British Society
Spring and Autumn terms
In this course we will examine contemporary British society, but we will also look at the history of British society, the making of the working class, the elites, and of the British middle class. In the first term we shall be more focused on Britain.
In the second term, we shall look at the export of British society and British values, prejudices and cultural affectations around the world, through language, culture, the Empire, in India, the USA, in Europe and in Ireland.
The objectives of this course are to understand how a small island nation has become so influential in spreading its language and manners around the world and enquire into the nature of this success and the effect it has had on the British as a people and as a race.
This course should be useful to students with an interest in British society today, and the history of the ‘British World’.
Please take notes. This instructor talks a lot and he expects you to remember.
Assessment and requirement:
- Please write a short essay (minimum 1,000 words in English) on any topic inspired by this seminar
- Please attend each class
- Please speak during the class (Class participation 35%)
- Please take notes
- Please download the PDF for each class
- Please write an interesting essay in English (1000 words)
- Essay Titles and Rules:
- Sampson, Anthony: The Anatomy of Britain
- O’Connor, Philip: Vagrancy (Penguin, 1966)
- The Naked Civil Servant by Quentin Crisp (book and film)
- An Englishman in New York by Sting (YouTube)
Spring term
Students will write an essay of 1,000 words on any topic inspired by this course.
Essay submission is in Week 14 [benchmark]
Essay 35%
Class participation 35%
Attendance 30%
The Anatomy of Britain
no downloads
Class
Education
The Professions
Politics
The British Home
The British Poor
The British Rich
Homelessness
(Essay submission)
Course Review
Autumn term
Students will write an essay of 1,000 words on any topic inspired by this course.
Essay submission is in Week 29 [benchmark]
Essay 35%
Class participation 35%
Attendance 30%
World English and the story of English
Lady Diana: the upper class icon and the tragedy in Paris
James Bond, the Man Who Made Britain
The British and the Irish: Britain’s oldest Colony
The British in India: Goodness, gracious me!
The Beatles and the World
The national talent: Shakespeare, Austen, and the making of the literary canon
Oxford and Cambridge: Finishing schools for the global elite
Oxford and Cambridge: Finishing schools for the global elite
The Olympics: Britain shows the world
Cricket, tennis, football, rugby: the British and the globalisation of sport
The British musical invasion of the world
British eccentrics: Quentin Crisp in Chelsea and New York
The British economy as it was and is (Essay submission)
Course Review