Undergraduate Course: Colonial Wars and Modernizing Missions: Europe's violent Transformations of the non-European World in the 20th Century (HIST10358)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 40 |
| Home subject area | History |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | Historians of the 20th century have studied forms of extreme violence mainly on the European continent. While the Second World War and the Holocaust form the centre of the dark century, the second half of the 20ths century appears much more as a time of peace, economic growth, cultural revolutions and development.
This module looks at the 20th century through the lens of colonial warfare, forms of violent communication between Europe and other parts of the world. It suggests re-assessments of the history of violence in the 20th century and looks at different forms of self-appointed European missions in the non-European world. The Christian, scientific, civilizing and modernizing missions were different formats through which Europeans aimed to legitimize colonial rule and the their politics of difference. Particular interest will be paid to the increasing contradictions between the self-conception of European democracies and the realities of colonial warfare on the other hand. Last not least, the module will pay attention to recent debates on the colonial character of the Nazi Empire, questions of how racism and violence in the colonies were linked to experiences on the European continent. Colonialism did not vanish in the air. Legacies, traditions and repercussions will be broadly discussed. The module will end by looking at the broader debate on repercussions of colonial experiences by looking at recent attempts of Western armies in Iraq and Afghanistan to learn from colonial wars.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Delivery period: 2013/14 Full Year, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Learn enabled: Yes |
Quota: 17 |
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Web Timetable |
Web Timetable |
| Course Start Date |
16/09/2013 |
| Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
400
(
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
400 )
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| Additional Notes |
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| Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) |
Please contact the School directly for a breakdown of Assessment Methods
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| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | Colonial Wars and Modernizing Missions: Europe's violent Transformations of the non-European World in the 20th Century | 2:00 | |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
1) an ability to analyse and evaluate conflicting historical interpretations on a given topic;
2) the acquisition of basic knowledge in some of the most important fields of research on European late colonial history, acquiring a better understanding of "the age of extremes" and some of the most important concepts and methodological approaches to study it.
3) an understanding of the political importance of interpretations on colonial history
4) understand the importance of the historiographical concepts such as comparative history and transfer history, entangled history, histoire croisée
5) an ability to synthesize secondary literature;
6) be able to approach and interpret primary sources by using scholarly literature
7) the ability to use these critical skills to advance clear, well-reasoned and independent arguments in both written and oral forms.
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Assessment Information
| Essay (of about 3,000 words): 30%; non-written skills: 10%; 2-hour exam (60%). |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
1. War and Violence in the 20th century ¿ a global history overview
Key reading: A Debate between Ian Kershaw and Stephen Smith
2. Otherness and Violence: The First colonial encounters: Cortés and the Aztecs
Key reading: Tzvetan Todorov
3. Colonial Turning Points around 1900: The Boer War / Philippines
Key reading: H. Walser Smith and Paula M. Krebs
4. Is extreme violence decreasing? Theoretical Concepts.
Key Readings: Norbert Elias, Civilizing Process and Steven Pinker, Better Angels of Our Nature.
5. Heart of Darkness: A metaphor and its meaning
Key reading: Joseph Conrad: Heart of Darkness
Film Clips: Aguirre: Wrath of God; Apocalypse Now
6. Hannah Arendt and the corruption of European culture in colonial violence
Key reading: Hannah Arendt
7. German South-West Africa in 1904: The first genocide of the 20th century?
Key Readings: Isabel Hull, Absolute Destruction; Jürgen Zimmerer, Ostland
8. Independence movements and anti-colonial concepts of violence
Key readings: Frantz Fanon, Wretched of the Earth, Aimé Césaire: Discourse on Colonialism
9. Decolonization, Colonial Wars and Human Rights
Key Readings: Mark Mazower, No Enchanted Palace;
Stefan-Ludwig Hoffman, Human Rightes in the 20th century
10. Overlapping agendas: Cold War and Colonial Wars
Key reading: Matthew Connelly
11. Colonial Transitions: Indochina and Vietnam War
Mark Atwood Lawrence, The Vietnam War: A Concise International History
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| Transferable skills |
Independent gathering of evidence; critical analysis of images/film material, discussion in groups, oral presentations, critical consideration of learning materials; oral argument and debate; management of timetable and workload; and the production of work to deadlines |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Stephan Malinowski
Tel: (0131 6)50 3588
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Rozanne Luty
Tel: (0131 6)51 1783
Email: |
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