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2005/06 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

HIST3280 Citizens and Subjects: Urban Citizenship in England, 1540-1690

40 creditsClass Size: 20

Module manager: Dr PJ Withington

Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2005/06

This module is not approved as an Elective

Objectives

On completion of this module, students should be able to:

- comment critically on the primary sources they have studied;
- compare different kinds of historical sources and discuss how historians have used them;
- demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature of urban citizenship in early modern England;
- appreciate the interconnections and tensions between urban citizenship at the local and national level;
- comment knowledgeably on the historiography surrounding urban politics, society, economy and culture in this period;
- build on their knowledge for the purposes of dissertation or postgraduate work.

Skills outcomes
Further enhances Common Skills listed below:

High-level skills in oral and written communication of complex ideas.
Independence of mind and self-discipline and self-direction to work effectively under own initiative.
Ability to locate, handle and synthesize large amounts of information.
Capacity to employ analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Ability to engage constructively with the ideas of their peers, tutors and published sources.
Empathy and active engagement with alternative cultural contexts.
Plus:
Skills in interpretation and analysis of complex documentary-based material.Further enhances Common Skills listed below:

High-level skills in oral and written communication of complex ideas.
Independence of mind and self-discipline and self-direction to work effectively under own initiative.
Ability to locate, handle and synthesize large amounts of information.
Capacity to employ analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Ability to engage constructively with the ideas of their peers, tutors and published sources.
Empathy and active engagement with alternative cultural contexts.
Plus:
Skills in interpretation and analysis of complex documentary-based material.

Syllabus

The course explores the politics, culture, and society of men and women living in England's cities and boroughs between 1540 and 1690. It is particularly concerned with those householders who claimed membership of the civic community, or what was often known as the 'city commonwealth', and the culture of citizenship that inclusion within (and indeed exclusion from) this community implied. Citizenship and freedom were denoted by the labels freeman, burgess and citizen, and focus on the beliefs, values, experiences, and identities of these large - and largely ignored - social groups provides a fascinating insight into the everyday lives of people below the level of nobility and gentry. Over the course of the year a wide range of primary sources will be used to consider the political culture of citizens locally and nationally; the spatial and conversational dynamics of citizenship; the changing nature of social, economic and gender relations; citizenship and religious belief and conflict; and the role of citizens in the Revolutions of 1649 and 1688.

Teaching methods

Seminars: 22 x 2 hours.

Private study

Exam preparation; researching, preparing, and writing assignments; undertaking set reading; and self-directed reading around the topic. 356 hours.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Contributions to class discussions, two assessed exercises, an exercise or exercises worth 10% of module marks.

Methods of assessment

Two written exercises, essay or their equivalent, each of 3,000 words (40%);
One three-hour examination (50%);
2 oral presentations, 1 in each semester, each supported by a summary of approximately 500 words (10%).

The submission dates for the written exercises will be 12 noon on the Friday of the second week of the January examination period and 12 noon on the Friday of the May revision week.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 12/04/2005

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