A Troubled Britain: Two Centuries of Protest since 1815



Overview

Historically, voices of protest have always sought to confront our traditional institutions such as Parliament and the Church. Against the background of the French Revolution and fresh ideas about rights and liberty, men and women of all backgrounds were inspired thereafter to seek improvements to their political and economic status in society through organisations such as Chartism, the new socialist parties and the women’s suffrage movement. Others started to question accepted principles and tenets of beliefs, challenging religion, or asserting their support for more extreme political viewpoints.

In more recent times, government decisions such as going to war,  deploying troops in Ireland, implementing strict monetarist economic polices or consulting the people in a referendum have likewise provoked controversy.

We will investigate these issues from 1815 onwards, and will seek to understand the range of ideas and influences which resulted in such diverse and often radical forms of protest.

Programme details

Courses starts: 23 Jan 2025

Week 1: Popular protest 1815-1832

Week 2: Chartism

Week 3: Dissent and Disbelief: from Evangelicanism to Darwinism

Week 4: The Growth of Socialism

Week 5: The Conscientious Voice: Pacifism in the First World War

Week 6: Fringe Politics: The British Union of Fascism and the Communist Party of Great Britain

Week 7: Grass-Roots Protest: Women, CND, and Iraq

Week 8: The Irish Challenge: From the 'Troubles' to the Good Friday Agreement

Week 9: The Thatcher Years

Week 10: The People's Voice: Scotland and Brexit

Certification

To complete the course and receive a certificate, you will be required to attend at least 80% of the classes on the course and pass your final assignment. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £285.00
Take this course for CATS points £30.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Mrs Annette Mayer

Annette Mayer is a Senior Associate Tutor in History at OUDCE. She teaches modern British History and is the author of two books, The Growth of Democracy in Britain, and Women in Britain 1900 – 2000 published by Hodder & Stoughton

Course aims

To examine and evaluate the impact of protest movements in Britain from 1815 to recent times

Course objectives:

1. To investigate the range and diversity of popular protest movements and dissent from 1815 onwards.

2. To appreciate and understand the historical context in which such protests developed and to assess the successes and failures of each movement.

3. To develop a body of historical skills through the evaluation of primary sources, analysis of historical interpretations and critical class discussions 

 

Teaching methods

Teaching methods will include: tutor’s presentation, with powerpoint slides, controlled class discussion, small group discussions and plenary sessions, debates and, where students are willing, student presentations. Course members will be encouraged to discuss and ask questions.

Each session will include some analysis of historical documents and, if students wish, they can undertake a related short written exercise at home. Teaching will involve the use of a range of visual material, as well as reference to primary and secondary sources.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

1. Demonstrate a broad understanding of the many movements of popular protest and dissent which challenged government and society in Britain from 1815 onwards to recent times.

2. Analyse and explain the context in which such movements developed and evaluate their relative successes and failures.

3. Compare, evaluate and interpret a range of source materials in order to write and express sound historical arguments.

Assessment methods

Tasks set for coursework will be varied.

Option A involves submitting three short pieces of work each c. 500 words based on documentary work done in class. These exercises will be an integral part of the teaching programme each week.

Option B includes the chance to write a formative piece  work of  c1500 words. A choice of essay questions covering subjects studied during the course will be provided.

Reading between classes will be encouraged as this will assist students in their ability to understand a new topic every week. Some short reading tasks may be set in order to facilitate discussions the following week.

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work the required standard.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

Application

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment Form (Word) or Enrolment Form (Pdf)

Level and demands

The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support