HIS-30139 - Crime Worlds in early modern England 2: Images of Crime in Popular Culture

Coordinator: Eleni Liapi Tel: +44 1782 7 33882

Lecture Time: See Timetable...

Level: Level 6

Credits: 15

Study Hours: 150

School Office: 01782 733147

Programme/Approved Electives for 2019/20

History Combined Honours (Level 6)
History Major (Level 6)
History Minor (Level 6)
History Single Honours (Level 6)
Liberal Arts Single Honours (Level 6)
Liberal Arts Single Honours (Masters) (Level 6)

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2019/20

This module continues the examination of crime by focusing on specific cultural themes (such as gender, violence, metropolitan culture) and their expressions in literature and print. This course examines how crime was perceived by contemporaries: readers, theatre goers and ballad audiences all engaged with information on crime presented through different prisms. How did this information affect the ways in which people thought about crime? This course will complement Crime Worlds in early modern England 1, by looking at a different set of sources and examining how representations of crime influenced public opinion. It allows students to assess the usefulness of employing methodologies from other disciplines in historical research as well as the different approaches that scholars have taken in the history of crime.

Aims

This module aims to introduce students to a fresh way of looking at key themes in early modern history. By focusing on literary sources and the ways in which they reflect social issues relating to crime, this module will allow students to develop analytical skills and interdisciplinary approaches to the study of history. Examining how popular opinion was informed by instances of crime, students develop their ability to evaluate sources and engage with the historiography of the early modern period.

Intended Learning Outcomes

critically assess the ways in which crime was portrayed and understood by early modern audiences and its impact on public opinion: 1,2,3,
assess and evaluate the historiography on the subject, identifying how different approaches illuminate different aspects: 1,2,3,
articulate historical arguments informed by secondary reading and after selection of appropriate examples from primary sources: 1,2,3,
develop critical skills in analysing primary sources and assessing their uses and limitations: 1,2,3,
develop and refine skills of verbal and written expression and organisation through group presentations, assessments and the resultant staff feedback: 1,2,3,

Study hours

20 hours in seminars
40 hours preparing for seminars
15 hours preparing the group presentation
25 hours preparing and writing the source commentary
50 hours preparing and writing the essay

School Rules

HIS-30137

Description of Module Assessment

1: Group Presentation weighted 20%
Group Presentation
Group Presentations will be done in groups of 3 or 2. Presentations should last about 15 minutes (with 5 extra minutes dedicated to questions) and offer a collective description and analysis of a particular research question connected to the seminar theme, which will be provided to the students at the beginning of the module. Presenters should use a PowerPoint presentation and provide a hard copy handout to the class outlining the major points of their presentation. Presentations will gain credit for the following: presentation skills, group skills, visual aids, structure and argument, interpretation, examples, answering questions. Even though it is important to give examples and a description of the context, the presentation should present a clear argument, answering the question given. There should be evidence that all members of the group have participated and that this is a joint effort.

2: Commentary weighted 30%
Source commentary
An extended 1500-word commentary on one gobbet (document extract or other kind of primary source)

3: Essay weighted 50%
A 2,000-word essay
An essay of c.2,000 words chosen from a list of questions drawn up by the tutor

HIS-30139 - Module Specification School of Humanities Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

HIS-30139 - Module Specification
School of Humanities
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences