Britain and Ireland: The Escalating Conflict 1790-1922



Overview

For many centuries Ireland has arguably been Britain's 'Achilles Heel'. Once a Protestant community was established in Ireland, the foundations were laid for future internal dissension as well as fractious relations with Britain. From the late eighteenth century onwards, Britain struggled to contain the rising tide of nationalism in Ireland, hoping that firm government combined with modest reform would appease the Irish. Such policies failed with the result that Ireland was finally threatened by civil war.

This course will examine the historical background to the Irish challenges to British control and will seek to understand why the British and the Irish found it so hard to achieve consensus. We will investigate the various nationalist movements within Ireland and assess the impact of their ideas and actions on Anglo-Irish relations as well as seeking to appreciate the nature of the Ulster problem in Ireland.

Using a range of both primary and secondary sources we shall also endeavour to understand the influence of key individuals in either encouraging or restraining Irish aspirations.

Programme details

Term Starts: 25 Apr 2024

Week 1: Introduction: Ireland before 1800

Week 2: The 1798 Rebellion and the Act of Union 1800

Week 3: Daniel O'Connell: Religion and Politics 1800 - 1848

Week 4: The Irish Famine

Week 5: Fenianism and the Land

Week 6: Gladstone, Parnell and Home Rule

Week 7: Irish Cultural Developments

Week 8: Nationalism versus Unionism: Ireland 1900 - 1914

Week 9: Ireland in the First World War

Week 10: Conclusion: Creation of the Irish Free State, 1922

Digital 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 £257.00
Take this course for CATS points £10.00

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 investigate and analyse the relations between Britain and Ireland from the late eighteenth century to the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922

Course Objectives:

  • To examine the political, economic, religious and social influences which determined the changing relationship between Britain and Ireland  from 1790 to 1922.
  • To understand the reasons for the development of both Irish nationalism and unionism in Ireland and to appreciate the role of individuals who contributed towards those emerging political ideals.
  • To encourage students to form critical and balanced judgements about the complexities of the historical relationship between Britain and Ireland, using a range of primary and secondary sources.

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:

  • describe and identify the main phases in Anglo-Irish relations between 1790 and 1922.
  • be able to analyse how and why tensions escalated and relations deteriorated between Britain and Ireland during this period.
  • form critical and balanced judgements about the complexities of the historical relationship between Britain and Ireland.

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 one piece of work, total c1500 words, in depth eg an essay question from a set list or a question agreed with the tutor,  or a book review, 

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.

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 £10 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

Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

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 at the required standard.

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.

Most of the Department's weekly classes have 10 or 20 CATS points assigned to them. 10 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of ten 2-hour sessions. 20 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of twenty 2-hour sessions. It is expected that, for every 2 hours of tuition you are given, you will engage in eight hours of private study.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support