Civil Rights Movement (V1378)
Special Subject: The Civil Rights Movement
Module V1378
Module details for 2023/24.
30 credits
FHEQ Level 6
Module Outline
In both parts of this module we explore the emergence of a ‘long’ African American civil rights movement. We start by studying the broader societal forces that created the context for the movement, including the migration of millions of African Americans from rural to urban communities, and the impact of the Second World War both in eroding the cultural and intellectual legitimacy of White supremacy and raising Black expectations of claiming the full rights of citizenship. Although the personality of Martin Luther King, Jr. is central to the course, we will analyse the movement from the perspective not only of its leaders but also grassroots activists and evaluate the intellectual and institutional forces that shaped movement activism, especially the role of Christianity. In both module parts, we place the domestic struggle for civil rights in a broader global framework by assessing how international events impacted on American race relations such as the Cold War or the decolonisation of African and Asian nations. Overall, in this module, we focus in particular on the evolution of civil rights activism and the emergence of the Black Power, antipoverty, and welfare rights movements and the relationship between public policy, activism, and broader socio-economic and racial change in the post-New Deal U.S.
Module learning outcomes
Demonstrate a detailed knowlege of a closely defined topic.
Construct sophisticated written arguments that demonstrate intellectual maturity and integrity.
Situate, evaluate and analyse primary historical sources.
Relate the interpretation of primary sources to secondary interpretations.
| Type | Timing | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | 100.00% | |
| Coursework components. Weighted as shown below. | ||
| Essay | T2 Week 5 | 30.00% |
| Essay | T1 Week 11 | 30.00% |
| Essay | A2 Week 2 | 40.00% |
Timing
Submission deadlines may vary for different types of assignment/groups of students.
Weighting
Coursework components (if listed) total 100% of the overall coursework weighting value.
| Term | Method | Duration | Week pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn Semester | Seminar | 2 hours | 11111111111 |
| Spring Semester | Seminar | 2 hours | 11111111111 |
How to read the week pattern
The numbers indicate the weeks of the term and how many events take place each week.
Dr Anne-Marie Angelo
Assess convenor
/profiles/329166
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