| Unit name | Colonial Disorders (Level H Special Subject) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HIST30013 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| 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 |
The British in Burma faced a host of challenges to their authority, the two most persistent being disease and criminality. From the very outset of the conquest of Burma these threats were apparent: during the first Anglo-Burmese War in 1824-26, malaria was the biggest killer of British soldiers; the annexation of Upper Burma in 1885 was followed by years of guerrilla warfare across the territory, led by what the British saw as criminal bands. In this unit we will examine the ways in which British colonisers attempted to overcome these twin threats. In the seminars we will extensively examine colonial documents to study British colonial perceptions of illness and social disorder, how they may have been related, and how they changed over time. We will also consider the impact and postcolonial legacy of their strategies for overcoming these disorders, reflecting on how we might uncover a Burmese perspective on this history.
By the end of the unit students should have:
developed their skills in contributing to and learning from discussion in a small-group environment.
Weekly 2-hour seminar Access to tutorial consultation with unit tutor in office hours
3000 word essay (summative, 50%) and 2-hour unseen written examination (summative, 50%)
The essay and examination will assess the student’s understanding of the unit’s key themes, the related historiography as developed during their reading and participation in / learning from small group seminars, and ability to understand and deploy relevant primary sources.
Robert Taylor, The State in Burma (recently reprinted as The State in Myanmar). Michael Charney, A History of Modern Burma.
Matrii Aung-Thwin, The Return of the Galon King: History, Law and Rebellion in Colonial Burma.
Thant Myint-U, The Making of Modern Burma.
Atsuko Naono, The State of Vaccination: The Fight Against Smallpox in Colonial Burma.
Journal of Burma Studies, Vol 14 (2010), Special Issue on Colonial Medicine.
