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AM-111
The American Experience 1492-2000
This module offers a broad interdisciplinary survey of key themes in American history from 1492 to 2000.
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AM-251
America in Crisis: Political Culture and Society from the Tet Offensive to Trump
1968 is often characterised as the annus horribilis of modern American history. Jules Witcover referred to 1968 as `The Year the Dream Died¿ and soon critics of the 1970s were writing in terms of America undergoing `Anxious Years¿ (McQuaid), as having `Uncertain Greatness¿ (Morris), and talking in terms of a `Retreat from Empire¿ (Osgood). This module will critically examine the reasons behind, and impact of, America¿s crisis of confidence. Such an analysis will consider the importance of issues such as the end of the Vietnam War, the Black Power movement, the Watergate Crisis, the pardon of Richard Nixon, the reopening of the Kennedy assassination, the so called `political malaise¿ and the Iranian Hostage crisis. The course then examines the legacy of events that lead to a surge in support for the Moral Majority and the New Right in America. As such, the course will look at the resurgence of religion as a powerful force in American domestic and foreign policy, a force that retains considerable sway in current American elections. The course will look at how Ronald Reagan focussed on bringing back pride, power and prestige to the presidency through a focus on new economics, tax cuts and heavy military spending. Despite this, the connection of the New Right to Reagan is a complex one. The legacy of this period will also be assessed in terms of the polarisation of American politics during the 1990s and beyond, the formation of the Tea Party, and the continuing decline in the trust in American government and political representatives.
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AM-252
America in Crisis: Political Culture and Society from the Tet Offensive to the Tea Party
1968 is often characterised as the annus horribilis of modern American history. Jules Witcover referred to 1968 as `The Year the Dream Died¿ and soon critics of the 1970s were writing in terms of America undergoing `Anxious Years¿ (McQuaid), as having `Uncertain Greatness¿ (Morris), and talking in terms of a `Retreat from Empire¿ (Osgood). This module will critically examine the reasons behind, and impact of, America¿s crisis of confidence. Such an analysis will consider the importance of issues such as the end of the Vietnam War, the Black Power movement, the Watergate Crisis, the pardon of Richard Nixon, the reopening of the Kennedy assassination, the so called `political malaise¿ and the Iranian Hostage crisis. The course then examines the legacy of events that lead to a surge in support for the Moral Majority and the New Right in America. As such, the course will look at the resurgence of religion as a powerful force in American domestic and foreign policy, a force that retains considerable sway in current American elections. The course will look at how Ronald Reagan focussed on bringing back pride, power and prestige to the presidency through a focus on new economics, tax cuts and heavy military spending. Despite this, the connection of the New Right to Reagan is a complex one. The legacy of this period will also be assessed in terms of the polarisation of American politics during the 1990s and beyond, the formation of the Tea Party, and the continuing decline in the trust in American government and political representatives.
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AM-330
America and the Bomb
This module looks at the history and development of America¿s role in creating and utilising the atomic bomb as well as the development of `nuclear diplomacy¿ and subsequently America¿s attempts at nuclear control and non-proliferation. The course traces America¿s path to becoming the first nuclear power and focuses on the impact that this had both on international relations (notably the cold war, Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the development of concepts like `Mutually Assured Destruction¿) as well as the impact on America internally (the Rosenberg Case, McCarthyism and the rise of public fear). The course looks at how nuclear agreements were attained in the altered environment of the late 1980s and what caused this change, before looking at current controversies regarding America¿s attempts to counter perceived growing nuclear threats in such countries as Iran and North Korea. As an inter-disciplinary course there will be a utilisation of relevant films and media sources which reflect the prevailing attitudes of the time.
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AM-338
Clear and Present Danger: Terrorism and America
This module will provide an in-depth study of America¿s complex relationship with terrorism. Terrorist acts against America are as old as the Republic itself. Following consideration of what actions can meaningfully be considered acts of terrorism, this module will scrutinize, assess and explain terrorist threats against the US since 1776. It will offer both context and analysis of these threats and demonstrate that there are important historical connections and trends to be identified, not least in America¿s response to them. The module will seek to compare and contrast important periods in American history in which terrorist threats were prevalent, from the 1886 Haymarket Bombing to the attack on Wall Street in 1920 through the rise of terrorist threats during the 1950s when Congress was attacked and an attempt was made on the life of President Harry S. Truman. The module will then move to assess the escalation of terrorist threats from both terrorist groups and rogue states during the late 1960s when Nixon declared the problem a clear danger to the US through the 1980s when Reagan declared a `war on terror¿. The module culminates with the attacks of 9/11. The module will encourage students to make use of a wide variety of primary sources that will enable to them investigate, analyse and understand the origins and responses of the US to terrorist threats both historically and contemporarily. The module will also offer a multi-disciplinary approach to its subject by considering the impact of terrorism on American popular culture and demonstrate that as presidential interest in the terrorism threat began to rise from 1968, so too did interest from media sources and movie makers.
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PO-223
Extended Essay (Politics)
This module examines British political debates on public policy as they have developed from the New Liberals to the Labour Government of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. It looks at five key periods and controversies. Firstly, the purpose and achievements of the so-called 'New Liberalism' of the turn of the century and beyond. Secondly public policy during the crises of the inter-war years. Thirdly, we will examine the question of the post-war 'consensus' over public policy. The fourth topic is the origins and nature of Thatcherism while the fifth is the origins and development of the Labour Government since 1997. Students following this module will thus develop a sound knowledge and appreciation of the ongoing debates about the nature and purpose of public policy as well as arguments over the means of implementation. They will also find themselves able to place contemporary debate into its vital historical perspective.
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PO-281
British Politics and Public Policy
This module examines British political debates on public policy as they have developed from the New Liberals to the Labour Government of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. It looks at five key periods and controversies. Firstly, the purpose and achievements of the so-called 'New Liberalism' of the turn of the century and beyond. Secondly public policy during the crises of the inter-war years. Thirdly, we will examine the question of the post-war 'consensus' over public policy. The fourth topic is the origins and nature of Thatcherism while the fifth is the origins and development of the Labour Government since 1997. Students following this module will thus develop a sound knowledge and appreciation of the ongoing debates about the nature and purpose of public policy as well as arguments over the means of implementation. They will also find themselves able to place contemporary debate into its vital historical perspective'
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PO-3330
Genocide
Genocide is considered by most to be the gravest crime against humanity. Various authors have estimated that during the twentieth century between 60 million and 120 million people were killed by premeditated acts of genocide, which targeted specific ethnic, religious, racial, or class-related groups. But why do people kill? And what can be done to prevent, punish and/or overcome this `odious scourge¿ of humankind?
This module explores the nature of genocide and mass violence and seeks to discover the common historical, political, and sociological threads that unite these tragedies. In this module, students will engage with theories of genocide and mass violence and discuss a series of case studies including, among others, the near extermination of First Nations people by colonisers of the New World, the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in the period of the First World War, the Holocaust (Shoah), Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s and Rwanda in 1994. Further, this module will ask questions such as: why did the twentieth century witness so many occurrences of deliberate genocide, on such an unprecedented scale? What is the context for these acts of mass violence? How should genocide be defined in order to differentiate it from other forms of mass destruction? Should we consider the killings of millions of people by Communist regimes forms of genocide or do they amount to other forms of crimes against humanity?
