Introduction to Culture Studies, SoSe 2017

Introduction to Culture Studies (UK & Ireland), SoSe 2017

General information concerning this course

In this course we examine the geology, geography, history and culture of the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The course runs for one semester and is worth 3 Credit Points for BA (VSLT) and Erasmus students. To successfully complete the course, students need to attend regularly and pass a written examination. The examination is scheduled for Thursday 27 July 2017 from 10:15 to 11:45 in Room 2.03, Building A2 2; if this date is inconvenient, there is a second possibility to take the examination: Thursday 12 October 2017 from 10:15 to 11:45 in Room 2.03, Building A2 2.

All students taking the course should make sure that their correct e-mail address is on the course mailing list. It would be appreciated if students could include the word “[culture]” (in square brackets) in the subject ﬁeld of any emails addressed to the course leader.

Course notes

The course notes will be made available here, fascicle by fascicle:

Notes for Unit 0

Links and other handouts

Unit 0: Introduction: An overview of the course

Unit 0.1: Preparation

Prepare any questions you have about the course.

The United Kingdom Explained, by C.G.P. Grey (don’t forget to activate the subtitles if you ﬁnd he speaks too fast)

Outline Map of the British Isles

Unit 1: Geology

Unit 1.1: Preparation

Revise the geological periods (last 500 million years).

Unit 1.2: Lesson

Slides for Unit 1 (Geology)

Printout of slides for Unit 1 (Geology)

Unit 1.3: Worksheet Questions

Worksheet Questions for Unit 1 (Geology)

Unit 1.4: Additional Materials for Unit 1 (Geology)

How Britain formed

The most important geological site in the world (Hutton's Unconformity at Siccar Point)

Hutton's Unconformity

Geology of Great Britain

in case you are not familiar with Darwinian evolution, this is the best all-in-one introduction (it lasts an hour):

David Attenborough: Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life

if the above link is broken, try:

David Attenborough: Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life

if you want to go into even more detail, here is a series of ﬁve one-hour lectures designed for children:

Richard Dawkins: Growing Up in the Universe (Part 1)

Richard Dawkins: Growing Up in the Universe (Part 2)

Richard Dawkins: Growing Up in the Universe (Part 3)

Richard Dawkins: Growing Up in the Universe (Part 4)

Richard Dawkins: Growing Up in the Universe (Part 5)

this is the best visual summary of the latest models of how life began (lasts 10 minutes):

cdk007: The Origin of Life - Abiogenesis - Dr. Jack Szostak

this is a brilliantly clear one-hour lecture on the origin of life by one of Richard Dawkins’s teachers:

John Maynard Smith: The Origin of Life

and here is an interesting BBC documentary series on the history of geology (from a Scottish perspective, but then, that’s not too much of a distortion of reality):

Iain Stewart: Men of Rock (1) -- Deep Time

Iain Stewart: Men of Rock (2) -- Moving Mountains

Iain Stewart: Men of Rock (3) -- The Big Freeze

Unit 2: Geography, Climate, Initial Human Settlement

Unit 2.1: Preparation

Study the following maps:

Topographic map of the UK

Topographic map of Ireland

Unit 2.2: Lesson

Slides for Unit 2 (Geography, Climate, Initial Human Settlement)

Printout of slides for Unit 2 (Geography, Climate, Initial Human Settlement)

Unit 2.3: Worksheet Questions

Worksheet Questions for Unit 2 (Geography, Climate, Initial Human Settlement)

Unit 2.4: Additional Materials for Unit 2 (Geography, Climate, Initial Human Settlement)

Map of cities and towns in the British Isles

Geography of the United Kingdom

Geography of Ireland

Jared Diamond: Guns, Germs and Steel (Episodes 1-3)

Guns, Germs and Steel: more information

Jared Diamond: Why Societies Collapse

Unit 3: C1–C5 Roman Britain

Unit 3.1: Preparation

Revise your Latin, and read Julius Caesar’s description of Britain:

De bello gallico, Book V, Chapter 12

De bello gallico, Book V, Chapter 13

De bello gallico, Book V, Chapter 14

... and if your Latin has run out, you can check the English translations here:

Gallic War, Book V, Chapter 12

Gallic War, Book V, Chapter 13

Gallic War, Book V, Chapter 14

Unit 3.2: Lesson

Slides for Unit 3 (C1--C5: Roman Britain)

Printout of slides for Unit 3 (C1--C5: Roman Britain)

Unit 3.3: Worksheet Questions

Worksheet Questions for Unit 3 (C1--C5: Roman Britain)

Unit 3.4: Additional Materials for Unit 3 (C1–C5: Roman Britain)

Some aspects of the Roman legacy in Britain are predictable — the location of towns and roads, for example. Others are not. Among the strangest consequences of the Roman period was that it introduced into Britain a monotheistic religion. Within the theoretical model with which we are working, the status of religion is somewhat problematic. Obviously, religion is part of the superstructure of society; but should we approach religion as an institution (studying ‘the church’ alongside ‘the army’, ‘the government’, etc.) or should we approach religion as a form of ideology (comparing people’s religious beliefs with their other beliefs and tastes, e.g. as seen in the literature and art they produce)?

One of the most accessible and useful theoretical works on religion can be found here:

Bronislaw Malinowski: Magic, Science and Religion

Even if you don’t have time to read it all, you should at least skim through it, as it provides a valuable deﬁnition of religion by contrasting religion with magic, and magic with science. (It’s no longer available online, but I’ll try to organize a photocopy of the relevant essay.)