British Society 1832-1914

obligatory courses

The course reviews the main themes of Britlish social history from 1832 to 1914, in the fields of industry and work, urbanisation, welfare, education, leisure activities and religious and social philosophy.

The course will cover the following themes:

1. the transport revolution: railways and their social impact, urban transport, individual transport: horses, bicycles and motor cars;

2. work: new industries, changing employment structures, trade union activity and the co-operative movement, women's employment;

3. urban development and urban life: housing and lifestyle, sanitary reform and technological innovation, urban pride and facilities;

4. welfare: the Poor Law Reform Act and its consequences, evolution of the workhouse, the People's Budget, medicine;

5. leisure: growth of leisure time, the Great Exhibition, museums and libraries, travel, sports, public houses, the press, music hall;

6. the family and education: universities, public schools, compulsory schooling, women's education;

7. religion, social and political philosophy: religious observance, Chartism, 19th-century Liberalism, Socialism, Feminism.

Classes will be based on discussion of contemporary texts.

David Thomson, England in the 19th century (1815-1914), Penguin, 1963.

Henryk Zins, Historia Anglii, Ossolineum, 2001.

Krzysztof Marchlewicz, U szczytu potęgi. Wielka Brytania w latach 1815-1914, Wydawnictwo Naukowe UAM, Poznań 2019.

The aim is to provide students with the following learning outcomes:

1. knowledge of:

- differing British experiences in the Victorian period, depending on perspectives dictated by class, race and gender;

2. and the following skills:

1. ability to use varied materials on the basis of which analyses of historical development are constructed;

2. awareness that historical sources present experience from different perspectives and with different motivations;

3. awareness of differing British experiences throughout history depending on perspectives dictated by class, race and gender;

4. ability to draw general conclusions on the basis of patterns constructed by particular events.

K_W01 understands the importance, place and specificity of English philology in the context of the humanities;

K_W03 has an advanced knowledge of the grammar, syntax, phonology, phonetics, morphology, pragmatics of English and its history;

K_W05 knows the complex conditions of the process of second language acquisition; understands and properly applies models of foreign language acquisition typical of English linguistics;

K_W06 knows and understands the nuances of translation theory and the complexity of the translation process;

K_W08 has an in-depth knowledge of the historical development of language, especially English, and the semantic variability and complexity accompanying this process;

K_W09 has an advanced understanding of the complexity and pluralism of cultures, knows the obvious and non-obvious cultural codes that determine intercultural contacts, knows the structural and institutional conditions of culture, especially in the context of the countries of the English language area;

K_W10 knows to an advanced degree the geographical, historical, political, economic, cultural and social realities of the countries of the English language area;

K_U01 is able to use advanced terminology in linguistics and literary studies and research methodology appropriate to these disciplines within English philology;

K_U04 can creatively interpret, analyze, hierarchize, synthesize content and phenomena in their linguistic, cultural, social, historical, economic dimensions;

K_U08 can appreciate the diversity of opinions contained in scientific, literary, journalistic texts and presented in discussions, and creatively use them as a source of inspiration;

K_K01 is aware of the social significance of his knowledge, work, skills; is ready to co-create the social environment;

K_K09 consciously participates in one's own national culture, respects the cultural heritage of Europe, manifests understanding and curiosity about the diverse cultures of the world, is characterized by tolerance towards otherness, relates with respect to different cultural behavior, as well as to different individual views.

Essay (1000 words) assessed on the basis of:

1. knowledge in the field of the social, cultural and political history of Britain in the period 1832-1914;

2. ability to present ideas and judgements logically and clearly in speech and writing.