Introduction
This module aims to give you a distinctive critical introduction to British Cultures as broadly conceived. We will study a variety of different cultural forms and genres which range from the late medieval period through to the present day. This gives you the opportunity to study familiar texts in depth whilst introducing you to a broader and more diverse set of materials than you might yet have encountered. The aim is to equip you with the skills that will enable you to interpret examples of British Culture in relation to their historical, literary, and cultural contexts. The module is taught by a convenor with frequent guest contributions from academics in the department with research interests in particular areas.
They start with early folkloric history, with King Arthur and Robin Hood, and then move on to familiar and indeed canonical authors and texts (such as Shakespeare and Austen) and examine the processes by which these examples have become identified with certain modes of Britishness or Englishness (often, if contentiously, taken as a synonym for British identity). They move on to look at regional variations on the standard model of Englishness, and how landscapes, characters, and genres are informed and shaped by their context, but in turn have shaped our understanding of British identity (Treasure Island, Sherlock Holmes, War Poetry, the Gothic).
By the end of the module, you will have acquired a broad, deep, and nuanced understanding of the diversity of British Cultures, of the processes by which such cultures are produced and reproduced, and of the implications of these processes for our understanding of Britishness.
If you take this module, you will be expected to read and reflect on a selection of primary and secondary sources both as independent learners and as part of a seminar group. A field trip (or equivalent online material) will encourage you to think about British cultures beyond the boundaries of the classroom. Occasional film screenings will supplement the required reading. Informal group presentations may form part of the module, to help you to work together and synthesise your learning. The learning log will ask you to reflect on their learning; the independent study will enable you to identify and develop a particular area of scholarly interest, to acquire skills in information retrieval and synthesis, and to present your findings in an appropriate format.
Module Title: British Cultures
Module Code: EAS2023
Module Convenor: Dr Jo Esra
Credit Value: 7.5 ECTS
Live Sessions: 10 x 2 Hour Sessions
Total Module Hours: 150 Hours
Guided Independent Study
- Video lectures and activities
- Pre-Reading Before Arrival
- Preparatory readings for lectures and seminars
- Researching, preparing and delivering a group presentation
- Researching and completing two written assignments
Formative Assessment: Group Presentation 10-15 minutes - oral feedback from tutor and peers
Summative Assessment
Written assignment – 1500 words – 60% of credit – written feedback
Reflective Log - 500 words - 30% of credit - oral and written feedback
Module Participation - 10% of credit - oral feedback
Sample Pre Reading
Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
Studying British Cultures: An introduction - Susan Basnett, London: Routledge, 2003
The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare and Popular Culture - Robert Shaughnesy, Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2007
Sample Lecture Sessions
- The High Seas: Treasure Island
- Ballads of King Arthur and Robin Hood
- Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles
- J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
- Dr Who, Weeping Angels
Tuition Fees: GBP 2,500
For further information, please click the "LINK TO ORIGINAL" button below.