HI6032 - Men of War: Masculinities and Warfare in Britain 1914 -1945

You will learn on this module by attending lectures that present core concepts regarding British male experiences of total warfare, a variety of theoretical and methodological approaches to studying gender history, and the historiographical debates in the field. You will be expected to prepare for the weekly seminars by undertaking essential and recommended reading, and will build on your independent reading by presenting your ideas and arguments in seminar discussions with your peers. All learning materials, tasks and readings will be posted on the eLearning Portal (Blackboard) to enable participation within the seminar programme. You will participate in formative assessment activities and receive feedback, and will be responsible for your own guided and independent learning.

Your academic development will be supported through engagement with your peers, academic tutors, and programme leaders. Academic support is provided through group/individual tutorials which allow specific issues to be addressed and to promote progress in academic development. The module tutor will be accessible within publicised feedback and consultation hours and via email. Your peers will provide you will a collaborative learning environment, and your programme leader will guide you through the requirements and expectations of your course. You will also be supported through individual engagement with the academic literature, lectures, and resources available on the eLearning Portal. Formative feedback will be on-going throughout seminar activities and through assessment tasks.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Knowledge of key aspects of the lives of men in wartime in the first half of the twentieth-century and the way this relates this to economic, social and political change in this period
2. Understanding of the theories, methods and debates utilized by historians in this field

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
3. Critically analyse key concepts associated with the discipline.
4. Gather and analyse evidence from a variety of primary and/or secondary sources in an increasingly independent fashion.


Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
5. Think independently to judge between relevant historical arguments (including current historiographic positions) about the effect of total war upon men and masculinities.

Your knowledge and understanding of how gender impacted on British men’s experiences of the two world wars will be tested in one 3,000 word essay (weighted 50%) and one two-hour exam, which will span the breadth of the module’s coverage (weighted 50%). (MLOs 1-5)

You will receive written feedback on your assignments and will also have the opportunity to see your module tutor for individual feedback tutorials. Feedback on your first summative assessment will allow you to improve on later ones.

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In this module, you will explore the British male experiences of the First and Second World Wars, primarily through the lens of gender and masculinities. The module will examine the male experience in the broadest sense, looking not only at the experience of training, fighting and dying for Britain but also the experiences of various types of civilian men including those excluded from military service, civilian male workers and civil defence volunteers. The module will also examine the after effects of warfare by considering the experiences of those men who returned from war mentally and physically damaged as well as exploring the cultural legacies of the two world wars in Britain. This is a cutting-edge area of historical research. Therefore, you will be engaging with a growing and developing set of historical debates and ideas. Moreover, you will engage with a wide variety of primary materials including state propaganda, film, radio broadcasts, oral testimony, diaries, memoirs and archival material.