Course syllabus

Course description European History

Learning outcomes

Knowledge (reproduction):

• Students can recognise, name and elucidate the major historical facts and figures treated within the framework of this course on 19th century Europe.
• Students can define and describe 19th century historical processes, such as democratisation, industrialisation, urbanisation, and secularisation.
• Students can define the central concepts (such as democracy, imperialism, secularism, nationalism) applied to describe 19th historical processes.

Insights:

• Students can explain 19th century socio-economic, political and cultural events (such as, the French Revolution), and developments (such as, the creation of mass politics, the development of nationalism).
• Students can juxtapose different historical explanations for 19th century events (such as imperialism) and processes (such as democratisation).
• Students can identify and clarify the connections between major 19th century processes, such as, for instance, industrialisation and democratisation.
• Students can explain political cartoons and pamphlets published in the 19th century.

Scientific attitudes:

• Students draw on scientific evidence when describing, elucidating, juxtaposing and explaining 19th century events and developments.

Content

This course offers a textbook based introduction to the political, economic, social and cultural history of Europe covering the period ranging from the French revolution to the Second World War. T.C.W. Blanning’s History of Modern Europe (Oxford University Press) published in 2001 will be taken as the point of departure in the treatment of facts and events. Relying also on extracts from other history textbooks and primary texts, the course will describe key moments in modern European history and will offer analytical insights into the underlying causes to the fundamental (political, social, economic and cultural) transformations Europe underwent during the so-called “long 19^th century”. Urbanisation, industrialisation, democratisation, migration, the emergence of nation-states, imperialism and the development of mass politics were the processes that marked European history most distinctively in this period.

Teaching format

Weekly lectures (Wednesday, 9.00-12.00) centred on a specific theme, event or evolution in European history. Students are expected to prepare the lectures in advance (see reading assignments in the weekly schedule).

Course material

• Handbook: Oxford Illustrated History of Modern Europe, T.C.W. Blanning (Ed.), Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001
• Digital course material: Excerpts of other related history textbooks and primary texts, Pointcarré.

In addition to the handbook of T.C.W. Blanning (History of Modern Europe, 2001), the course material also consists of slides (power point presentations) and excerpts of other related history textbooks and primary texts. Slides and accompanying excerpts will be made available on Canvas, the online study platform.

Language Assistance Module – only for the programme Politieke Wetenschappen en Sociologie

European History is the first English-taught course in the Dutch programme Politieke Wetenschappen en Sociologie. For some students, having English as the language of instruction may be an additional challenge. To accommodate students, I have developed a language assistance module with the VUB language institute, ACTO.

This module is not designed to improve your level of English proficiency (speaking/understanding). This can only be achieved through real language courses (ACTO has courses on offer, see:  https://www.vub.ac.be/acto/). The module, however, will help boost your critical and effective reading skills; allowing you to process the assigned readings in a more time- and cost-efficient manner.

The language module consists of the following elements:

• During the first week of class, you can take ACTO’s language test

The purpose of the online test is not to access your English language proficiency, but to help you assess your approximate level of English. After completing the online test by 10pm on Sunday 17th February at the latest, you will receive an email the week after from ACTO with some general feedback on the test.  You can access the test via the following link: http://bit.ly/2y1Jgmb

Before starting the test, please read the following important information carefully: 

• The test takes on average between 1 hour 30 minutes and 2 hours to complete. You cannot save your answers and come back to the test later, so please make sure you have enough time to complete the test.
• The easiest questions are at the start of the test and the hardest questions are at the end. When you have finished, make sure you click through to the end of the test to submit the form. Otherwise your answers will not be saved.
• The test is to be completed individually, using only your existing knowledge of English. Please do not use any dictionaries, online sources etc. during the test.
• You may only complete the test once. If multiple versions are submitted, only the first score will be taken into consideration.
• You need a stable internet connection, and to be able to play audio and video clips in order to complete the test. You may play audio and video clips as many times as you want. The use of earphones/headphones to listen to the audio clips is recommended. If you have any technical problems, please report these toacto@vub.ac.be
• You can participate in reading seminars during the first half of the semesters

During weeks 24, 26 and 29, you can participate in three critical reading sessions, organised by Jianwei Xu (ACTO). During these sessions, students work with the assigned course material to enhance their critical reading and understanding skills.

Organisation of critical reading sessions:

• Week 24: Monday 25 February, room D3.13 from 13.00 till 15.00
  • Goal: Preparation for lecture on “Conservative Europe and liberal challenges” (week 24)
  • Study material: Roberts (pp. 11-39) in T.C.W. Blanning texbook and Margadant (1999) – text available on Canvas
• Week 26: Monday 11 March, room D3.13 from 13.00 till 15.00
  • Goal: Preparation for lecture on “Industrialisation and urbanisation” (week 26)
  • Study material: Trebilcock (pp. 40-68) and Pilbeam (pp. 94-119) in T.C.W. Blanning textbook
• Week 29: Monday 01 April, room D1.08 from 13.00 till 15.00
  • Goal: Processing of lecture on “Social Movements and democratisation” (week 28)
  • Study material: Allan (1952) on Proudhon and Pittaluaga et al. (2015) – texts available on Canvas

• Further language accommodation in class and at the exam

During class, students can ask questions in Dutch. Students of the programme Politieke Wetenschapen en Sociologie can bring a dictionary to the exam. They may also answer the exam questions in Dutch. This right is not extended to Dutch-speaking students in the programmes Business Economics and Social Sciences.

Examination

The final grade is composed based on a written exam at the end of the semester (100% of the final mark). Students can bring a dictionary to the exam.

More information on the exam will be provided during the lectures.

Weekly lectures (Auditorium QA, unless otherwise indicated)