Course codes:

AN12000BA; AN18007BA; AN2200OMA

Seminar, 2hrs, graded

First year BA, Minor programme

Mon, 4.00-5.40 p.m., Lecture Hall II

Instructor: Szabó Éva

Office hour:Mon6.00-7.00 p.m., Rm 104

Email:

1

Wed, 6.00-7.40 p.m., Rm 55

The course has a double aim. First, to introduce students to British cultural history and life in modern Britain, that is, to basic cultural phenomena, and second, to improve the students’ language skills. In each seminar various images, newspaper articles, literary,and visual texts (including films, e.g. The King’s Speechand iconic British television series like The Vicar of Dibley, Inbetweeners, Yes, Minister, etc.) and songs (from William Blake’s “Jerusalem” through John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero” to Muse’s “Uprising”) are discussed. The discussions are accompanied by comprehension questions and exercises on the topics, including popular images of Britishness vs. Englishness, national symbols, language, manners, gender roles, other “things English” (tea ceremony, the cult of the countryside, the Beatles, etc.), political institutions, the cultural geography of London, law, education, class, international relations, Euroscepticism, race relations, multiculturalism, religion, welfare and the media.

Requirements:

CLASSROOM WORK:Students are expected to read the assigned chapters for each class as this is the basis of classroom participation, and it also contributes to the final gradewith 10% of the maximum. The success of the seminar will greatly depend on your contribution; it is essential, therefore, that participants take an active part in classroom discussions.

QUIZZES:can be expected at the beginning of seminars to check students’ familiarity with the assigned readings. It will take approximately 5 minutes to write these tests. If the total of the quizzes does not reach 60% percent, the entire course fails to be graded. Latecomers will not be allowed to write them, nor those who are absent from the class. In case of failure, there will be one more chance topass them on week 14, together with the end-term test. Also, quizzes count 10% of the final grade.

PRESENTATION: Every student will have to give a short presentation (10 minutes at the maximum) on a freely chosen topic closely related to the relevant chapters of the O’Driscoll book. The presenter has to prepare a well-prepared handout for the group and it is requiredthat the presentation is of high quality both in terms of form and content. Students are advised to include extra cultural, historical info, interesting details, pictures, music, videos, etc. The presentation cannot be completely read out, the student can of course check his/her notes while presenting.Presentation topics are discussed in the first class. The student has to consult with the instructor one week before the presentation and show her the handout.

MID-TERM TEST:an objective test on the material covered in the first half of the term.

End-term test:anobjective teston the material covered in the second half of the semester; definitions, general outline of certain cultural issues, short essay questions on particular topics (to be answered in 5-6 sentences).

Class attendance:no more than three missed classes can be tolerated.

Grading policy
Course components / Percentage
classroom work / 10%
presentation / 10%
quizzes / 10%
mid-term test / 30%
end-term test / 40%
Total / 100%
/ Overall percentage / Grades
87-100% / 5
75-86% / 4
63-74% / 3
51-62% / 2
0-50 % / 1

Neither mid-term tests, nor end-term tests can be rewritten. If the mid-term test receives a very low percentage, the student will have to write a very good end-term test in order to get a grade for the course. Unlike exams, both the mid-term and the end-term tests assess how students have been studying during the entire semester. If the mark for the mid-term and the end-term does not add up to 50%, the final grade for the course will be 1. Only occasional quizzes can be rewritten, as it is described above.

(N.B. NO GRADE CAN BE OBTAINED UNLESS ALL THE COURSE COMPONENTS ARE FULFILLED)

TEXTS:

For the assigned chapters of the O’Driscoll book’s pdf version one can email the instructor,or one can also download it from the librarian’scomputer in Rm. 101 together with the course material.

Further handouts distributed by the instructor or sent via email in advance.

Week / Date / Topic
1 / 19/21
Sept / Orientation and general introduction
  • sample UK citizenship test
  • watching a scene from The King’s Speech
  • discussing some popular images of the UK

2 / 26/28
Sept / English vs. British: places,myths and national symbols
Required reading: James O’Driscoll, Britain, chapters 1 (Country and people)and 3 (Geography)
Other materials used in class:
  • The Union Jack video clip
  • “God Save the Queen”
  • watching a scene from Trainspotting (on Scottish identity)
  • listening to William Blake’shymn “Jerusalem”
Presentation topics may include: chapter 2 (History),Braveheart, Stonehenge, landscapes, Derby - Pride and Prejudice, Haworth – Brontë country, English myths, nursery rhymes, etc.
03/05
Oct / The English character and some “tribal rites,”language, manners, the social classes, gender roles
Required reading: James O’Driscoll: Britain, chapters 4 (Identity) and 5 (Attitudes)
Other materials used in class:
  • Paul McCartney: “English Tea”
  • “Women, know your limits!” (BBC video)
  • Blur: “Country House”
  • “The Stately Homes of England”
Presentation topics may include: chapter 20 (Food), GBBO, River Cottage - Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Jamie Oliver, Heston Blumenthal, amateurism, high/afternoon tea, etc.
4 / 10/12
Oct / INSTRUCTOR IS ON OFFICIAL LEAVE = NO CLASS THIS MONDAY
MAKE-UP CLASS TO BE HELD
Attitudes towards politics, thepresent state of the monarchy, thecultural geography of London
Required reading: James O’Driscoll, Britain, chapters 6 (Political life) and 7 (The Monarchy)
Other materials used in class:
  • Images and maps provided by the instructor
  • watching a scene from The Queen
  • Powerpoint presentation: “The British Monarchy”
Presentation topics may include:life of Elizabeth II, the British Royal Family (Kate &William, Princess Diana, Prince Charles and Camilla), Tudors, David Cameron, Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill, etc.
5 / 17/19
Oct / Political Institutions
Required reading: O’Driscoll: Britain, chapters 9 (Parliament)and
8 (The Government)
Other materials used in class:
  • Powerpoint presentation: “Government in the UK”
  • watching Yes, Minister
  • images, charts and videos provided by the tutor
Presentation topics may include:life and career of Theresa May/David Cameron/Tony Blair/Winston Churchill, Downing Street 10, the PM’s life in The Queen, etc.
6 / 24/26
Oct / Mid-Term Paper
7 / 31/Oct
02/Nov / Consultation Week (no class)
8 / 07/09
Nov / Law
Required reading: James O’Driscoll, Britain,chapter 11 (The Law)
Other materials used in class:
  • “Monty Python’s Flying Circus Court Scene”.
  • images, charts and videos provided by the tutor
Presentation topics may include:famous/scandalous cases in UK, the court episode in Mind Your Language, the court episode in My Family, Is It Legal?, Law and Disorder, etc.
9 / 14/16
Nov / Education, class
Required reading: James O’Driscoll, Britain, chapter14 (Education)
Other materials used in class:
  • watching the Ascot scene from My Fair Lady
  • John Lennon: “Working Class Hero”
  • watching Inbetweeners
  • watching a scene fromDownton Abbey
  • Powerpoint presentation: “UK Education System” - British Council presentation
  • “The Grumpy Guide To Class.”
Presentation topics may include:universities (consult instructor on sources), “Eton Style” (“Gangnam Style” parody), Starter for 10, Keeping up Appearances, Mrs Dalloway, Oliver Twist, North and South, Eton College, etc.
10 / 21/23
Nov / International relations, Euroscepticism, Brexit
Required reading: James O’Driscoll, Britain, chapter 12 (International Relations)
Other materials used in class:
  • Sinead O’Connor: “Famine”
  • U2: “Bloody Sunday”
  • Powerpoint presentation: “Commonwealth, EU, North Atlantic Relations”
  • Cartoons: The Falklands War
Presentation topics may include:chapter 15 (Economy and everyday life), “Where Are British Troops and Why?”, the Falklands War 1982, George Mikes: “How to Lose an Empire.”, The British Empire, Commonwealth Games, etc.
11 / 28/30
Nov / Race relations, multiculturalism, religion
Required reading: James O’Driscoll: Britain, chapter 13 (Religion)
Other materials used in class:
  • watching a scene from East Is East
  • watching a scene from The Vicar of Dibley
  • Powerpoint presentation: “Religious diversity in Britain”
  • watching a scene from Empire Road
Presentation topics may include:multicultural Britain (consult instructor on sources), fusion cuisine, fusion music, Salman Rushdie, “The New Empire Within Britain.”, Love Thy Neighbour, Mind Your Language, Bhaji on the Beach, Bend It Like Beckham,etc.
12 / 05/07
Dec / Welfare and the media
Required reading: James O’Driscoll, Britain, chapters 18 (Welfare) and 16 (Media)
Other materials used in class:
  • newspapers, charts provided by the instructor
  • Powerpoint presentation: “The Media in Britain”
  • Song: The Daily Mail Song by Dan&Dan
  • Mitch Benn: “I’m Proud of the BBC”
Presentation topics may include: The Times and the Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Daily Mail, The Telegraph, NHS strikes, charities, Oxfam, Doctors and Nurses, the BBC, etc.
13 / 12/14
Dec / Everyday life, sports, festivals
Required reading: James O’Driscoll, Britain, chapters 23 (Holidays) and 21 (Sports)
Materials used in class:
  • watching a wedding and the funeral from Four Weddings and a Funeral
  • Muse: “Uprising”
Presentation topics may include:chapters 17 and 19 (Transport and Housing), 22 (The Arts), leisure activities, gardening, British Airways, the Tube - the London Underground, 2012 London Olympics, football teams, etc.
14 / 19/21
Dec / End-Term Test

1