History, Politics & Society Summer School 2018

Programme details

Seminar options

British Political History, 1918-1945

This course will introduce students to key moments in British political history. Starting with the legacy of World War I, it will consider upheavals in the British party system following the crisis in the Liberal Party and the election of the first Labour government, as well as the impact of the 1926 General Strike. Moving into the 1930s, the course will assess the economic and political crisis in Britain, different responses to the international political crisis and the appeasement debate. Finally, it will assess Churchill’s political leadership and the impact of World War II for the future of British politics.

Tutor: Dr Geoff Andrews is Senior Lecturer in Politics at The Open University. He has written widely on the history of political ideas and movements, including aspects of British and Italian history and the politics of the 1930s. He has taught several courses for the Oxford University Summer School for Adults.

European Union Politics and Institutions

During the recent years, the European Union has faced a series of challenges and crises –eurozone crisis, refugee influx, competition with Russia, religious fundamentalism, Brexit and rise of populism – which have been threatening its unity and coherence. This course will address these issues, yet it will also look into past developments of the European project. It will discuss the history of the European Union since its inception, the policies, the institutions, the member states and their national politics in a comparative perspective. It will ask whether Europe is federal or intergovernmental. It will look into Europe’s global influence and its position in the multipolar world.  It will discuss scenarios for the future.

Tutor: Dr Othon Anastasakis is Senior Research Fellow and Tutor in South East European Studies at St Antony’s College, Oxford. He is associated with the Department of Politics and International Relations and Oxford’s Centre for International Studies. He teaches at the School of Interdisciplinary Areas Studies of Oxford University and is the Director of South East European Studies at Oxford University (SEESOX). He is an Adjunct Professor at Simon Fraser University in Canada.

Gender, Power and Social Change: Western Perspectives from the 1950s to the Present

Are sex and gender synonymous? Does gender power have an evolutionary explanation or is it socially constructed? How fluid is sexuality? This course will examine the main theories of gender utilised in evolutionary psychology and sociology with particular emphasis on the origins and perpetuation of a gendered power dynamic in modern Western societies. The course will explore gender and sexuality in the context of the family, personal relationships, employment, education, the media, criminality and the state.

Tutor: Dr Amanda Palmer is Chair of the Institute of Human Sciences at Oxford University and a Fellow of Harris Manchester College, Oxford; she is also Director of Studies for Human Sciences at Harris Manchester College and Lecturer in Sociology at St Catherine’s College, Oxford.

Issues and Problems in the Contemporary Middle East

Following the Arab Spring, events in the Middle East have attracted much attention. This course will examine major recent strategic, political, and economic developments in the region and will explore the interests of key outside powers. Topics such as the danger of nuclear weapons proliferation, the importance of oil and gas, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the growing influence of Turkey in the region will be discussed. The prospects for further democratisation will be examined given the Syrian conflict and increasing tensions between Sunni and Shi’a Islam.

Tutor: Dr Gareth Winrow is an independent analyst and part-time tutor for Oxford University Department for Continuing Education; he was formerly Professor in the Department of International Relations at Istanbul Bilgi University, Turkey.

Political Economy in a Globalised World

To what extent do we live in a ‘globalised’ world, and how helpful is the concept of ‘globalisation’ for understanding the contemporary international system? This course will introduce students to the discipline of Global Political Economy (GPE), which allows us to address these and other key questions about the world today. Through an historical approach, this course will move beyond the examination of the dominant and classical theoretical perspectives of political economy: mercantilism, liberalism, Marxism. It will offer a framework of analysis and address contemporary political, economic and societal developments including ongoing controversies surrounding such notions as ‘globalisation’ and ‘global governance’.

Tutor: Dr Christian Glossner has been a lecturer in Global Political Economy (GPE) for Oxford University Department for Continuing Education since 2009. He previously worked for various management consultancies, industrial corporations and public sector institutions, including the Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs (ECFIN) of the European Commission in Brussels.

Religion and Politics in the Middle East

The Middle East has been the cradle of most of the great religions, including Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Religion has always played a major role in the Middle East. With the establishment of Saudi Arabia as a Wahhabi state, Iran as a Shi’a state, Israel as a Jewish State, and the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in most Sunni states, the stage has been set for political conflict based on religion. This course will study Middle Eastern political conflicts and the relationship between the East and the West with special emphasis on the role of religion.

Tutor: Dr Farhang Jahanpour teaches Middle Eastern Studies for Oxford University Department for Continuing Education. He is a former Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Languages at the University of Isfahan, Iran, and spent many years as Editor for Middle East and North Africa at the BBC Monitoring Service.

Responding to Crisis: Refugees, States and Borders Since 1918

The recent mass flight from Syria is a reminder of what happens when war, state collapse, or environmental breakdown engulfs a society. Yet the experience is not new. What is new is the way in which the world is being blocked off to the free movement of desperate peoples. This course will chart the historical course of increasingly dystopian international responses to humanitarian crisis and what - as human beings - we can do about it. Case-studies covered will include the population exchanges at the end of the Ottoman Empire, Holocaust rescue efforts, and the emerging environmental refugee crisis.

Tutor: Dr Mark Levene is Reader in Comparative History at the University of Southampton. His writing ranges across genocide, Jewish history and environmental and peace issues especially focusing on anthropogenic climate change. He is co-founder of Crisis Forum and founder of the Rescue!History independent academic networks.

Warfare in the Modern World

The 20th century has undoubtedly been the most sanguinary in recorded human history. This course will examine the origins, course and results of several regional and civil wars and will set them in their political, economic, religious and ideological contexts. It will also explore the phenomena of guerrilla insurgencies and various military responses to this type of warfare. Clausewitz remarked that 'every age had its own kind of war': we will pick out the threads of our present kind of war - asymmetric or fourth generation warfare - and explicit comparisons will be drawn, where appropriate, with the contemporary situation in Iraq and Syria.

Tutor: Dr Mark Radford teaches Modern History for Oxford University Department for Continuing Education. He is a former member of the Regular British Army and Royal Ulster Constabulary, and has recently been granted the rare appointment of Honorary Colonel in the British Army Reserves and Cadets in recognition of his long-standing involvement. His latest work on Irish policing was published by Bloomsbury in 2015, and he currently contributes to the British Army Review.

Recommended reading

Each seminar has its own requirements for preparatory reading.

Certification

All students who complete the programme will receive an `attendance certificate`.

Those seeking credit at their home institution may request a `detailed certificate` which lists contact hours (for lectures and seminars), an assessment of their contribution to seminar discussions, grades achieved for written work, and the number of private study hours required. Certificates will usually be sent to students' home institutions within a month of the end of the summer school.

As Oxford University does not offer credit for this summer school, those wishing to obtain credit from their home institution for attending this programme must make appropriate arrangements with that institution in advance.

Accommodation

Founded in 1314, Exeter College is one of Oxford University`s oldest colleges and is situated in a prime city centre location.

Bedrooms and meals

Students who choose to attend the summer school on a residential basis will have a single study bedroom.

Bedrooms are located up the four to nine floors of a staircase; bath and/or shower and toilet facilities on each staircase are shared. A limited number of rooms have private bathroom facilities (shower and toilet) and these are available for a higher fee. Early application for these rooms is essential.

Students cannot be accommodated at Exeter College either prior to or beyond their programme dates. Family members and/or friends who are not enrolled on this summer school cannot be accommodated in college.

Residential students will take meals in the college's dining hall. All meals are self-service: there is a range of options available for breakfast and lunch; dinner is a set menu meal. The only exceptions are the summer school's opening and closing dinners, which are formal served set menu meals. Should applicants have any dietary requirements (eg vegetarian, gluten-free) they are required to complete the relevant section on the application form.

Please be aware that accommodation at Exeter College is limited and may not be available for those who submit their applications towards the end of the admissions period.

Non-residential students

Students who choose to attend the summer school on a non-residential basis are responsible for finding their own accommodation. Information on accommodation in Oxford is available at:

• Conference Oxford
• Experience Oxfordshire
• University Rooms Oxford

No meals are provided for non-residential students, except the summer school's opening and closing dinners.

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Libraries

Students will be enrolled as readers at Oxford University`s main reference library, the Bodleian. They will also have access to the History and Social Science Faculty Libraries and the Continuing Education Library.

IT requirements

Although it is not required, most students bring a laptop to Oxford to assist them with their studies.

For residential students, wireless internet access is available in all bedrooms; for all students, wireless access is available in communal spaces of the college.

All students will be eligible to use the computers and printer in Exeter College's computer room.

Fees

Residential: Standard (shared bathroom) - £3,035; Residential: En suite (private bathroom facilities) - £3,320; Non-residential (no accommodation or meals) - £1,355

Payment

Programme fees

• Residential: Standard (shared bathroom facilities) - £3,035
  Fees include tuition (2 seminars and the daily lecture programme); access to IT facilities and libraries; accommodation in a standard single room with shared bathroom facilities for the nights of Sunday 1 July to Friday 20 July 2018 inclusive; meals in hall from dinner on Sunday 1 July to breakfast on Saturday 21 July 2018 (except lunch on Saturdays and Sundays).

• Residential: En suite (private bathroom facilities) - £3,320
  Fees include tuition (2 seminars and the daily lecture programme); access to IT facilities and libraries; accommodation in a single en suite room with private shower and toilet for the nights of Sunday 1 July to Friday 20 July 2018 inclusive; meals in hall from dinner on Sunday 1 July to breakfast on Saturday 21 July 2018 (except lunch on Saturdays and Sundays).

• Non-residential - £1,355
  Fees include tuition (2 seminars and the daily lecture programme); access to IT facilities and libraries; no accommodation; no meals, except the programme`s formal opening and closing dinners on Sunday 1 July and Friday 20 July 2018, respectively.

There are no sources of funding (scholarships, bursaries, etc) available for applicants.

Invoicing and payment

Successful applicants who accept their offer of a place on the summer school will be invoiced for the appropriate programme fee once they have been formally enrolled on the programme.

Invoices will be emailed to students together with full instructions for payment. Fees may be paid online with a credit or debit card, or by bank transfer.

Students are required to pay the full fee within 30 days of the date on which their invoice was issued. Late applicants (see 'Apply for this course', below) are required to pay the full fee within 7 days of their invoice date.

Please note that:

• students are expected to take out vacation cancellation insurance to cover the programme fee and travel costs (see 'Cancellations', below);
• a student's place on the summer school is not confirmed until their fees have been paid in full;
• places will not be held for students whose fees are not paid in full by the due date; and
• in no circumstances will students be admitted to the summer school unless all fees have been paid in full.

When you have paid your fees

Your place on the summer school is confirmed as soon as your payment is received by OUDCE.

You will receive a receipt for your payment: by email if paid online, or by post if paid by bank transfer.

If you are a non-EEA student you will receive a letter confirming your enrolment and course details which may be used to support your application for a short-term study visa: this letter will be sent by post (see 'Level and demands', above).

Cancellations

All enrolments are subject to OUDCE's 'Short Selective Course Terms and Conditions'.

A contract between OUDCE and a student comes into being when a student accepts an offer of a place on the summer school.

You have the right to cancel this contract at any time within 14 days, beginning on the day you accepted the offer.

Please be aware that if you cancel your place at any time after the expiry of the 14-day period you will not be entitled to a refund of the price paid for the summer school.

If you wish to cancel your place on the summer school you must inform the Programme Administrator by email at iphist@conted.ox.ac.uk

You are expected to take out vacation cancellation insurance to cover the programme fee and travel costs, and you should consult your travel agent and/or insurer for information and advice. OUDCE does not provide any insurance cover.

OUDCE reserves the right to alter details of any course should illness or any other emergency prevent a tutor from teaching, and to cancel a course or seminar if exceptionally low enrolment would make it educationally unviable.

The status of this course will be reviewed on 1 May 2017. If it is likely that individual seminars or the course may be cancelled, all those affected will be notified by email within 7 days, and possible options clearly explained.

If you have not heard from OUDCE by 8 May 2017, you should assume that the course and your seminars will be running; there is no need to contact us to confirm. You may wish to delay finalising your travel arrangements until after this date.

Course aims

Each seminar has its own course aim and objectives.

Teaching methods

Students will attend a lecture programme.

Elements of seminar teaching will normally include:

• mini lectures by tutors;
• tutor-led class discussions;
• small group activities; and
• individual student presentations.

Students will attend short tutorials with their tutors to receive feedback on their written work.

Learning outcomes

Each seminar has its own learning outcomes.

Assessment methods

Tutors will monitor and assess students’ contribution to class discussions.

Students are expected to submit an assignment of 2,000-3,000 words in length for assessment for each seminar taken.

Application

Before you submit your application

• ensure you meet the admissions criteria (see 'Selection criteria', below);
• clease check the seminar timetable carefully to ensure that your first and second choice courses do not run at the same time;
• make sure you have all the required supporting documents listed below;
• ensure you are familiar with the terms and conditions of enrolment on the summer school, especially those relating to payment of fees and cancellations (see 'Payment', above); and
• read the 'Important information regarding immigration and visa requirements' (see 'Level and demands', below).

The application process

Download, print and complete the application form.

Please ensure all sections are completed fully, clearly, and in BLOCK CAPITALS.

The form must be accompanied by:

• A brief statement of purpose (350-400 words) detailing your academic reasons for wishing to attend the summer school. This should include what you hope to get out of the programme, and what you are likely to contribute to the intellectual life of the summer school. This may include details of history, politics, political or social science courses you have previously taken, or the relevance of the summer school to your present course of study or professional development. It is essential that you clearly state your reasons for wishing to enrol on specific seminars.

• Your official university transcripts. These must be in English.

• In the case of non-native speakers of English, official evidence of English language competency.

• A letter of recommendation, ideally from a person who knows your academic work, though in the case of those no longer engaged in courses of academic study, recommendations from other sources (eg your employer or head teacher) will be accepted. A reference from a family member is not acceptable. Please note that the letter of recommendation must refer specifically to your application to the Oxford University History, Politics & Society Summer School.

• Four photographs (UK passport-sized - ie 4.5cm high x 3.5cm wide), with your full name printed on the back of each.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Applications should be posted to: History, Politics & Society Summer School, OUDCE, 1 Wellington Square, OXFORD, OX1 2JA, UK

You may wish to send your application by a courier service or registered post for speed and/or security of delivery.

We are currently unable to receive applications by email.

After you have submitted your application

You will receive an email from iphist@conted.ox.ac.uk confirming receipt of your application materials, and informing you when your application will be reviewed by the admissions panel.

Application deadlines

This summer school operates a 'gathered field' closing date system by which applications are reviewed fairly and equally in batches at specific dates throughout the admissions period rather than on a first come, first served or rolling basis.

There is a limited number of places available on every graduate-level course within each gathered field, and in assigning successful applicants to seminar groups the admissions panel will pay particular attention to applicants' personal statements.

There are three deadlines for applications:

• Gathered field 1 - 15 January 2018
• Gathered field 2 - 1 March 2018
• Gathered field 3 - 15 April 2018

Subject to the availability of places, late applications may be considered on a first come, first served basis until 15 May 2018.

Notification of the admission panel's decision

Applicants will normally be notified of the panel's decision by email from iphist@conted.ox.ac.uk within 14 days of the relevant gathered field deadline.

Applicants who are offered a place on the summer school must respond in writing within 14 days to accept or decline the offer. In accepting an offer of a place applicants are committing to paying their programme fees in full by the due date.

Late applicants will be notified within 7 days of their materials having been received, and successful applicants will then have 7 days in which to accept or decline the offer of a place.

Enrolment

Students will be formally enrolled on the summer school once they have accepted their offer of a place.

The enrolment process includes the issuing of invoices, which will be emailed to students together with full instructions for payment (see 'Payment', above).

Further course information

Students will receive the following information by email from iphist@conted.ox.ac.uk prior to the summer school:

• On enrolment - academic and course information, including detailed course content and required preparatory reading
• On enrolment - joining instructions, containing a wealth of practical information to assist students as they prepare to travel to to the summer school (eg how to get to Oxford, arrangements at Exeter College)
• In April 2018 - details of the lecture programme*
• In May 2018 - details of the social programme
• In June 2018 - confirmation of arrival day arrangements.

*Successful gathered field 3 applicants will receive this information on enrolment.

Any queries?

Please contact the Programme Administrator by email at iphist@conted.ox.ac.uk

Level and demands

Participants are expected to

• undertake preparatory reading in advance of the programme;
• attend all seminar sessions and lectures;
• be actively engaged with their seminar topics;
• submit an assignment of 2,000-3,000 words in length for each seminar taken; and
• undertake approximately 96 hours of private study during the programme (elements of private study will include: reading and other preparation between seminar meetings, work in libraries, writing papers, etc).

Important information regarding immigration and visa requirements

If you are an European Economic Area (EEA) or Swiss national you do not need a visa to enter the UK to participate in the summer school. You are free to enter the UK as long as you show your EEA or Swiss passport on arrival.

If you are not an EEA or Swiss national, you may need to apply for a visa to enter the UK depending on which passport you hold.

If the system shows that you require a visa: you should apply for a short-term study visa, which allows students over the age of 18 to study either part-time or full-time for up to 6 months in the UK.

If the system shows that you do not require a visa: you will still need to bring certain documents to show at the border in order to be admitted as a short-term student.

If you are not an EEA or Swiss national we strongly recommend that you establish whether you will require a visa before submitting your application. Please check current visa processing times to find out how long getting a visa might take in the country you are applying from. You should ensure your summer school application is submitted as early as possible to allow yourself sufficient time to complete the visa application process.

The Programme Administrator will provide all non-EEA students with a standard format letter confirming enrolment and course details once their fees have been paid in full.

For legal reasons the Programme Administrator is not permitted to provide any visa advice to applicants: all such enquiries should be submitted to Oxford University’s student visa and immigration advisers via email at student.immigration@admin.ox.ac.uk

Disabled students (including those with mobility difficulties)

The aim of Oxford University Department for Continuing Education (OUDCE) is to treat all students equally and welcomes applications from people with disabilities. Individuals` needs are taken into account as far as possible, providing reasonable adaptations and assistance within the resources available. We ask that people let us know of any disability or special need (confidentially if required) so that we can help them participate as fully as possible.

When applying for OUDCE`s college-based summer schools, prospective students with mobility difficulties or visual or hearing impairments may want to make preliminary enquiries to the Programme Administrator, as the age and layout of these colleges often makes them user-unfriendly (although adaptations are often possible). Oxford, as an ancient city, tends to be difficult to navigate for people with disabilities. The number of very old buildings, designed in an age less sensitive to issues of disability, makes access to much of the city centre difficult. However, OUDCE will do as much as it is able to make study with the department possible.

Applicants should contact us if they will have problems gaining access to a bedroom or a teaching room that is located on upper or basement floors, or to the college dining hall (which is reached via a flight of stairs).

Selection criteria

This is an intensive programme of study taught to an informed international audience.

Applicants should be confident that they are academically and linguistically prepared for such a programme.

Academic requirements

Applications are welcomed from:

• graduates with a subject-appropriate academic background;
• teachers of history, politics, political or social science, economics or law in schools and colleges; and
• senior undergraduates who have completed two years of a full-time university degree course in a relevant academic discipline - ie history, politics, political or social science (eg government, international development, international relations, social policy or sociology), economics or law.

English language requirements

As students are expected to participate fully in seminar discussions and are required to produce written work it is important that applicants can demonstrate an appropriate level of proficiency in the four language skills - listening, reading, writing and speaking.

Applicants for whom English is not their first language must provide evidence of their competency in the form of an original certificate or a certified copy that is not more than two years old on the date the summer school starts. These applicants must satisfy one of the following requirements:

• IELTS Academic - minimum overall score of 6.5, with not less than 6.5 in each of the four components
• TOEFL iBT - minimum overall score of 100, with not less than 25 in each of the four components
• Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) - grade C or above.

For further information on English language qualifications:

• Click here for IELTS
• Click here for TOEFL
• Click here for CAE

However, non-native speakers of English who have successfully completed a full-time degree-level programme at a university where English is the language of instruction or who have significant business and professional experience in an English-speaking environment may not need to provide a certificate of English language qualification. Please contact the Programme Administrator for further details.