| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
N/A
N/A
This module analysis British foreign policy since the Suez Crisis of 1956.
The module aims to explain British foreign policy since the Suez crisis of 1956, after which point Britain’s reduced global status was finally undeniable, and the country was infamously accused of having “lost an empire, but not yet found a role”. It considers Churchill’s conception of Britain at the centre of three concentric circles – the US, Europe, and Commonwealth – and the determinants of foreign policy, both external and internal. Case studies will serve as a means of assessing whether British foreign policy was tied to coherent national interests, or was prone to “delusions of grandeur". It goes through until the present, the Global Britain agenda of 2021.
The following is a guide to the topics covered; actual topics may differ from those listed: the UK-US ‘special relationship’; European integration; decolonisation; ‘East of Suez’; the Cold War; the Falklands; Gulf War; Iraq; ‘Liberal Interventionism’; overseas development; the Foreign Office and central government.
Students will gain knowledge of the range of sources available for the study of the British foreign policy, their advantages and limitations. They will have a critical awareness of the historiography surrounding the subject, and be able to relate it to other relevant debates in British history.
The students will develop the following intellectual skills: the capacity for independent study and critical judgement and of the ability to respond promptly, cogently and clearly to new and unexpected questions arising from this study; Reading, understanding, critiquing, and comparing historical arguments; Analysing and evaluating historians’ use of evidence; Interpreting and contextualizing primary sources.
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | Part of student contact hours |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 167 | 1:00 | 167:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 |
Independent learning and wide reading are at the heart of this module. Students are expected to develop critical reading and note-taking in an independent and effective manner. A significant part the teaching will test the development of primary source analysis with an emphasis on contemporary history.
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 2 | M | 50 | 2000 word essay |
| Essay | 2 | A | 50 | 2000 word essay |
Work submitted during the delivery of the module forms a means of determining student progress. The essays test knowledge outcomes and develop skills in research, reading and writing.
Original Handbook text:
Disclaimer: The information contained within the Module Catalogue relates to the 2022/23 academic year. In accordance with University Terms and Conditions, the University makes all reasonable efforts to deliver the modules as described. Modules may be amended on an annual basis to take account of changing staff expertise, developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback. Module information for the 2023/24 entry will be published here in early-April 2023. Queries about information in the Module Catalogue should in the first instance be addressed to your School Office.