History:
The First Year at MMU
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UNITS YOU WILL STUDY IN YEAR ONE
1. The Rise of Persecuting Society (30 credits)
A study of ‘persecution’ in history, from the medieval period to the present, taught
through case studies such as heresy; anti-semitism, colonialism and genocide.
The unit starts with a brief introduction to attitudes, theories and definitions, including
the ideas of conformity and normality, of stereotyping and of exploitation and
persecution at various levels within society. It examines methods of control and
censorship, methods of punishment and elimination and the development of reaction
and resistance. Following the introduction, it examines a number of case studies,
chosen from medieval, early modern and modern periods, but chosen to reflect a
range of dates, places and types of persecution. Case studies will include selected
episodes from, for example, such areas as: heresy; the Crusades; witchcraft; antisemitism; the Inquisitions; colonisation; decolonisation; slavery; sexual minorities;
nationalism; racialism, religious non-conformity.
Assessment: 30% examination/ 70% coursework
Coursework: A group presentation to be assessed on content; delivery and a written,
reflective evaluation (3000 words total or equivalent).
Examination: A 3 hour unseen examination; 3 questions to be completed from a
choice of 12.
Books recommended for purchase by students
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R. I. Moore, The Formation of a Persecuting Society (Oxford: OUP, 1987)
Essential Reading/Resources
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J. Richards, Sex, Dissidence and Damnation: Minority Groups in the Middle
Ages (London: Routledge, 1997.
Norman Cohn, Europe's Inner Demons: The Demonisation of Christians in
Medieval Christendom (London: Heineman, 1975).
David Brion Davis, Inhuman Bondage: The Rise and Fall of Slavery in the
New World (Oxford: OUP, 2006)
Robin Mundill, The King's Jews: Money, Massacre and Exodus in Medieval
England (London: Hambledon, 2010)
Darren Oldridge, Strange Histories: The trial of the pig, the walking dead and
other matters of fact from Medieval and Renaissance worlds (London:
Routledge, 2007).
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Samuel Totten & William S. Parsons (eds), Century of Genocide: Critical
Essays and Eyewitness Accounts (London: Routledge, 3rd edn 2009).
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2. Historic Environment Studies: History, Heritage and Archaeology (30
credits)
This unit introduces first year students to all aspects and representations of the past;
including history, heritage and archaeology. This will aim to provide students with a
broad knowledge of the use and value of the past in modern society.
The focus of this unit is to explore the variety of methods used to investigate the
historic environment. It will assess how these add to our knowledge of the past and
how these approaches have, are and might be presented to the public, introducing
students the wider impact and value history, heritage and archaeology. This unit will
be delivered in lectures (48 hours) and seminars designed to introduce students to
the distinct methodologies and criteria deployed with investigating the historic
environment.
Assessment: 50% examination and 50% coursework
Coursework: 3000 word research project/ report on a specific historical or
archaeological site; to be chosen by the student.
Examination: An examination of the key topics covered in this unit, by means of an unseen
3-hour examination in which students answer 3 questions from a choice of 12.
Books recommended for purchase by students
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Gillis, J.R., Commemorations: The Politics of National Identity (London:
Princeton University Press, 1996)
Brisbane, M., and Wood., A Future for Our Past? An Introduction to Heritage
Studies, (London: English Heritage, 1996)
Howard, P., Heritage: management, interpretation, identity (London:
Continuum, 2003)
Essential Reading/Resources
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Anderson, B., Imagined Communities (Verso, London, 2002).
King, A., Memorials of the Great War in Britain: The Symbolism and Politics of
Rememberance (Oxford: Berg, 1998)
Lowenthal, D., The Past is a Foreign Country (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press,1990)
Lowenthal, D., The Heritage Crusade and the Spoils of History (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1998)
Hunter, M., Preserving the Past: the Rise of Heritage in Modern Britain,
(Stroud: Sutton, 1995)
Samuel, R., Theatres of Memory (London: Verso, 1994)
Schama, S., Landscape and Memory (New York: Vintage Books, 1995)
Smith, L., The Uses of Heritage (London: Routledge, 2006)
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3. Europe in Turmoil, 1900-1939 (30 credits)
This unit provides a broad understanding of key developments in European political
and social history between 1900 and 1939, and, thereby, to prepare you for courses
in twentieth-century European history in years 2 and 3. It is structured around the
major crises of the period and is explored through the four concepts of race, nation,
gender and class which so preoccupied contemporaries. Among the subjects studied
are: the origins of the First World War and its impact on the soldiers and civilians
involved in it; the revolutionary upheaval in Europe between 1917 and 1920; politics
and society in Communist Russia; the rise to power of Hitler and the Nazi Party
before 1933; and the growing threat to European peace in the 1930s.
In addition to increasing your knowledge of historical events, the unit will introduce
you to a range of source materials and give you experience in interpreting various
kinds of historical evidence. You will be introduced to a number of important
historiographical debates, giving you the opportunity to assess the relative merits of
conflicting interpretations of historical events, and you will develop your skills of
written and oral expression through essay-writing and seminar work. By the end of
the year, then, we hope that you will have enhanced your skills as an historian. Just
as important, however, the course aims to increase your self-confidence and critical
faculties as well as your ability to work both independently and in groups. These
‘transferable’ skills will stand you in good stead whatever your final choice of career.
Assessment: 30% coursework 70% examination
Coursework:
There is one piece of assessed work, comprised of a Portfolio containing one 2,000
word essay and an extended bibliography to consist of a specified range of historical
references. As the bibliography will be the first you have completed at University you
will be encouraged to submit a draft which will receive comments and feedback from
staff before submitting the final version.
Examination:
An examination of the key topics covered in this unit, by means of an unseen 3-hour
examination in which students answer 3 questions from a choice of 12.
Recommended Reading:
Martel, G. A Companion to Europe 1900-45, (Wiley, 2011)
Pugh (ed), M. A Companion to Modern European History 1871-1945 (Oxford:
Blackwell, 1997),
Williamson, D. G. The Age of Dictators: A Study of European Dictatorships, 191853, (Pearson: 2007) .
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4. From the Medieval to the Modern (30 credits)
Within this unit you will choose ONE OPTION FROM THE FOLLOWING THREE.
YOU WILL BE ASKED TO MAKE YOUR CHOICE LATER.
Option One: Metropolis – The Making of the Modern City
The city is an inseparable part of modern life.
Today, more people grow up and live in a city than
on the countryside, and today as much as 200
years ago, the city is a place of innovation and
change, a place where decisive developments
happen first, affect a large number of people and
often with breathtaking intensity and pace. The city
is thus a useful magnifier to study social, economic
and cultural transformations of society in close-up.
This option offers an exciting opportunity to do
exactly this: to study social history within a clearly
defined space and time – the metropolis and the
“long” 19th century. As many of the themes dealt
with in the lectures and seminars can be
reconsidered and explored just outside the gates of
MMU, visits and on-site lectures will form an
integral part of the course. With Manchester serving
as our prime example for the history of a 19th
century metropolis, students will become more
familiar with the city they have chosen to study and
(at least some of you) live in. In particular, you will be shown round some of her
museums, libraries, archives, and collections. These visits serve a dual purpose, as
they not only help you understand these institutions as expressions of 19 th century
municipal social, economic and intellectual achievements, but they also introduce
you to the fantastic opportunities Manchester offers to historians for their research.
With all these ingredients, the course will lay a solid foundation for studying modern
social history in an informed, efficient and hands-on manner.
Suggested Readings:
Alan Kidd, Manchester (Lancaster: Carnegie, 2006, 3rd ed.).
Tristram Hunt, Building Jerusalem (London: Weidenfeld and Nicholson, 2004).
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Option 2: Myths of the Medieval and Early Modern World
Unit Coordinator: Dr Kathryn Hurlock (k.hurlock@mmu.ac.uk)
There are a lot of myths and
misconceptions surrounding medieval and
early modern history. The popular view is
that was a time of unfettered violence and
warfare, where there was very little learning
and most people were ignorant of the world
around them. Everyone either believed in
the beliefs set out by the church or were
condemned as witches or heretics, and the Reformation swept this away by rejecting
Catholicism and introducing reform and a new Humanist way of thinking.
This is not the case, as nothing is that black and white. In this course we will look at
four key themes – warfare and violence; religion and belief; gender and power; and
learning – to explore what the medieval and early modern world was like, assessing
these myths about the freedoms of women and the prevalence of violence.
Topics include:
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The Vikings in Europe
Duelling and noble violence
Medieval Religion
Witches, Ghosts and Superstitions
The Power of Queens from the medieval period to Mary I and Elizabeth I
The changes of the Reformation
Voyages of Discovery
Secret Societies
Women at Work, from Brewsters to Prostitutes
In addition, this unit gives you a background to the period and provides you with the
skills needed to tackle your degree with confidence – from notetaking to essay
writing skills.
Suggested Reading:
 Malcolm Barber, Two Cities: Medieval Europe 1050 - 1320 (London, 1992)
 P. H. Sawyer (ed.), The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings (Oxford
1997)
 E. Roesdahl, The Vikings (London, 1998)
 David M. Loades, The Reign of Mary Tudor: politics, government, and religion
in England, 1553-1558 (London, 1991)
 Susan Doran, Monarchy and Matrimony: the courtships of Elizabeth I
(London, 1996)
 R.N. Swanson, Religion and Devotion in Europe c.1215-c.1515 (Cambridge,
1995)
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Option 3: North America: Columbus to Civil War
In November 2012 the United States
will decide whether its first black
president deserves a second term of
office. This unit will help you to
understand the history behind these
momentous events. This unit explores
the history of North America from the
period of first white contact through to
the end of the Civil War in 1865. It
explores why white Europeans
wanted to cross the Atlantic initially
and looks at the factors that
determined the nature of colonies
such as Virginia, Massachusetts and
South Carolina and their relationship with Britain. Another key theme is American
Independence and the creation of the United States, while the final third of the
course is devoted to Slavery and the Coming of the Civil War. The unit looks at key
political and economic developments as well as exploring the lives of ordinary
people. There is plenty of research material available online and we will use a range
of primary sources including letters, diaries, legal documents, political manifestos
and maps. The unit is taught through weekly lectures followed by a weekly seminar
in which you will have the opportunity to discuss the lecture and your reading for that
week, and develop the skills needed to complete the assessment.
Assessment: 100% coursework. In the first term you will write a book review of an
academic book (2000 words) and in the second term you will write a long essay of
4000 words choosing from a list of questions provided.
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HISTORY IN YEARS TWO AND THREE
Year Two
These modules are currently on offer, but can be subject to change from year
to year. The options you take may be partially determined by your choice of
degree scheme (e.g. BA Modern History)
Core Modules:
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Empires in World History
The Making of Modern Europe (either Constructing a New World: Europe 1450-1750,
Europe, Nazism and War 1930-1950; or The Victorians)
Options:
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American Ordeal: The United States in the Era of the Civil War and Reconstruction
Anti-Semitism in Britain and the United States, 1840-1939
Cowboys and Indians: The History of Native Americans
France, 1914-1968
Greeks and Romans: living and dying in Classical Antiquity
History In Practice
Islam and Christianity in the Medieval Mediterranean World
From Revolt to Revolution: Imperial Russia, 1825-1917
Indian and South Asian History from Early Times to the Present Day
Issues in Women’s History
Medieval England, 1066-1400
Nazi State and Society
Revolution, Dictatorship and Freedom: Histories of Central Europe, 1918-2008
Revolutions: Change in Early Modern Britain and France
Sex, Society and the Family in England 1800-1960
The Making of Multi-Cultural Britain
Twentieth Century Britain: Society, Culture and Politics
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Year Three
These modules are currently on offer, but can be subject to change from year
to year. The options you take may be partially determined by your choice
of degree scheme (e.g. BA Modern History)
Core Module:
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Dissertation or Independent Study
Options:
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Atlantic Histories
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British India 1757-1947: The Rise and Fall of the British Empire in India
Cold War, 1945-91
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Cold War Mentalities
Divided Britain: Poverty and Progress in the 1980s
Edwardian Britain and the First World War
Holocaust: The Destruction of European Jewry
Nations and Nationalism in Europe: 1789-1915
Prohibition to Swinging Sixties: American Society 1918 to 1969
The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union, 1917-1991
Romans and Barbarians: the Roman Empire in Western Europe
Studies in Slavery
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Tudor England, 1485-1603
Victorian Manchester: the ‘Shock’ City
Warrior Societies: war and combat in Classical Greece
The Wars of the Roses
Youth in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries
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