Second Year Module
Module Leader: Vivienne Aldous
Rationale and Content:
This module will introduce students to the key sources and themes associated with the study of family history (i.e. the development of the family as a cultural and social unit) and genealogy (i.e. the history of individual or related families). It will focus on providing skills in the location, interrogation and critical evaluation of key categories of historical evidence and also in developing both practical and conceptual skills in the integration of different types of evidence. The module will demonstrate how the historical experiences of individuals and families can illustrate wider social, cultural and economic trends, and can collectively contribute to the development of understandings of such trends.
This module will provide an introduction to the themes and methodologies of family history and genealogy. The module will indicate how individual and family stories can illustrate wider social and economic change, and can collectively inform the development of theories to describe that change. Students will be introduced to the basic archival sources and techniques used by family historians and genealogists and will develop the skills required to begin independent genealogical research. This research will focus on the construction of individual family genealogies and the contextualisation of this work within a wider social, cultural and economic framework. Learners will be encouraged to develop critical awareness in the treatment of primary and secondary sources and also to reflect on the sometimes different approaches and concerns of academic family historians and recreational genealogists.
Learning and Teaching Strategies:
This module will be delivered through weekly lectures and seminars plus tutorial support. Where appropriate supporting resources will also be made available online. Seminar sessions will be designed to encourage student participation and will support students in strengthening their skills of presentation, discussion,argument and debate,and in evaluating,interpreting and using secondary and primary sources.
Assessment:
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Module
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Mode
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Weighting %
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Length
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Submission Date
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Family History and Genealogy
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Document commentary
Defined task
Individual oral presentation (with handouts)
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40%
50%
10%
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2,000 words
2,500 words
10 minutes and handouts of not less than 2 sides of A4
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Week 8
End of semester
As scheduled
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Recommended introductory reading:
D.Hey, The Oxford Companion to Local and Family History, (Oxford, 2002)
M.D.Herber, Ancestral Trails: The Complete Guide to British Genealogy & Family History, (Sutton Publishing, Stroud, 2004)
R.Blatchford, The Family and Local History Handbook, (Blatchford Publishing, Nether Poppleton, 2004)
Further Reading:
M. Abbott, Family Affairs: A History of the Family in Twentieth Century England, (London, 2003).
D.Annal, Easy Family History: The Stress-Free Guide to Starting Your Research, (The National Archives, London, 2005)
H.Cunningham, Children and Childhood in Western Society Since 1500, (London, 1995).
S.Cameron & S.Richardson, Using Computers in History, (MacMillan Palgrave, Basingstoke, 2004)
D.Cass, Writing Your Family History: A Practical Guide, (2004)
P.Christian, The Genealogist's Internet, (The National Archives, London, 2005)
L. Davidoff, The Family Story: Blood, Contract and Intimacy, 1830-1960, (London, 1998).
A.Davin, Growing Up Poor: Home, School and Street in London, 1870-1914, (London 1986).
M.Drake, & R.Finnegan, R, Studying Family & Community History, (Cambridge, 1994)
D.Dymond, Researching and Writing History: A Practical Guide for Local Historians, (British Association for Local History, London, 1999)
S.Friar, The Local History Companion, (Sutton Publishing, Stroud, 2001)
D.Hey, Journeys in Family History: Exploring Your Past, Finding Your Ancestors, (The National Archives, London, 2004)
E.Higgs, Making Sense of the Census Revisited: Census Records for England and Wales,1801-1901, (London, 2005)
E.Higgs, A Clearer Sense of the Census: Victorian Censuses and Historical Research, H.M.S.O (London, 1996).
D.Mills and K.Schurer, (eds.), Local communities in the Victorian census enumerators' books, (Leopard's Head, Oxford, 1997).
K.Tiller, English Local History: An Introduction, 2nd Edition, (Stroud, 2002)
W.T.R.Pryce, (ed.), From Family History to Community History, (Cambridge, 1994).