2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

HIST5850M Concepts and Debates in Social and Cultural History

30 Credits Class Size: 14

Module manager: Dr Simon Quinn
Email: S.Quinn@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

This module introduces you to key concepts and debates in social and cultural history. It explores these closely related historical disciplines by engaging with the key ideas and influential works that have shaped the field. We will consider how these approaches have developed, and how they engage with different types of primary sources.

Objectives

This module aims to help students reach a critical understanding of the development of social history and cultural history as related historical disciplines, across a broad chronological and thematic range. Two-hour weekly seminars will encourage students to debate and interrogate key theorists, approaches, and schools of thought that have shaped the methodology and practice of social and cultural history, and to apply those approaches to primary sources.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. analyse the development of social history and cultural history as related historical disciplines, across a broad chronological and thematic range
2. evaluate the methodologies of social and cultural history and utilise them to analyse primary sources

Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
3. Gather, analyse and interpret information from a range of sources
4. Communicate information and ideas verbally and in writing

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module

Teaching Methods

Delivery type Number Length hours Student hours
Seminar 11 2 22
Private study hours 278
Total Contact hours 22
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) 300

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Students will deliver a 7-10 minute in-class presentation on a source of their choice in the relevant week (W2-7). They will then receive peer-to-peer formative feedback from the other members of the class and written feedback from the tutor to help them develop their ideas ahead of the submission of the summative assessment in week 8. Students will receive training in the first seminar on how to give constructive feedback. They will also receive written feedback on their case study in advance of the essay deadline.

Methods of Assessment

Coursework
Assessment type Notes % of formal assessment
Case Study 2,000-word case study 40
Essay 4,000-word essay 60
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) 100

Case study Students will choose one of the approaches taught during weeks 2-7, analyse it (development, strengths, limitations) and then use it to analyse a primary source of their choice. Due week 8 4,000-word essay Students will choose a different approach discussed in seminars and use it to analyse a topic of their choice. Due Exam Week 2

Reading List

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 18/10/2024

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team