Course Resources Archive

This module charts the history of Britain in the twentieth century, exploring the transition from conflict to consensus and from austerity to affluence. Topics studied may include: the impact of two world wars, changing attitudes towards sex and sexuality, youth culture, and consumerism and the mass society.

Students will be introduced to a range of primary materials including textual, visual and audio sources and will engage critically with key historiographical debates throughout.

The first half of the module explores the great upheavals and unprecedented challenges Britain faced in the domestic and international arenas between 1900 and 1945. The conflicts between and across classes and genders will be emphasised against the backdrop of topics which may include: the impact of the First and Second World Wars; the Great Depression; the decline of the British aristocracy; the rise of Labour; and political extremism.

The second half of the module moves on to study post-war Britain and, charting the rise of the affluent society and consensus politics, it investigates the limits of both. Within this context the module explores the creation of youth culture and distinct subcultures, as well as the meaning and myths of the 'swinging' sixties. The impact and experience of immigration and the processes of identity formation inherent amongst ethnic minority communities is stressed, which are in turn contextualised amongst broader conceptions of national identity in this period.

A student passing this module should be able to demonstrate:

1. A systematic understanding of the chronology of twentieth-century British history.
2. A critical awareness of issues relating to class, gender, and ethnicity.
3. An ability to utilise the analytical approaches of socio-cultural, economic, and political history.
4. An awareness of the problems inherent in studying contemporary history
5. The ability to analyse and interpret a wide range of primary source materials and historical documents
6. Deliver clear exposition and argument in written form and orally

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.