Dissertation

Module leader: Charlotte Lewandowski

Deadline: Tuesday 2 May

This is a 40-credit module completed over both semesters. Students will work closely with a supervisor to research, plan and construct a piece of historical writing or negotiated equivalent digital or oral presentation on a chosen topic or theme.

Myth and Religion in the Ancient World

Module leader: Juliette Harrisson

Deadlines: Your 2500-word essay should be submitted before noon on Friday 6 January and your negotiated assessment should be submitted before noon on Friday 28 April

In this module, you'll carry out an in-depth exploration of myth and religion in the Greek and Roman worlds. You'll explore a range of topics including ancient witchcraft, afterlife beliefs, rituals, and the debate over whether or not the Greeks and Romans carried out human sacrifices.

This is England

Module leader: Duncan Frankis

Deadlines: Your 2500-word essay should be submitted before noon on Friday 6 January and your negotiated assessment should be submitted before noon on Friday 28 April

In c.1120 William of Malmesbury lamented that ‘England had become a dwelling-place of foreigners and a playground for lords of alien blood… new faces everywhere enjoy England’s riches and gnaw her vitals, nor is there any hope of ending this miserable affair’. This sentiment is repeated throughout the history of English nationalism right up to the present day with the rise of populist political rhetoric. This module explores the relationship between historians and ethnocentric nationalism, from the Beaker folk to Brexit - taking a long durée approach to the British Isles. You will explore several myths of `English’ identity and consider the ways in which these have been reworked to fit different incarnations. This will provide you with an opportunity to engage with your own assumptions about national identity and its long-term survival.

Revolution and Counterrevolution: a global history c. 1917-present

Module leader: Norry LaPorte

Deadlines: Your 2500-word essay should be submitted before noon on Friday 16 December and your negotiated assessment should be submitted before noon on Friday 21 April

This module will assess revolution and counterrevolution from c.1917 until the present, covering communism, fascism and nazism and the intersection between the Cold War and national liberation from Western imperialism. In short, we address the global forces shaping the twentieth century. The geographical reach will be global, include examples drawn from across Europe, Asia (China), Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and the USA. The theoretical approaches deployed will allow students to engage with explanations of radicalism in movements and regimes, for example the ‘classic’ model of totalitarianism and political religion, as well as comparative approaches.