Travellers' Tales and Memsahibs' Memoirs: Writing British Encounters with India and the World, 1600-1900 (U04455)

? Credit Points : 40 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : HCA-4-U04455

This course explores British attitudes to and experiences of India in the era of imperial exploration and expansion (c1600-c1900), as recorded in travel narratives, memoirs, histories, ethnologies and other colonial texts. Using these primary sources as a base, the course will look at British observers from various periods and backgrounds, in order to explore their changing conception of the world and their place in it, from medieval to Victorian times. The course seeks to place attitudes to other societies, in this case India, within the wider context of British and European society, cultures of travel, observation and inquiry and the resulting worldview. It explores ideas such as race, gender, religion, culture, custom, political authority and resistance in order to encourage students to explore how constructions of the 'other' elucidate the observers' sense of self.

Entry Requirements

? This course is not available to visting students.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

History, (School of History, Classics and Archaeology, Schedule E)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 4th year

? Delivery Period : Not being delivered

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 22 weeks

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Monday	09:00	10:50	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate, through essay and examination answers and seminar presentations and discussion, a sound knowledge of the various primary sources studied on the course and the ability to engage with them critically to reach conclusions both about the society observed and the subjectivity of the observer.
2. Critically engage with the theoretical issues involved with using colonial and travel literature as a source, as well as with wider categories, concepts and issues such as race, gender, class, caste, criminality, coercion, resistance, identity etc., and with different as theoretical perspectives and historical methodologies. This will be demonstrated through the effective use of these ideas to produce sophisticated arguments in their essay and examination answers.
3. Have shown, through their essays and examination answers and their contribution to seminar discussions, the ability to evaluate and use effectively the relevant information and the capacity for analytical and critical thinking.
4. Have worked effectively in groups and individually to produce sound, structured and supported arguments in written and verbal form; demonstrating an appreciation of, and respect for, different opinions.
7. Have the ability to produce well-argued, well-documented, and properly referenced coursework and be able to express themselves clearly and effectively, both orally (during seminars) and in writing (through essays and exams).
8. Demonstrate good time-management and the ability to organize the workload effectively so as to meet the established deadlines.

Assessment Information

Students will be assessed on the basis of two 3000 word essays (one per semester) and two two-hour examinations, which will count toward the final assessment with a value of one third and two thirds respectively. Students can expect information, feedback and commentary on their work.