Aims

The purpose of this module is to explore and engage, in detail, the histories, issues, and debates concerning the varied forces that defined and shaped Global Black History from beginning of the Transatlantic slave trade of the sixteenth century to the present.

Outline Of Syllabus

The module will explore various historical, cultural, socio- political, and intellectual formations, movements, and connections crisscrossing the Atlantic. In understanding the geographic spaces framing the Atlantic littoral (England, Europe, Atlantic Africa, and the Americas) across five centuries, students will be expected to think broadly about historical and contemporary issues relevant to a Global Black history and presence. As often as possible, guest lectures, music and sound clips, documentaries, and films will be utilised to provide additional perspectives and views. An indicative syllabus follows:

• Introduction, Course Overview and Origins of the Black Atlantic History

• Movement, Circulations, and Diasporas

• Early Atlantic Encounters

• Gender, Race and Slavery

• Social Death, Cultural Life, and the “Africanisms” Debate

• Memory and Mobilising the Past

• (Re)memory, Reparations, and the Afterlives of Slavery

• Syncretism or Resistance? Black Atlantic Religions in the Americas

• Music across the Black Atlantic World

• Pan-Africanism, Black Nationalism, and Black Promised Lands

• Late Atlantic Encounters

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

As a Stage 2 module, aside from an in-depth understanding of the content of the module, the teaching methods, which focus on small group work, presentational and oral skills, team work, lecture delivery and independent research and writing, relate to the core learning outcomes of supporting students in developing sophisticated research skills across a wide range of sources, being able to synthesise the information they collect and form convincing and coherent arguments.

Independent learning is essential to this module: students are expected to develop skills of source evaluation, critical reading and note-taking in an independent and effective manner. Seminar teaching complements these skills by allowing students the opportunity to share and debate information gathered independently. In addition, students will be required to work in small teams to deliver a poster and oral presentation, enhancing their team-working experience and skills. Oral skills of argument and presentation will be developed. Moreover, a significant part of seminar teaching will test the development of primary source analysis and problem solving.

Small group teaching will allow the students to explore ideas and patterns together in a structured way, and great emphasis will be placed on primary sources and their interpretation.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

This module (1) supports and assesses student progression at Stage 2 and (2) endeavours to support their skills development, including academic and employability.

The assessment requires students to work as part of a team, set their own deadlines and goals, allocate work together and then present it. Organisational and time management skills are to the fore here. The research essay emphasises independent thinking and learning (supported by the Module Team), research literacy and finding skills, writing and structuring skills and working to deadlines.

Work submitted during the delivery of the module forms a means of determining student progress. Submitted work tests intended knowledge and skills outcomes, develops key skills in research, reading and writing.