In the years between 1790 and 1939, migration was a key theme in the history of Wales. Up to 1914, there was large scale movement from the rural areas into the new industrial and urban centres. These inward movements were agencies for profound cultural, demographic, economic and social change. In the inter-war years, however, this pattern was dramatically and traumatically reversed as nearly 25% of the population moved out. Between 1790 and 1939, also, the out-migration of Welsh people gave Wales a more prominent international dimension. Throughout the period significant numbers of Welsh people emigrated overseas. This module examines the patterns and processes of emigration, settlement, acculturation and language change among Welsh migrants in England and the USA and analyses the economic, demographic, social and cultural influences which shaped their experiences, and the institutions – churches, newspapers and ethnic societies – that helped to sustain and construct their ethnicity.

• demonstrate a critical and systematic knowledge of migration within and from Wales and an understanding of the patterns and processes involved including causation, settlement, adaptation, acculturation and ethnicity reconstruction;
• critically identify the main themes and debates involved including the causes and scale of migration from Wales, the nature of migrant adaptation of the Welsh outside Wales and of in-migrants in Wales;
• demonstrate an in-depth and critical understanding of a range of concepts/perspectives/debates within the appropriate secondary literature;
• analyse key themes and issues relating to migrant motives, reception, adaptation and acculturation, language shift, ethnicity formation in the light of those ideas/contexts/frameworks;
• express their ideas and assessments on key themes and issues relating to migration within, from and into Wales;
• discuss in a critical and informed manner migration within and from Wales 1790-1939;
• summarise and critically evaluate the relative merits and demerits of alternative views and interpretations about migration within, into and from Wales and evaluate their significance;
• identify strengths, weaknesses, problems, and / or peculiarities of alternative historical/historiographical interpretations.

This module will be taught and the students will learn through a combination of:

• formal lectures to introduce students to the main factual and conceptual issues to be discussed and analysed during the module;
• seminars in which key texts and historical problems are analysed to enable students to further develop analytical skills.

Academic:

• demonstrate a critical and systematic knowledge of migration within and from Wales and an understanding of the patterns and processes involved including causation, settlement, adaptation, acculturation and ethnicity reconstruction;
• critically identify the main themes and debates involved including the causes and scale of migration from Wales, the nature of migrant adaptation of the Welsh outside Wales and of in-migrants in Wales;
• demonstrate an in-depth and critical understanding of a range of concepts/perspectives/debates within the appropriate secondary literature
• analyse key themes and issues relating to migrant motives, reception, adaptation and acculturation, language shift, ethnicity formation in the light of those ideas/contexts/frameworks.

 Subject-specific:

• identify and evaluate the nature and scope of the issues raised by migration within and from Wales 1790-1939
• discuss in a critical and informed manner migration within and from Wales 1790-1939
• summarise and critically evaluate the relative merits and demerits of alternative views and interpretations about migration within, into and from Wales and evaluate their significance;
• identify problems, assess evidence, and reach conclusions consistent with them on the patterns and processes of migration into and from Wales in this period;
• devise and sustain arguments about the impact of migration on Wales, the extent of tolerance and racism in Welsh society, and the causes of language shift and the role of Welsh migrant institutions among Welsh migrants outside Wales;
• present accurately, succinctly and lucidly, and in written or oral form their arguments in accordance with appropriate scholarly conventions.

 Generic:

• communicate ideas and arguments effectively, whether in speech or in writing in an accurate, succinct and lucid manner.
• formulate and justify their own arguments and conclusions about a range of issues.
• demonstrate an ability to modify as well as to defend their own positions.
• possess a range of information technology resources to assist with information retrieval.
• organise their own study methods and workload.
• work as part of the team in seminar and/or tutorial discussions.
• independently organise their own study methods and workload.

Summative assessment takes the form of one 3,000 - 4,000 word essay (excluding empirical appendices and references).

The module will include topics on:

1. Studying migration: an introduction
2. Welsh migration: Contours and Contexts
3. Approaches & sources / Emigrant letters
4. Internal Migration in Wales 1790-1939
5. The move from the Land in Wales
6. Welsh migration to England 1790-1914
7. The Liverpool and London Welsh 1790-1914
8. Welsh migration to England between the wars
9. Welsh migrants & the Labour Movement in Oxford
10. Welsh emigration to the USA 1790-1939
11. The Welsh and Industrial America: Motives
12. A new life in the New World?
13. Constructing a Welsh American ethnic identity

Alan Conway, The Welsh in America: Letters from the Immigrants

Aled Jones, and Bill Jones, Welsh Reflections: Y Drych and America, 1851-2001

Emrys Jones ed., The Welsh in London

R. Merfyn Jones and D. Ben Rees, The Liverpool Welsh and their Religion

William D. Jones, Wales in America: Scranton and the Welsh 1860-1920

Anne K. Knowles, Calvinists Incorporated: Welsh Immigrants on Ohio’s Industrial Frontier

Gwyn A. Williams, The Search or Beulah Land