Migration and the free movement of people have a history as long as that of humanity itself. This course explores the relationship between migration and the cultural make-up of societies within the British Isles from the arrival of the Angles, Saxons, Vikings and Normans in the medieval period, through the era of imperial history into the modern post-colonial era. Students will examine the range of communities that have travelled to and settled within British society, the history of their integration or segregation, the culture they created and the positive or hostile reactions to their arrival and continued presence. Here, particular attention will be paid to the economic, military, religious and political history that underpins this movement of people, as well as the ways in which historians can trace (on the one hand) the social changes that brought about campaigns for equal rights and (on the other) the developing history of racism and anti-racism. We will consider the way in which different communities have been viewed by successive generations of historians of the British Isles, introducing the concepts of colonial and post-colonial ways in which history has been and can be written, and examining how perceptions of race and gender shape views of the past, present and future of multicultural Britain and the identities within it.

Knowledge and Understanding:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how historians have interpreted migration as an aspect of the history of British society.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of methods of historical analysis such as political, military, social, economic, colonial and post-colonial history.
• Show understanding of how to analyse a range of sources and source types to obtain information about the history of British society.
• Demonstrate the ability to work with the underlying concepts and principles associated with the study of historical records, and show an understanding of the analysis of such material.
• Demonstrate the ability to use information from class and independent research to construct an academically-sound argument.

Academic Skills:

• engage critically with both literary and historical evidence.
• assimilate and understand the arguments of modern scholars.
• offer their own interpretations of the past based on a synthesis of the evidence and ideas provided by historical sources and modern interpretations.
• engage critically with modern attitudes and assumptions about the past.

The module will be delivered through nine 2-hour sessions, initially on weekday evenings from 7-9pm. These sessions will consist of a 1-hour lecture followed by class discussion and group work on specific topics relating to the module. The discussion and group work will enable students to think critically and contribute to the debates and topics presented during the lectures. The discussion-led sessions and the lectures will be supplemented by resources available to students via Learning Central.

• The ability to communicate ideas and arguments effectively, whether in class discussion or in written form.
• The ability to work effectively with others in groups and to learn collaboratively through discussion and interaction.
• The ability to think critically, analyse sources, evaluate arguments, and challenge assumptions.
• The ability to formulate and justify arguments and conclusions and present appropriate supporting evidence.
• The ability to locate relevant resources in the library and online and use them appropriately in academic work.
• The ability to use a range of information technology resources to assist with information retrieval and assignment presentation.
• The ability to independently organise study methods, manage time effectively, and prioritise workload.

Type of assessment % Contribution Title Duration (if applicable) Approx. date of Assessment

Assignment 1: source analysis  30%   From a selection of sources discussed in class: exact nature of the task will vary from year to year 500-600 words End of week 5

Assignment 2: essay  70% From a selection of questions, exact nature of task will vary from year to year 1000-1200 words End of course

The opportunity for reassessment in this module

Students who fail one or both assessment elements will be given the opportunity to re-submit coursework in response to different titles over the summer once the Exploring the Past exam board has met.

1. Introduction and course overview
2. Migrations to medieval Britain
3. Migration and early modern Britain
4. Empire & its impact on the writing of history
5. Empire & its legacy: Britain’s Asian community
6. Empire & its legacy: Britain’s African community
7. Multicultural Britain and war
8. The Windrush Generation and the later 20^th century
9. Non-traditional narratives and the modern writing of multicultural history