History and Politics BA Honours

This is a module where teaching and learning takes place in small groups, with you meeting your tutor on a regular basis. The content of the tutorials will be tailored to the group but will be used to develop study skills and work towards assessments.

This module gives students the opportunity to understand the dilemmas and challenges of ‘doing politics’ in contemporary political life, encouraging active learning to enable and enact political change. The module foregrounds a series of political challenges facing contemporary political systems across the world – such as inequality, right-wing populism, authoritarianism, militarism, anti-migrant politics, political alienation, democratic crisis, the future of work, and the climate crisis. It focuses on political activism, participation, and campaigning as a way of ‘doing politics’. The module also draws on insights and engagement with local and national organisations to encourage thinking about ways to address these challenges.

The module will support students to develop their professional profile as ‘change-makers’ by enabling students to achieve the bronze level of the Westminster Award by embedding relevant activities within the programme and accredited skilled based assessment.

No historical period can be seen in isolation from those which preceded it, but so many of the crucial factors in the making of the modern world emerged and developed in the extraordinary 150 years from the middle of the eighteenth century to the early twentieth. Ideas such as liberalism, democracy, republicanism, imperialism, socialism, and nationalism of course had their antecedents in earlier times, but it is in our period that they develop a seemingly unstoppable momentum, with profound consequences for societies all over the world and for the individual people who lived in them.  

In politics, the most used concepts (such as freedom, equality, power, democracy) are the most contested. Hence, the very meaning of political concepts is the subject of political dispute. What, for example does it mean to be equal? What does it mean to be free? What role, if any, does the state have in judging these ideals or in helping us to achieve them? In Political Ideas in Action, you explore a range of possible answers to these questions as given by political thinkers and actors today and in the past. In doing so, the module facilitates the development of your critical thinking skills and judgement. The module demonstrates and teaches methods of constructing political and academic arguments through an examination of the historical foundations of liberal democracy, the competing ideologies that operate within and sometimes against it, and the ways in which political power is allocated, won and lost.

This module introduces students to institutions and governance at the local and global level. It begins with a focus on the nation-state as the foundational unit of political organisation. Students will explore and compare political systems and institutional arrangements across different states, including unitary and federal systems, and examine the evolving role of local and regional governance. Building on this foundation, the module then expands to consider governance across scales, from national to supranational and global levels. It introduces key global governance organisations and frameworks, prompting critical reflection on how power is distributed and exercised in the international system. Students will analyse how the global power structure - shaped by institutions, rules, norms, and regimes - affects the capacity of states to defend their sovereignty and pursue their interests. The module employs the comparative method to examine how different states navigate these constraints and opportunities, and assesses the implications for global order and governance in the 21st century.

This module provides you with an insight into the fabric of British history - from a social, cultural, political, and economic perspective - between 1760-1867. Through exploring a series of key moments, it traces the continuities and discontinuities of the period and strives to impart a textured understanding of modern British history that includes formerly marginalised voices. The module pays particular attention to the interplay between empire and metropole, and probes the ways that the British Empire influenced the everyday lives of Britons. The key moments under consideration include ideas of the empire; industrialisation; urbanisation; political reform radicalism; development of class politics; national identity; celebrity; the advent of mass-media and gender politics.

Since the French Revolution protests have been among the key drivers of the course of modern history. Using a wide variety of case studies in different settings this module addresses: when and why do protests occur; who protests and for what reasons; the different ways in which protests are expressed, from anarchy to terrorism; how far the nature of protests has changed over time; why some protests succeed and others do not.

The module presents you with an immersive introduction to the dynamic fields of international relations and law, elucidating how legal principles and international relations theories collectively shape today's global order. It delves deeply into the foundational principles, methodologies, and practical applications inherent in both disciplines, empowering you to understand the intricate ties between domestic legal systems and the global arena. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach, you'll investigate foundational theories of justice and their alignment with international relations concepts. The module further delves into the historical evolution of the international system, emphasising the important role played by legal regimes and international treaties.

This is a module where teaching and learning takes place in small groups, where you'll meet your tutor on a weekly basis. The content of the tutorials will be tailored to the group but will be used to develop study skills and work towards assessments and particularly in preparing you for the dissertation at level 6.

Four case studies in modern history, informed by staff research specialisms. Content may vary year-on-year.

Through the study of a selection of classical texts and exploration of contemporary approaches to the study of politics and international relations, this module offers you the chance to enrich your disciplinary knowledge and understanding. By exploring the points of contact and departure between political thought and theories of international relations you'll gain an understanding of the diversity of theory and its role as a key source of innovation.

This module provides an introduction to the global history of the twentieth century, an 'age of extremes', looking beyond the traditional Euro-centric or western approaches to the past. It focuses on the first half of the 20th century, beginning with the catastrophe of the First World War and ending with the Cold War. Alongside major political shifts, the sessions on the module consider important cultural and social developments. You'll study a range of global turning points such as the First World War; the Russian Revolution; inter-war feminism; the global rise of fascism; the Spanish Civil War; the Second World War; the Holocaust; and the origins of the Cold War.

This module focuses on the period after 1945 and provides an introduction to global history, looking beyond the traditional Euro-centric or western approaches to the past. The module begins with the aftermath of the Second World War and ends with the dissolution of the Soviet Empire. Alongside major political shifts, the sessions on the module consider important cultural and social developments. You'll study a range of global turning points of the second half of the 20th century, such as the Cold War in Asia; China; Life in Eastern Europe; the 1968 revolutions; the Cambodian genocide; the birth of global and regional international organisations; Apartheid; Ukraine; the end of the Cold War.

This module explores the key institutions, actors, and processes shaping contemporary British politics. Focusing on current issues – from inequality to constitutional reform, devolution, populism, Brexit, and the crisis of the Westminster model – it prepares students to critically analyse the evolving political landscape of the UK. Where possible, the module may include organised visits to important political sites – such as Parliament, party headquarters, or media organisations like the BBC – supporting authentic assessments like podcasts and research grant proposals to foster active engagement with the challenges facing British democracy today.

This module offers a thematic introduction to governance practices in European countries and the European Union (EU). It covers constitutional and institutional resources of governance in  a multi-level Europe and explores the executive, legislative and judiciary powers; elections and  electoral behaviour; interest representation, and new governance challenges. The module is placed in a contemporary context and developments of topical relevance are explored, including  EU enlargement, the rise of populism, economic governance; and relations between Europe and the wider world.

In the context of the society and economy of the East End of London, this module examines the series of murders of women that took place in 1888 - the 'Jack the Ripper' murders. You'll look at the circumstances of the lives of the victims; the police investigation; the role of the press; sex work and violence against women; popular culture in 1888 and the rise of detective fiction as well as cultural reinterpretations of the murders since 1888 in novels, film, theatre and 'Ripperology'.

Four case studies in modern history. Content may vary year-on-year.

Practices of inclusion and exclusion are increasingly put at the centre of politics, affecting the way we approach sovereignty, participation, democracy, and liberalism. The module unpacks the methodological issues that such practices ingrain, engaging with broader debates about borders, antagonisms and affected communities. It draws on a range of contemporary cases (from the rise of the far right to sexual politics in the Trumpocene, race, and the criminalisation of citizenship) to identify and map the forms, conditions and legal contexts that determine whose voice will be heard and whose will not. Throughout the module, special attention is given to discourse analysis and strategies for socio-political reform.

This module will allow you to undertake a substantial independent research project within modern history on a subject of your choice. The module will enable you to demonstrate the key historical skills of working with primary and secondary sources, as well as researching and writing history to a high standard.

Sovereignty is a core principle that structures international relations, both as a discipline and as a field of study. Sovereignty however, remains contested in how it is enacted in a postcolonial and globalised world. Significant transnational issues shape sovereignty, such as neocolonial relations, global finance, and counterinsurgencies. Sovereignty is distributed unevenly and hierarchically, and many sub-state nations struggle for representation, justice and recognition. Through an exploration of a range of case studies this module provides you with a critical understanding of sovereignty. You'll explore communities that straddle various territories, such as the Kurds. You'll explore how border communities shape state security politics, such as the Uyghurs and struggles over land and recognition in settler-colonial spaces, such as Palestine and Canada. This module provides you with a global and decolonial understanding of sovereignty, as a principle that has always been contested and enacted unevenly in international relations.

Twelve case studies in modern history, informed by staff research specialisms. Content may vary year-on-year.

Internship and work experience module in a cultural institution that is concerned with history. This may be in an archive, museum, gallery, or media organisation subject to the approval of the module leader.

The module offers an overview of policy processes from agenda setting, through implementation to evaluation. Informed by a wide range of theoretical and conceptual approaches to governance and policymaking (eg positivist versus post-positivist perspectives, new institutionalism, public choice theory, elitism, pluralism, Marxism etc.), the module focuses on the challenges of policymaking in a real-world setting, largely in the UK and European Union. The module draws on a range of policy areas including social, environmental, security and development policy. (The selection may vary from year to year according to contemporary relevance and the availability of study material. Together, you'll illustrate the parameters of and tensions involved in every stage of the policy process.) You will specialise and complete the module assessments in one of these areas. The module incorporates professional skills training in policy research, which will be particularly useful for students interested in policy-related work in governmental, non-governmental and private sector organisations.

This module concentrates on the politics of development in the Middle East, investigating the extent to which this region has been structured by international and global political economy as opposed to domestic factors. The module examines significant debates and issues in state formation, political regimes, economy and society, particularly considering the legacies of imperialism and the impacts of neoliberalism on the regional dynamics of development. It investigates the politics of critical national resources such as oil and their implications for the state, economy and society. We will look at the main political forms and forces, including the authoritarian 'rentier' state, pressures for democratisation and liberalisation, and the rise of political Islam. The final part of the module focuses on conflict, intervention, and popular struggle, reflecting on perspectives on future development in the region.

Twelve case studies (six per semester) in modern history, informed by staff research specialisms. Content may vary year-on-year.

Social and political movements – the main, even only, way that many people ‘do’ politics – are established features of contemporary societies. You bring new ideas into public discourse and challenge the practices of governments and states. The module analyses a representative sample of contemporary movements, in the developed world and in other regions; studies the wide range of factors, national and transnational, shaping movement birth, development and decline; and evaluates the main theories used in social movement scholarship.

Fall of Berlin Wall; collapse of communism; the rise of China; genocide in Africa and/or the Balkans; terrorism; the rise of political Islam; Ukraine, Russia and the world; the Arab Spring and Middle East conflict; the impact of the AIDS epidemic and LGBTQ rights; globalisation and the rise of populism; sustainable development and the road to the SDGs; the impact of the Internet and AI.

This is a work experience placement associated with employment with an appropriate employer that you as a graduate might eventually join, such as a small or large business, an arts organisation or a subject-based placement in a school.

Assessment consists of a portfolio which you'll complete. You'll need to source your own placement. Support is provided via three face-to-face teaching sessions: one introductory session, one session focused on the assessment, and one drop-in session to discuss work towards the assessment. You are also strongly encouraged to make full use of the support offered by discussing your placement and coursework with the module leader during the semester. In cases where you are unable to secure a placement by the end of the first week of the semester, or where a placement has fallen through, the University will support and facilitate a change in module.