History

The Making and Unmaking of Europe from the 1870s to the present

Module code: V1319
Level 5
15 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Seminar, Lecture
Assessment modes: Essay

This module addresses European history from the late 19th century to the present. 

In this module, we’ll explore:

  • the massive destruction during the Second Thirty Years' War (1914–1945)
  • the economic "miracles" in Western Europe, like France's ‘Trente Glorieuses,’ West Germany's ‘Wirtschaftswunder,’ and Italy's ‘miracolo economico,’ alongside attempts to build socialist utopias in Eastern Europe (1945–1975).

This period of incredible prosperity eventually led to the rise of the modern neo-liberal global age (post-1975). You'll analyse what drove these changes by comparing different countries and identifying key themes, looking at how these transformations shaped a new European identity. The focus will be on Europe as a whole, crossing East and West, North and South, to highlight common features across the continent over the past century.

Module learning outcomes

  • Deploy existing knowledge of topics of broad historical significance to the analysis of the national history of a particular country or region.
  • Apply understanding of the historical concept of change over time to varied and contested national and regional chronologies
  • Deploy existing knowledge of historiographical debates to questions specific to particular national histories.
  • Communicate information, arguments and analysis relating to national and regional history in written forms suitable for an informed audience.