ENG2505 – Identities in the British Isles
Course description
Course content
This course will give an historical introduction to the forming of different and competing national identities in the British Isles from 1500 to the present. Emphasis will be placed on the emergence of a British identity in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and on how this has developed since in competition with the older national identities: English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish.
The course will take into account the different interpretations of Britishness that have been devised since the beginning of the seventeenth century, and look at how British identity has been affected by the emergence of a multicultural society in Britain since 1945.
Learning outcome
After completing this course, you:
- have an understanding of the nature of national identities in Britain and Ireland, with a particular focus on Britishness.
- have an overview of the development of Britishness over time, and the particular challenges facing this identity today.
Admission
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Prerequisites
Recommended previous knowledge
It is strongly recommended that students take the survey course ENG1505 – British Civilisation, and introduction before they begin their study of Identities in the British Isles.
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with ENG2510 – Englishness (discontinued)
- 10 credits overlap with ENG4525 – Identities in the British Isles (discontinued)
Teaching
Seminar, two hours per week for 10 weeks, 20 hours in all.
Attendance is obligatory at least 8 out of 10 seminars. Additional absences must be justified by documentation to the exam administrator.
Students must submit a first draft of the paper within a set due date. Feedback will be given.
During the semester, students will prepare one oral group presentation for the rest of the class.
All obligatory activities must be approved in the same semester.
Examination
The exam consists of two parts: