Unit information: Rise and Fall of European Colonialism (Level I Lecture Response Unit) in 2011/12

Unit name	Rise and Fall of European Colonialism (Level I Lecture Response Unit)
Unit code	HIST20027
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Cervantes
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of History (Historical Studies)
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

By the start of the twentieth century, with a small number of exceptions such as Thailand, Southeast Asia from Burma in the west to the Philippines in the east was under colonial rule. This high watermark of Western dominance was reached at the end of over four centuries of direct interactions between European and Southeast Asian societies. Yet by the middle of the twentieth century these colonial states had either been dismantled or were in retreat. In this unit we trace the long history of European imperialism in Southeast Asia as it went from the early modern maritime trading empires, to the Victorian territorial colonial states, through to decolonisation. In doing so we will consider a host of questions: Why did European powers gain ascendancy? What impact did colonialism have on Southeast Asian societies? And, is it possible to write a history of Southeast Asia on its own terms?

Intended Learning Outcomes

• To provide a broad grounding of the history of European Colonialism.
• To provide a particular perspective from the tutor to which students can react critically and build their own individual views and interpretations.
• To explore the possibility of writing a history of colonial polities on their own terms.

Teaching Information

Weekly 2-hour interactive lecture sessions Tutorial feedback on essay Access to tutorial consultation with unit tutor in consultation hours

Assessment Information

A 3000 word essay (50%) and 2-hour unseen written examination (50%) will assess the student’s understanding of the ways in which historians have interpreted developments in the field; test the student’s ability to think critically and develop their own views and interpretations; and test the students’ understanding of the history of European colonialism.

Reading and References

Nicholas Tarling (eds) Cambridge History of Southeast Asia Volumes 1 and 2.

Anthony Reid, Southeast Asia in the Age of Commerce, 1450-1680.

James C Scott, The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia.

Nicholas Tarling, A Fleeting Passing Phase: Imperialism in Southeast Asia. Ian Brown, Economic Change in Southeast Asia, c.1830-1980.

Victor Lieberman, Strange Parallels: Southeast Asia in Global Context, c.800-1830.