Unit information: Themes in Cultural and Intellectual History in 2011/12

Unit name	Themes in Cultural and Intellectual History
Unit code	HISTM2014
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Holdenried
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

To introduce students to key debates about the identity and distinctiveness of intellectual and cultural history. To acquaint students with cutting-edge research within both intellectual and cultural history. To familiarise students with fundamental methodological and philosophical issues inherent in the pursuit of cultural and intellectual history. To assist students in thinking critically about the sources upon which cultural and intellectual historians draw. To prepare students for the in depth case studies provided by the optional units and for dealing with theoretical and methodological issues in their dissertation work.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit, the student will have gained a critical understanding of the character of both cultural and intellectual history, and of the relationship between them. Students will be equipped to assess underlying methodological and philosophical issues about cultural and intellectual history. Students will be familiar with key works, recent and not so recent, which have defined these sub-disciplines, and have an in depth understanding of the problems and issues that are central to cultural and intellectual historians. Students will be capable of assessing the particular approaches to sources taken by cultural and intellectual historians, and of relating such issues to their own emerging research.

Teaching Information

10 seminars.

Assessment Information

One 3,000 word formatively assessed essay which must be passed. Assessment for the unit will not be calculated into the final degree classification, reflecting the nature of the essays assessment which is designed within the context of the MA programme to help raise student awareness of the demands of MA level work, and to help those transferring from first degrees in other disciplines, or from abroad, or indeed both.

Reading and References

• P. Burke, What is cultural history? (2008)

• G. Eley, A crooked line: from cultural history to the history of society (2005)

• L. Hunt ed., The new cultural history (1989)

• D. La Capra, Rethinking intellectual history: texts, contexts, language (1983)

• James Tully ed., Meaning and context: Quentin Skinner and his critics (1988)

• M. Bevir, The logic of the history of ideas (1999)