VICM2275 - Victorian Imperialism: Imperialism as Material Culture

Objectives:

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

1 demonstrate advanced knowledge and critical understanding of examples of the material culture of British Imperialism, produced at home, within the British Empire and in the international world;
2 demonstrate a critical understanding of the relevant high-level theoretical approaches to analysing the material culture of Victorian Imperialism;
3 apply advanced theory and research methodologies to analysing one example of the material culture of Victorian Imperialism (example to be selected by the students);
4 demonstrate self-direction and critical independence in a sophisticated written argument that provides an analysis of a particular example of material culture produced by Victorian Imperialism.

Content:

This module explores Victorian Imperialism at home, in the Empire and the wider ‘Anglobalized’ World, through the material culture that the British Empire has left behind. After exploring methodological approaches to the ‘material culture’ of Empire through theoretical readings and case studies, wider issues will be considered through selected artefacts, maps, illustrations, photographs and buildings. Subjects to be examined might include: Race and Empire, Technologies of Empire, Monarchy, People and Empire, The Imperial Environment, Imperial Space, The Empire at Home, Empire and After – The Significance of Victorian Imperialism for Britain today.

Some examples of ‘material culture’ to be examined may include: The Anti-Slavery Medal ‘Am I not a man and a brother?, Illustrations in The Illustrated London News and The Graphic; The Leeds constructed locomotive The Fairy Queen of the Great India Peninsular Railway, 1855, the transatlantic telegraph cable and international telegraph hub, Porthcurno, Cornwall; Terracotta effigy of Queen Victoria produce in Lagos late nineteenth century, The Durbar Room and Rudolf Swaboda paintings of Victoria’s Indian subjects, Royal Collection, Osborne House. Guidance will be given to locating suitable artefacts, works of art, illustrations for this analysis, using databases and other intra and internet resources. Students will produce an assessed essay in which they will examine a specific aspect of Empire through a detailed critical analysis of a particular object, illustration, etc.

Learning and Teaching Information:

A variety of learning and teaching methods will be used. These include group discussions and debates based on key theoretical reading and seminar questions; workshops on particular examples of the material culture produced by Victorian Imperialism (see above). 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/workshops
Contact hours: 6 x 2 hours

Tutorials
Contact hours: 20 minutes per student
Intended Group size: 1

Assessment: