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Key facts
| Type | Weekly Classes |
|---|---|
| Location | Reading |
| Address | Room G03 Building 22 London Road Campus Reading |
| Dates | Tue 23 Apr to Tue 25 Jun 2013 Day: Tuesday Time of meeting: 7.00-9.00pm Number of meetings: 10 |
| Subject area(s) | History |
| CATS points | 10 |
| Fees | From £145.00 |
| Application status | In progress - closed to new applications |
| Course code | R12P436HIW |
| Course contact | If you have any questions about this course, please email ppweekly@conted.ox.ac.uk. |
Overview
The First World War was a cataclysmic event. This course examines the international relations before 1914, how the conflict started, the countries who fought the war and their expectations, and assesses the long-term historical significance of the war.Description
The First World War was a cataclysmic event in world history. It led to enormous loss of life and tremendous physical damage of towns and cities. This course examines the origins of this terrible conflict. Initially the course will examine the nature of international relations before 1914 and the politics, social structures and economies of the states which were the main participants in the war. Then the course will analyse the specific events which eventually pushed the world into an unprecedented international war. At the outbreak of war we will consider the expectations of the populations of the countries involved and the way in which the brutal reality of the conflict shattered these illusions. Finally we will assess the significance of the First World War in the history of the twentieth century. To what extent do we still live with the consequences of that human tragedy today?Programme details
Week 1: International relations in the nineteenth centuryWeek 2: The quest for empire
Week 3: Economic rivalries
Week 4: France and Britain
Week 5: The Russian Empire and Asia
Week 6: Germany
Week 7: Austro-Hungary and the Balkans
Week 8: Countdown to conflict
Week 9: Outbreak of war: illusions and reality
Week 10: Aftermath and consequences
Background reading:
Joll, James and Martel, Gordon, The Origins of the First World War
Mombauer, Annika, The Origins of the First World War: Contoversies and Consenus
Stevenson, David, 1914-1918 : The History of the First World War
Staff
Mr Carl Wade
Role: Tutor
Carl Wade originally studied history at Jesus College, Cambridge. He has written and taught courses for OUDCE since 2004 in modern European and...more
Course aims
The aim of the course is to analyse the origins of the First World War and to assess the long-term historical consequences of the events of 1914-1918.Course Objectives:
1. To examine the historical background which led to the outbreak of the First World War, and to explore the political, social and economic reasons which caused the conflict to occur.
2. To establish the long-term historical consequences of the conflict and to analyse the effect it had on the politics and society of the world in the early-twenty-first century.
3. To examine a variety of original visual and documentary materials to illuminate the developments and debates of the period, and to encourage students to engage with those arguments and debates.
Assessment methods
It will be expected that all students will complete, to a satisfactory standard, four short assessments consisting approximately 250 words in order to gain full credit from the course. Each assessment will be a reaction to a simple question set by the tutor. It may be also possible for the student to follow a second coursework option consisting of one essay of approximately 1000 words.Teaching methods
Teaching will involve verbal presentations and introductions to the topics as well as Power Point delivered illustrations. Particular emphasis will be put on student input and interaction verbally. Contemporary written and visual sources will be used as a regular focus for discussion. At the end of each week students will be handed some written material to introduce them to the topics and themes of the following week, and provide guidance for further relevant reading in their own time. They will be encouraged to utilise the department’s library resources to find relevant materials themselves, so that self-study can be pursued to the maximum possible degree.Teaching outcomes
By the end of the course students will be expected to :1. Have an understanding and knowledge of the chronology of events leading up to the outbreak of the First World War.
2. Demonstrate an ability to assess and evaluate a variety of arguments and sources, both primary and secondary, with reference to the period.
3. Become familiar with the structures of academic learning and to be able to articulate their views confidently interacting with other students as well as in written form .
Apply for this course
Sorry, this course is not currently accepting applications. If you have any questions about this course, please use the course enquiry form.