VICM2115 - The Victorian Railway

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1 demonstrate advanced understanding of the complex economic, social and cultural debates and interpretations of ‘The Victorian Railway’ and its results.
2 critically evaluate debates and various theoretical constructions of ‘The Victorian Railway’ and its impacts seen in a number of different disciplines (e.g. History, Cultural Studies, English Literature, Economics);
3 demonstrate a high-level understanding of written and statistical primary evidence, artifacts, buildings, photographs, maps and images and other forms of representation that may be used to reconstruct aspects of the cultural history of ‘The Victorian Railway’;
4 critically engage with current research and advanced scholarship concerning the railway, the Victorians, society and culture in Britain, her Empire and the ‘Anglobalized World’ of the nineteenth century;
5 demonstrate self-direction and critical independence in a sophisticated argument that uses appropriate evidence/illustrations and engages with contextual and critical literature on the Victorian Railway,

Content:

This module will explore ‘The Victorian Railway’ and the impact that it had upon life in Britain, her Empire and, where appropriate, the wider ‘Anglobalized World’, during the Victorian period. A range of different theoretical and methodological approaches will be used, employing a variety of forms of evidence. After examining the historiography of ‘The Victorian Railway’, students will be given a range of options to choose from to study in workshops and for the assessed essay. These might include: The Development of the railway system in Britain and overseas; The Impact of the Railway; The Railway Navvy; The Victorian Railway and Industrial Growth; Railway Labour and Employment; The Railway Passenger; Women and the railway; Railways in the British and International Economy; British Imperialism and Railways.

Learning and Teaching Information:

The seminars will use a range of learning and teaching methods including short presentations by the tutor, individual students, group work, role play and scenarios and plenary discussions. Students will receive guidance on websites as well as weekly reading, which they must use in preparation for sessions and for their final piece of assessed work. Students will be expected to reflect critically on the material that they read, both primary and secondary. Demonstrations and workshops will be held on identifying and locating both primary and secondary material, along with buildings and artefacts that are suitable for investigating ‘railway history’. The 20-minute individual tutorial may take different forms as appropriate to the individual student (e.g. face-to-face discussion, e-mail consultations). These tutorials are intended to give students some guidance on their choice of essay question and on researching the topic.

Seminars
Contact hours: 6 x 2 hours

Individual tutorials
Contact hours: 20 minutes per student

Assessment: