FF:HIB0254 Britain and the Empire

HIB0254 Britain and the Empire 1793-1914

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2005

Extent and Intensity

2/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).

Teacher(s)

Dr. David M. Young (lecturer), Mgr. Hana Ambrožová (deputy)

Guaranteed by

prof. PhDr. Jiří Malíř, CSc.
Department of History – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Hana Ambrožová

Timetable

Mon 11:40–13:15 26

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/30

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

there are 19 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display

Course objectives

Course Aims and objectives The aim of the course is to introduce students to the development of the British Empire and the theories related to its history. The development of the British Empire is a good starting point for issues in international relations, great power politics, inter-racial relations and the world economy. Consequently the course will give a chronological overview of the Empire from the end of the eighteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth century and then study some contemporary theories of imperialism together with the economic, political and cultural consequences. The course also involves a regional case study of British imperialism in the Middle East.

Syllabus

Lessons Topics Part 1: Chronological Overview 1. 1793-1850 Key questions: To what extent were the Napoleonic Wars a world war? What gains did Britain obtain from the Napoleonic Wars? To what extent was imperial expansion fuelled by the industrial revolution? Reading: Lawrence James, The Rise and Fall of the British Empire (rev. edn. 1998), Part 2: Chapter 8, pp151-165 2. 1850-1880 K: What was the role of the white dominions? How did British rule in India change after 1857? How and why was the South American informal empire developed? R: James, op.cit., Part 3: Chapter 2, pp184-199. 3. 1880-1914 K: What was new about the new imperialism? What were the motivations for the expansion? How stable was the Empire in 1914? R: M. E. Chamberlain, The New Imperialism (1970) Part 2:Theory and Practice 4. Religion and racism K: What were the motivations of the missionaries? Is racism an anachronistic term in relation to the Empire? How did British attitudes change towards the cultures and nations of the Empire over this period? R: Andrew Porter, Religion, missionary enthusiasm and the Empire, in A. Porter (ed.), Oxford History of the British Empire (Oxford 1999), pp222-246 5. Great Power Politics K: How was the Empire governed? To what extent was imperial rivalry a motivation for the expansion of the Empire? What was the military function of the Empire? R: Peter Boroughs, Defence and Imperial Disunity, in A. Porter (ed.), Oxford History, pp320-345. 6. The Political Economy of Imperialism K: Which groups in Britain gained from imperial expansion? How expensive was the Empire to maintain? Was imperialism the highest stage of capitalism? R: Patrick OBrien, The costs and benefits of British Imperialism 1846-1914, Past and Present 120 (August 1988), pp163-200 Part 3: Critics of Empire 7. Anti-Slavery K: What were the politics of the anti-slavery movement? To what extent did the anti-slavery movement change the course of British imperialism? To what extent was the acceptance of anti-slavery a victory for moral, political or economic force? R: Andrew Porter, Trusteeship, Anti-slavery and humanitarianism, in A. Porter (ed.), Oxford History, pp198-221. 8. Conservatives vs- Liberals K: To what extent can we see political continuity in British imperial policy? What tension was there between advocates of protection and free trade? What impact did the Empire have on domestic politics? R: E. H. H. Green, The Political Economy of Empire, 1880-1914, in A. Porter (ed.), Oxford History, pp346-367. 9. Liberal Imperialists vs- socialists K: What was meant by imperial efficiency? How did British socialists view the Empire? What was the impact of the Boer War on radicals, progressives and socialists in Britain? R: Jules Townshend, J.A. Hobson (Manchester 1990), Chapter 5, pp101-115. 10. Imperialism and Popular Culture K: How was the Empire presented for popular consumption? How popular was the Empire among working class people? To what extent was British popular culture exported through the Empire? R: Denis Judd, Britain: Land Beyond Hope and Glory?, History Today, Vol. 49 (4), April 1999, pp18-24. Part 4: Regional Study Egypt and the Middle East 11. 1798-1882 K: What was Britains relationship with the Ottoman and Persian empires? How did the Suez Canal change the focus of Britains view of the Middle East? What was Britains relationship with other Great Powers (esp. France and Russia) in the Middle East? R: Peter Mansfield, A History of the Middle East (1991). 12. 1882-1923 K: Why did Britain occupy Egypt after 1882? How did occupation alter policy towards the Ottoman Empire and the rest of the Middle East? How did the British govern in the Middle East? R: Afaf Lutfi al-Sayyid-Marsot, The British Occupation of Egypt from 1882, in A. Porter (ed.), Oxford History, pp644-689. Part 5: Comparisons and connections 13. The British Empire and the First World War K: Did imperialism increase continental rivalry in the period before 1914? How can we classify imperialism? What similarities and differences are there between the British Empire and other European empires? R: P. J. Cain and A. G. Hopkins, British Imperialism: Innovation and Expansion 1688-1914 (1993), Chapter 14, pp449-465.

Assessment methods (in Czech)

Teaching Methods All teaching and assessment will take place in English. Furthermore, it is assumed that students have an outline knowledge of nineteenth century British and European history. However, no prior knowledge of specifically imperial history is required. The course will consist of lectures and seminar activities. Because of the limited time available there will be a need for the content to be covered in lecture form. Seminar activities reading, writing and discussion exercises - will also take place. Students will be expected to participate in these. Requirements The class be assess in three ways attendance and participation (20%), a written assignment (40%) and an end of semester test (40%). Attendance and Participation Of the thirteen lessons students are expected to attend a minimum of ten. Only in exceptional circumstances can this be waived. For the purposes of the seminar tasks, students will be expected to have completed the reading, answer the questions and respond to any discussion which may develop. Written Assignment A list of essay questions is printed below. Students should select a title from one of these and compose an answer approximately 2000 words long (about 4/5 sides of A4). It should be written in a formal academic style with appropriate referencing. It should also contain a brief bibliography listing all works consulted (rather than just cited) in English and in Czech. A guide to style and a grading outline is available from DMY. End of semester test This test will consist of short questions where the student has to write no more than a paragraph. There will also be a document question in which the student has to interpret and respond to the contents. The test should last about 60 minutes.

FF:HIB0254 Britain and the Empire - Course Information

HIB0254 Britain and the Empire 1793-1914

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