British Cultures

About

This module aims to give you a distinctive critical introduction to British Cultures as broadly conceived. We will study a variety of different cultural forms and genres which range from the late medieval period through to the present day. This gives you the opportunity to study familiar texts in depth whilst introducing you to a broader and more diverse set of materials than you might yet have encountered. The aim is to equip you with the skills that will enable you to interpret examples of British Culture in relation to their historical, literary, and cultural contexts. The module is taught by a convenor with frequent guest contributions from academics in the department with research interests in particular areas.

We start with early folkloric history, with King Arthur and Robin Hood, and then move on to familiar and indeed canonical authors and texts (such as Shakespeare and Austen) and we examine the processes by which these examples have become identified with certain modes of Britishness or Englishness (often, if contentiously, taken as a synonym for British identity). We move on to look at regional variations on the standard model of Englishness, and how landscapes, characters, and genres are informed and shaped by their context, but in turn have shaped our understanding of British identity (Treasure Island, Sherlock Holmes, War Poetry, the Gothic). We will also make a field trip to a site of literary interest. During the final weeks of the module, we turn to children’s literature, counter and/or popular cultures, and think about new models of Britishness in a global context.

By the end of the module, you will have acquired a broad, deep, and nuanced understanding of the diversity of British Cultures, of the processes by which such cultures are produced and reproduced, and of the implications of these processes for our understanding of Britishness.

Course leader

Dr Jo Esra

Target group

International students interested in learning more about the UK, british literature and culture, pop culture

Course aim

By the end of the module, you will have acquired a broad, deep, and nuanced understanding of the diversity of British Cultures, of the processes by which such cultures are produced and reproduced, and of the implications of these processes for our understanding of Britishness.

Fee info