the terminology and methodological tools from linguistics, literary studies and culture studies with respect to the history of England,

K_U03 analyze linguistic, literary and cultural phenomena and draw generalizations on their basis with respect to the social, historical and economic context of the history of England and Great Britain.

Education at language level B2+.

Written examination.

Students assessed on the basis of:

1. knowledge about the social, cultural and political history of England;

2. ability to present ideas and interpretations clearly and logically.