The course examines and explores the key historical events, developments, and controversies in the period from the Labour governments in the 1960s to the 2016 UK EU Referendum and its immediate aftermath .Within that timeframe the course will provide some focus on the nature of Britain's often uneasy relationship with the European Community / Union. More broadly, the changing climate in Britain will be explored -from one of widespread optimism , through national decline and revival from the 1970s to the 1990s, to the current uncertainty about Britain's future in the wake of the 2016 EU Referendum. Within that context, too, the course will consider the gradual, apparent shift from social class and political ideology to cultural and national identity as the basis of British party and electoral politics.
Political Change in Britain since the 1960s
This is an In-person course which requires your attendance to the weekly meetings which take place in Oxford.
Overview
Programme details
Courses starts: 22 Jan 2025
Week 1:The Wilson Governments, 1964-1970.
Week 2: The Heath Govenment, 1970 1974.
Week 3: Britain and the European Community, 1961-79.
Week 4: The Wilson and Callaghan Governments, 1974-79.
Week 5: 'Thatcherism 'and the Thatcher Governments, 1975-1990.
Week 6: The Major Governments 1, 1990-1997.
Week 7 : Euroscepticism in the Conservative Party during the 1980s and 1990s.
Week 8: The Origins and Rise of 'New Labour' under Blair.
Week 9: The Blair Governments ,1997-2007.
Week 10: Cameron, Coalition, and the Road to Brexit, 2010 -2016.
Recommended reading
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Continuing Education Library for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are welcome to use the Library for reference. More information can be found on the Library website.
There is a Guide for Weekly Class students which will give you further information.
Availability of titles on the reading list (below) can be checked on SOLO, the library catalogue.
Preparatory reading
- Britain since 1945 / Childs, D
- British Politics since the War / Coxal, B and Robins. L
- Britain since 1945:The People's Peace / Morgan, K.O.
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:
Tutor
Dr Tudor Jones
Hon. Research Fellow in History of Political Thought, Coventry University.
Tutor in British Political History, Dept. for Continuing Education, University of Oxford since 2003.
His publications include:'The Uneven Path of British Liberalism: From Jo Grimond to Brexit' (2019); 'Bob Dylan and the British Sixties: A Cultural History' (2019);' Modern Political Thinkers and Ideas: An Historical Introduction' (2001); and' Remaking the Labour Party: From Gaitskell to Blair' (1996).
Course aims
The course aims to to provide an introduction to some of the key events, developments, changes, and controversies in British political history since the 1960s.
Course objectives:
1. To enable students to gain an understanding and knowledge of British political history, as well as political change within Britain, since the 1960s.
2. To provide students with insight into the scholarly debates and interpretations among historians and political scientists relating to the events, developments, and political ideas under scrutiny.
Teaching methods
A combination of lectures and small-group, interactive discussions.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course students will be expected to:
1. have acquired a sound knowledge of the key events, developments, debates and controversies in British political history during the period covered;
2. to have obtained insights into scholarly debates and interpretations relating to the above subject matter;
3. to have developed critical and analytical skills in the light of the above outcomes.
Assessment methods
An essay of up to 1500 words from a list of suggested titles provided by the tutor.
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.