History
The Making of the Modern World
Module code: V1228
Level 4
30 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Seminar, Lecture
Assessment modes: Portfolio
On this module, you’ll examine the transformation of the world during the long 19th century (c. 1780-1920). You’ll explore how the ‘modern world’ emerged through interconnected developments across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa, revealing modernity as a contested global phenomenon shaped by diverse cultures and violent encounters.
This module emphasises how colonised societies were not passive recipients but active agents in shaping modernity, offering alternative visions of progress and society that challenged those originating in the West.
You’ll investigate major forces including:
- nationalism
- capitalism
- racism
- revolutionary political change.
You’ll examine broader transformations in:
- natural environments
- technologies
- science
- perceptions of time.
You’ll critically assess traditional ideas of progress and modernisation through engagement with exciting recent historical scholarship.
This module will build on your previous knowledge in establishing a foundational understanding of chronological depth and geographical breadth, while fostering key skills of:
- writing
- source analysis
- research
- digital history
- methodological inquiry.
Module learning outcomes
- Deploy valid and relevant historical evidence from the period 1780-1920 in order to craft persuasive and structured arguments.
- Engage critically, imaginatively and empathetically with historical debates around the meanings of modernity and modernisation.
- Effectively utilize feedback and self-reflection in order to evaluate and enhance academic work.
- Demonstrate transferable skills around the identifying, sifting and synthesising of historical information and presenting this information in a variety of written forms.