The History of Now (V1367)

15 credits, Level 4

Spring teaching

Historical memory is constantly contested, and this is no less true in today’s society. Our understanding of events and movements that attract public attention – from economic cycles to social trends and global conflicts – always relies heavily on a study of past events. Whether we are searching for roots and causes, or for continuities and differences, or just for lessons learned but then forgotten, history retains a central role in the way we understand today’s world.

On this module, you’ll consider the history of the 21st century, exploring what we can learn about the present through our analysis of the past, and vice versa. By focusing less on ‘what is history?’ and more on ‘what is history for’, you’ll address central questions of contemporary history practice, considering the layers of the event, the discipline and our lives. 

You’ll develop:

• a firm historical perspective on current affairs
• an awareness of historical methods
• an enhanced understanding of your own approach to history.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 30 hours of contact time and about 120 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

Courses

This module is offered on the following courses:

• History BA