As an undergraduate, I enjoyed considering the historical roots of contemporary institutions and beliefs. I realized that I also enjoy looking beyond historical political institutions and debates to the human experiences and ideas underpinning them. My key area of interest became twentieth century Britain, which I find a dynamic and exciting time. I explored this period by studying modules on British politics and society in the twentieth century. I like investigating the experiences of normal Britons during events usually studied for their serious historical implications, particularly the world wars. I took a special interest in immigration in twentieth century Britain. My interest in history was further fuelled by a module on the history of political thought, which encompassed European theorists including
Saint-Simon, Hegel, Marx, Durkheim and Weber. I intend to engage in extensive further reading about modern history over the upcoming Summer holiday.
I chose to apply for the MA in Modern History at Warwick University because the course matches my academic interests very well. The optional modules look fascinating. I’d like to study War Experiences and Memorial Culture in Europe. Having encountered diverse individual accounts of war in diaries and poetry, I’d like to understand how an individual’s account both reflects and shapes the collective consciousness of their society. I’d also like to study Tensions of Empire: British Identities in a Colonial World, especially in its discussions of national identity and the history of imperialism. This would provide context to my proposed dissertation on British immigration. Should these modules not be available, I’d also enjoy studying Migration, Health and Ethnicity in Modern History.
I’d enjoy learning about a specific area in detail in order to write my dissertation. My intended dissertation topic is the portrayal of coloured New Commonwealth immigration and immigrants by newspapers between 1945 and 1990. These immigrants encountered significant intolerance. Studying newspapers is important, since they impact both public opinion and government policy. I would like to contrast how immigration and immigrant groups were presented by left-wing and right-wing newspapers, and by tabloids and broadsheets.
I-d like to investigate whether newspapers with a working class readership, who felt their jobs were threatened by immigrants, took a harder line. I could investigate how newspapers presented immigrants entering different economic sectors. It is said that the Ugandan
Asians arriving in 1972 were initially resented, but later accepted into the middle class.
Perhaps broadsheets portrayed this group differently to tabloids. I’d also like to test my simplistic assumption that the left-wing press focused on integration, and right-wing press on limitation. I could also discover whether newspapers portrayed immigrants differently dependent on whether English was their first language, and whether newspapers accepted settled immigrants as citizens at different times.
After My Masters, I’d like to pursue doctoral study of Twentieth Century Britain. The MA in
Modern History would prepare me in two ways. Firstly, the course would expand my existing knowledge of modern history. Secondly, the course would develop my ability to take a historical approach to analysis.