HIST2351: Memory and conflict in Europe since 1918

• A pass mark in at least ONE level one module in History

• None

• None

• To introduce students to the key concepts of memory studies and to a critical understanding of the relationship between history and memory.
• To apply these concepts to an appropriate historical context and content in late modern Europe.
• To develop an understanding of the politics of history and memory in late modern Europe.
• To contribute towards the achievement of the Department's generic aims for study at Level 2.

• Twentieth-century Europe has been marked by memory battles. This module will explore these memory cultures from the interwar period through to the post-war period and to post-communism.
• It will examine European politics, memory, and history during the period in question in a transnational and comparative manner.
• It will investigate some of the most significant contestations over history and memory with a strong yet not exclusive focus on Central and Eastern Europe.
• Students will be guided through important conceptual work on memory and noteworthy instances of memory conflicts and claims, such as identity formation in the new states of interwar Europe, notions of victimhood after World War Two, and politicized memory in post-communist east-central Europe.
• It will therefore provide a critical overview of European identity formation in the twentieth century.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• Knowledge and understanding of the theories and concepts of memory studies.
• Knowledge and understanding of relevant historical context and content in late modern Europe.
• Critical use of concepts in historical research.

Subject-specific Skills:

• Building on and developing skills gained at Level 1.
• Deepening and extending historical understanding through focused, concentrated modules.
• Developing precision, depth of understanding, and conceptual awareness.

Key Skills:

• The ability to employ sophisticated reading skills to gather, sift, process, synthesise and critically evaluate information from a variety of sources (print, digital, material, aural, visual, audio-visual etc.).
• The ability to communicate ideas and information orally and in writing, devise and sustain coherent and cogent arguments.
• The ability to write and think under pressure, manage time and work to deadlines.
• The ability to make effective use of information and communications technology.

• Student learning is facilitated by a combination of the following teaching methods:
• Lectures to set the foundations for further study and to provide the basis for the acquisition of subject specific knowledge. Lectures provide a broad framework which defines individual module content, introducing students to themes, debates and interpretations. In this environment, students are given the opportunity to develop skills in listening, selective note-taking and reflection.
• Seminars to allow students to present and critically reflect upon the acquired subject-specific knowledge, methodologies and theories, and to identify and debate a range of issues and differing opinions. The seminar is the forum in which students are given the opportunity to communicate ideas, jointly exploring themes and arguments. Seminars are structured to develop understanding and designed to maximise student participation related to prior independent preparation. Seminars give students the opportunity to develop oral communication skills, encourage critical and tolerant approaches to reasoned argument and historical discussion, build the students' ability to marshal historical evidence, and facilitate the development of the ability to summarise historical arguments, think in a rapidly changing environment and communicate in a persuasive and articulate manner, whilst recognising the value of working with others and, occasionally, towards shared goals.
• Assessment: Examinations test students' ability to work under pressure, to prepare for examinations and direct their own programme of revision and learning and develop key time management skills. The examination gives students the opportunity to develop relevant life skills such as the ability to produce coherent, reasoned and supported arguments under pressure. Students will be examined on subject specific knowledge.
• Summative coursework will test students ability to communicate ideas in writing, present clear and cogent arguments succinctly and show appropriate critical skills as relevant to the particular module.

Formative work done in preparation for and during seminars, including oral and written work as appropriate to the module. The summative coursework will have a formative element by allowing students to develop ideas and arguments for the examination and to practice writing to similar word limits.

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