To develop students’ awareness of how historical investigation enriches important contemporary debates;

To introduce students to a range of new ways of approaching the past, both in terms of subject matter and of approaches to history;

To introduce students to parts of the world that they have never studied before and, equally importantly, to enable them to see the myriad connections between different parts of the world;

To better prepare students for the range of subject matter, geographical areas and approaches available to them in the second and third years of their degree programme.

(LO1) An ability to read, analyse and reflect critically and contextually upon primary and secondary evidence, including historical writings and the interpretations of historians.

(LO2) An understanding of comparative perspectives and the ability to identify and assess similarity and difference through temporal and/or spatial comparison.

(LO3) Awareness of continuity and change over extended time spans.

(LO4) A foundational knowledge of major issues in global history

(S1) Critical thinking, and understanding the difference between opinion and argument.

(S2) Confidence, independence of mind, responsibility, organisation and time-management.

(S3) The ability to work collaboratively and to participate in group discussion.

(S4) Gathering, analysing and organising information, including online and digital resources.

(S5) Structure, coherence, clarity and fluency of oral expression.

(S6) Structure, coherence, clarity and fluency of written expression.

This module is taught by means of twenty-two twice-weekly lectures and six fortnightly seminars. Lectures are designed to give you an introduction to key themes and issues, and to provide a narrative backdrop; they are the basis for independent reading and research. Seminars provide an opportunity for in-depth, student-led discussion of topics chosen by your tutor.

Topics include:

Gender;

The environment;

The development of nation-states, colonialism and governmentality;

Transnational connections and mobilities;

The history of ideas and ideologies.

This is not a conventional survey module. The module will not, in other words, go through the past civilisation by civilisation, or country by country, or survey broad swathes of global history over a chronological period of time. Instead, it takes a thematic approach to analysing the ways in which the global past continues to shape the global present. The five topics that the module explores are taught through both primary and secondary sources, and through a set of resources and activities that are designed to encourage students to reflect critically on both the global present and the global past, and the interrelationships between these.
Each two-week topic will consist of the following components: 2-4 lectures; 1 seminar; and one live on-line topic conference. The module will include, in addition, an introductory lecture and 2 assessment workshops.

The majority of teaching will be delivered face-to-face on campus. Online delivery will be used to complement the on-camp us delivery and where technology affords a better learning experience.