Offered
Caulfield First semester 2008 (Day)
Clayton First semester 2008 (Day)
Synopsis
Starting with the French Revolution, the unit explores the importance of war for the formation of national identities from the late eighteenth to the Twentieth century. We will look at the American Civil War, the German and Italian wars of unification, and nineteenth-century Imperialism. Finally, students will learn about the role of warfare in Australian society and the transformation of Gallipoli into a founding myth of Australian nationhood. This chronological framework will be supplemented by the exploration of themes that are central to a critical understanding of history. We will ask how war transformed societies and how industrialisation and science changed the nature of war.
Objectives
Students who have successfully completed this unit will be able to demonstrate:
- an understanding of the major issues in the historiography of modern war and nationalism.
- Knowledge of the history of major military conflicts during the long nineteenth century.
- the ability to explain how wars have transformed Western societies.
- the ability to assess the impact of war on people's understanding of gender, social class, and citizenship.
- the ability to discuss critically the impact of wars on the creation of national identities and mythologies.
- the ability to analyse critically different kinds of historical sources.
- the development of skills for collaborative learning and group work.
- the acquisition of solid writing and oral presentation skills.
Assessment
Documentary Exercise (900 words): 20 %
Critical Essay (1800 words): 40%
One and a half hour exam (1500 words): 30%
Tutorial participation: 10%
Contact hours
Two hours of lectures, one tutorial
