History Seminar
Fall 2008
HIEU 401B
History Seminar
Britain since 1945
Ortolano
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This seminar assists students in writing substantial research papers
about a particular issue in recent British history. Since the end
of the Second World War, Britain has faced many of the challenges typical
of similar Western societies, as well as more particular obstacles
resulting from its status as a recent imperial power. British
history since 1945 has thus been characterized by the creation of the
welfare state, the demise of the British Empire, immigration and racial
conflict, “Swinging London” and the 1960s, second-wave feminism, labor
unrest and the decline of heavy industry, Thatcherite neo-liberal
economics, and Tony Blair’s New Labour. We will spend the first few
weeks of the seminar becoming acquainted with these developments, before
identifying specific topics to explore further through primary source
based papers of about 20 pages. In addition to those papers,
evaluation will be based upon a mid-term proposal, an oral presentation,
and class participation. Readings are likely to include selections
from Peter Clarke, Hope and Glory, Panikos Panayi, The Impact
of Immigration, Paul Gilroy, “There Ain’t No Black in the Union
Jack,” Shawn Levy, Ready, Steady, Go!, Tariq Ali, Street
Fighting Years, and Sheila Rowbotham, Remembering the
Sixties. We will also view the documentary films Seven
Up and The Compleat Beatles.