National University of Ireland, Maynooth
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY
OPTIONAL MODULES
II ARTS SEMESTER 2 2013-14
PLEASE NOTE
Flyers provide information supplementary to that available in module descriptors, which may be viewed on the university database at www.nuim.ie/courses.
Students are expected to consult both flyers and module descriptors in advance of registration.
national university of ireland, maynooth
department of history
second arts, 2013-2014
Second Semester
LecturerTO BE ASSIGNED
/ Module codeHY 217 / Credits
2.5
Module title
READING MODULE 2B
Module content
This module requires students to read one or more assigned books/articles and to present an analytical report.
A list of approved titles will be provided on the relevant Moodle site early in the semester.
Upon successful completion of the module, students should be able to compose an analytical report based on assigned reading.
Form of assessment2,500 word essay to be submitted by Monday, 12 May 2014
Special requirements (e.g., field trips inc. cost; special sessions; books)
None
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, MAYNOOTH
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY
SECOND ARTS, 2013-2014
Second Semester
Module Co-ordinatorDR DENISE DUNNE / Module code
HY 220 / Credits
2.5
Module title:
European Studies special [Reading module]
TWENTIETH-CENTURY EUROPEAN HISTORY – THE SECOND WORLD WAR
Module content
Students must read and write a review of one of a list of books that will be circulated by the Module Co-ordinator in the second semester. Students will choose one title from a list of monographs, read, and formally review in a critical fashion. The book review must address the following:
1. The author’s approach towards his/her sources
2. The author’s approach to the historiography of the subject
3. The central thesis being propounded by the book
4. The contribution that the book makes to our understanding of the subject
There are no lectures attached to this reading module. However, students will be required to attend one tutorial that will be scheduled on a Friday during the second semester in order to discuss the criteria that are essential to the completion of a good book review. Attendance is compulsory. There will be one tutorial only - the date of the tutorial is non-negotiable and will be posted on Moodle early in the second semester. It is the responsibility of the student to acquaint him/herself with the time and venue. Thereafter, students will contribute to self-learning by taking responsibility for accessing appropriate resources to complete the book review.
On successful completion of this module students will be able to present an analytical report/book review on assigned reading.
Module aim
The aim of this module is to allow students to familiarize themselves with the literature on a key topic in twentieth century European history.
Form of assessment
A book review of up to 2,500 words
Deadline: Monday, 12 May 2014
Special requirements (e.g. field trips incl. cost; special sessions; books)
Although this is a self-taught reading module, students must attend one tutorial as described above.
national university of ireland, maynooth
department of history
second arts, 2013-2014
Second Semester
Lecturer
MR JOHN BRADLEY / Module code HY 224 / Credits5 / Lecture hours per week
Two
Module title
SETTLEMENT AND SOCIETY IN IRELAND: PREHISTORY TO THE MIDDLE AGES
Module content
Ireland has one of the richest archaeological and historical landscapes in Europe, owing largely to the low impact of agriculture and industry on the countryside until recently. This landscape can be seen as a 'book of evidence' in which the story of nine thousand years of human settlement can be read. The words of this story are the thousands of archaeological monuments scattered throughout the island, including for example megalithic tombs, stone and earthen forts, castles and churches.
The settlement evidence of early Ireland is an invaluable means of understanding early societies on this island. Early communities valued ancestry and kinship greatly, while their societies were organised according to gender, age and social status. The past would have been ever-present in their mental landscapes, and particular places acquired meaning and symbolic importance through time. Indeed we can see at places like Newgrange and Tara how the past was used to substantiate a community's ancestral claims to a landscape.
The past is just as important today, with archaeological and historical monuments being used as key places for the construction of the modern Irish identity, especially in the form of nationalist myths about an ethically and pure 'Celtic' Ireland. The past has also been used to create the modern idea of an environmentally 'green' island, where the Irish landscape is seen as unspoilt and ideal for tourism investment and development. Ironically, the impact of the Celtic Tiger economy has meant that the Irish archaeological and historic heritage is now being destroyed at a frightening pace.
This module will review the evidence for settlement and society in Ireland, from early prehistory to the late medieval period (7000 BC-1600 AD). The methodologies and importance of multidisciplinary approaches to the early Irish landscapes will be stressed, with an emphasis on history, archaeology and the natural sciences. Irish historic settlement will also be discussed in its European context.
Form of assessmentIn-class test (20%);
project (approx. 4,000 words) on a topic approved by the lecturer (80%).
Project deadline: Monday, 12 May 2014
Attendance requirements apply. See relevant module descriptor at www.nuim.ie/courses.
Special requirements (e.g., field trips inc. cost; special sessions; books)
There will be one day field trip on a Saturday and a half-day field trip to the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin on another Saturday. All participants in the module are expected to attend.
national university of ireland, maynooth
department of history
second arts, 2013-2014
Second Semester
Lecturer
DR ALISON FITZGERALD / Module code HY233 / Credits5 / Lecture hours per week
2
Module title:
PICTURING THE RENAISSANCE
Module Content:
This elective examines European visual culture during the Renassance period. It explores the production and consumption of art, the role of politics and patronage in shaping the art market, and the evolution of style from the ‘rebirth’ of interest in the ancient world to the visual sophistication of the High Renaissance. Though focusing primarily on painting, it also considers other media including sculpture, print and decorative arts, and investigates issues such as the use of art in both public and private spaces, artist-patron relationships and the techniques used in the production of sacred and secular art.
No previous knowledge of the History of Art is required.
Assessment:
In-class assessment: 20%
Essay: 80%
Deadline: Monday, 12 May 2014
Attendance requirements apply. See relevant module descriptor at www.nuim.ie/courses.
Special requirements (e.g., field trips inc. cost; special sessions; books):
The number of students admitted to this module is limited to 25.
A site vist to the National Gallery of Ireland will be a required course component and will take place on a Friday afternoon/Saturday morning.
national university of ireland, maynooth
department of history
second arts, 2013-14
Second Semester
Lecturer
DR JEAN WALKER / Module code HY 237 / Credits5 / Lecture hours per week
Two
Module title
GENDER IN IRISH HISTORY
Module content
The module explores the concept of gender studies through Irish history 1800-1970, tracing changing patterns of gender interaction in Irish history and exploring the relationship between the genders in social, legal, religious and political contexts using particular case studies.
Areas of study will include the language of gender studies, the importance of gender as a factor in masculine and feminine identity formation and how gender impacted on all aspects of life such as education, life expectation and health, war, politics, landownership and work. Political social and legal impediments to equal gender participation in public life, the exclusion and integration of men or women within the workplace and the impact of social legislation on gender relations will be among key areas of discussion.
Learning Outcomes
The student will have a knowledge of the language of gender studies and an introduction to the interpretation of primary source material in order to assess gender bias within archival material. S/he will also gain an understanding of the often symbiotic relationship between the sexes as well as the strains between them and unity and divisions between the genders at crucial historical junctures.
Module aim
This module aims to introduce students to the concept of gender studies through Irish history 1800-1970.
Assessment
In-class presentation 20%
Written review of a short journal article on gender studies 20%
Research project based on primary sources on a topic approved by lecturer (c.3500w) 60%
Deadline for submission of essay: Monday, 12 May 2014
Attendance requirements apply. See relevant module descriptor at www.nuim.ie/courses.
Special requirements (e.g., field trips inc. cost; special sessions; books)
None
national university of ireland, maynooth
department of history
second arts, 2013-14
Second Semester
Lecturer
DR JENNIFER REDMOND / Module code HY 254 / Credits5 / Lecture hours per week
Two
Module title
Modern Ireland Social Elective (A)
THE IMPACT OF MIGRATION
Overview
This module examines the social impact of the major migration flows from Ireland in the twentieth century on the shape of the country today. Migration from Ireland has been the single biggest factor shaping Ireland’s population, economy and the pace of social change in the modern era. We will examine the statistical, oral and documentary evidence on migration from Ireland, including newspapers, letters and public statements. The module will analyse migration from a social history perspective, focusing on how it was viewed within Ireland by politicians, the Catholic and Protestant Churches and ordinary people. We will also critically interrogate the arena of social commentary in journals and newspapers to determine how migration was framed in positive and negative terms at different points in time in the twentieth century. Migration affected the demographic profile of the country and we will examine how fertility and marriage rates, rural depopulation and social and moral attitudes were affected. Students will also reflect upon a number of critical questions, and generate their own, in the course of their research and presentations: how did migration affect those who stayed in Ireland? What were the forces that either drove people to leave or encouraged them to stay? What kinds of evidence can we use to reconstruct attitudes to migration in the past? Furthermore, how are the contemporary trends in migration related to those in the past?
At the conclusion of this module students will have a comprehensive understanding of migration from a social history perspective. Students will hone their research skills using traditional archives and the available digital resources. During the course of the semester, students will have completed an independent piece of research based on primary and secondary sources, and given a class presentation on a topic of their choice.
Assessment
In-class test/presentation/etc 20%
Research project (approximately 4,000 words) based on primary sources
on a topic approved by the lecturer: 80%
Deadline for submission of essay is Monday, 12 May 2014
Attendance requirements apply. See relevant module descriptor at www.nuim.ie/courses.
Special requirements (e.g., field trips inc. cost; special sessions; books)
Trip to the National Archives in Dublin to examine primary source material
national university of ireland, maynooth
department of history
Second arts, 2013-14
Second Semester
Lecturer
DR DARRAGH GANNON / Module code HY 272 / Credits5 / Lecture hours per week
Two
Module title
Modern British elective
BRITAIN: FROM EMPIRE TO EUROPEAN COMMUNITY, 1815-1973
Module content
This module examines the history of Britain, domestically and internationally, between 1815 and 1973. The course will investigate the social changes which occurred within Britain during this period from the grinding progress of the Industrial Revolution to the communal securities of the Welfare State. The political ideologies of the major British political parties will be explored, contextualising British domestic and foreign policies while also offering fresh perspectives on pivotal Irish historical events such as the great Famine, the Irish revolution and the Troubles.
The module documents the evolution in British foreign policy over the course of this tumultuous period, from the Pax Britannica of the nineteenth century to bloody engagement in consecutive world wars during the twentieth century. British colonial policy will be discussed, its imperial century (1815-1914) contrasting sharply with post-Second World War decolonisation. The course traces Britain’s changing economic emphases from imperial trade to membership of the European Economic Community. It will also address British popular culture, exploring the national identities and sensibilities revealed by influential British artists from Charles Dickens to the Beatles.
Assessment
Book review 25%
Research project (approximately 4,000 words) based on primary sources
on a topic approved by the lecturer: 75%
Deadline for submission of essay: Monday, 12 May 2014
Attendance requirements apply. See relevant module descriptor at www.nuim.ie/courses.
Special requirements (e.g., field trips inc. cost; special sessions; books)
None
national university of ireland, maynooth
department of history
Second arts, 2013-14
Second Semester
Lecturer
DR DAVID LEDERER / Module code HY 282 / Credits5 / Lecture hours per week
Two
Module title
INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF THE EMOTIONS
Module content
Emotions move people and feelings like fear, love and hate can unite or divide them. In this thematic introduction to an exciting new field of historical research, we will consider both the universality and cultural specificity of how people feel, both as individuals and as groups. The participants will consider how feelings are created, taught and transmitted, how they change over time and how they have impacted upon major political events, social movements and economic conjunctures throughout time.
Module aim
This module familiarizes participants with theoretical and interdisciplinary tools from cultural anthropology, cognitive psychology and the neuro-sciences and offers an opportunity to apply emotionality to the global analysis of specific historical events from antiquity to the present.
Form of assessment
Grades are based on short assignments (40%) and a final essay of approximately 3,000 words (60%).