MA in Cultural History
1. Why Study Cultural History at Manchester?
2. International Students
3. Programme Structure
A. Core Course
B. Optional Courses
C. Research Training
D. Dissertation
4. Archives
5. Academic Staff
6. Entrance Requirements and Funding Opportunities
7. Contact Details
1. Why Study Cultural History at Manchester?
The MA in Cultural History represents a unique chance to evaluate history now.
Influenced by diverse ideas, from cultural studies to feminism and contemporary social theory, the discipline of history is currently being broadened, deepened, but also questioned. The MA programme in Cultural History equips students to take stock of these changes, and perhaps to go on to pursue new and exciting histories at PhD level.
The MA in Cultural History explores contemporary historical writing by considering the ways other disciplines have looked at the past. While 'Cultural History' denotes an inter-disciplinary approach, the transformation of the discipline of History itself is the focus of the core course 'History and Postmodernism'. Students will consider the past through the perspective of disciplines like sociology, literary studies, politics, and so on. Manchester has emerged as a major centre of new cultural histories, of the new social history, gender history, the new histories of art and science, and so on. Leading and innovative scholars in their fields teach students in small groups.
2. International Students
The MA in Cultural History has always attracted a large number of international students from the USA, Canada, the EU, Japan, China and other countries. We particularly value the contribution of international students to the discussions of history today and the core course introduces them to the fundamental debates of Western historiography. The MA is one year long and is often a good start for a research career either in the UK or in the home country. Recent graduates have found positions on doctoral programmes in the USA and Japan.
3. Programme Structure
Students must accumulate 180 credits to complete the MA programme:
- A. 1 x Core Course = 30 credits
- B. 2 x Optional Courses = 60 credits
- C. Research Training = 30 credits
- D. Dissertation = 60 credits
A. Core Course: 'History and Postmodernism' (30 credits)
In the last two decades the so-called 'postmodern' and cultural/linguistic 'turns' in contemporary social and cultural theory have provided a radical challenge to the practices, approaches and epistemology of the discipline of History. While some have vociferously sought to dismiss these developments, others have begun to outline new types of histories, which critically engage with 'postmodernism' broadly conceived. In seeking to take stock of these debates, this course aims to introduce you to a range of theoretical and historiographical questions which can then be explored at greater length both in your optional courses and your own MA thesis research.
The course is divided into three central sections:
The first section comprises an introduction to post-modernism and the cultural turn as these have affected history. In this section we also look at 'postmodernity', as arguably the contemporary condition of modern society. We open with the discussion of what post-modernism is, followed by a consideration of the emergence of cultural history, and the impact on social history, particularly in the controversies surrounding the issue of class. Another theme of the introduction is the question of authorship, which is approached by considering the role of the historian as an author and producer of discourse. The question of authorship is raised by the structuralist and poststructuralist movements of thought and we consider some of the early forms of cultural history, focusing particularly on the work of Walter Benjamin.
The second section develops around the notion of power and will introduce students to the post-Marxist intellectual movements, to the new emphasis on material culture which originated from Marxism and from the Annales school (Lieux de Mémoire). The concept of power is also central to the anti-Marxist tradition and to the work of Michel Foucault, and Foucault will be an essential part of our concerns. We will also consider Subaltern Studies, the movement in Indian history which has raised a number of key questions on the relationship between authorship and power.
The third section, 'Forms of Knowledge', considers issues of subjectivity and classification in the heritage of situationism, the history of the body (before and after biopower), and the taxonomic and conceptual work of science. In conclusion, students and staff will consider the forms that cultural history is about to take, reflecting particularly on the students' own intellectual agenda.
B. Optional Courses (60 credits)
One of the great strengths of post-graduate study at Manchester is the tremendous range of optional MA course units on offer. Students usually choose two 30-credit course units, offered either within the School of Arts, Histories and Cultures, or elsewhere in the university (e.g. the School of Social Sciences, the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine etc.). New courses are regularly added. The following are simply some popular recent options:
'Colonial and Postcolonial Experiences' (30 Credits), convened by Dr Ghosh
'Death and the Visual Culture of Modernity' (30 credits), convened by Dr Lomas
'Memory and War' (30 Credits), convened by Dr Carden-Coyne
'Reading the Victorian: A Case Study of the City of Manchester' (30 Credits), convened by Dr Strange
'The City as History: Urban Space, Urban Society and the Making of Modern Europe, c. 1840-1940' (30 Credits), convened by Dr Jerram and Dr Umbach
'The Humanitarian Subject: Humanity, Medicine and the History of the Body in the Nineteenth Century' (30 credits) convened by Dr Taithe.
For information on History MA Optional Course Units go to
http://www.arts.manchester.ac.uk/subjectareas/history/postgraduatestudy/maoptions/
Most courses are assessed by one 5 to 6,000-word essay.
Semester 1 course essays are due in mid-January.
Semester 2 course essays are due in mid-May.
C. Research Training (30 credits)
Students on the MA in Cultural History may take two different paths: 1) a training scheme recognised by the AHRC (Arts and Humanities Research Council) which is composed of SAGE + HI7062 'Historical Research: Methods, Theory, Sources'; or 2) a training scheme recognised by the ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council) which is composed of SAGE and training modules in qualitative and quantitative research provided by the School of Social Sciences.
For further details of the SAGE programme go to:
http://www.arts.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduatestudy/sage-postgraduatetraining/
D. Dissertation (60 credits)
Students must complete a 12,000 — 15,000-word dissertation for submission in mid-September on a topic of their choice. The MA in Cultural History is first and foremost methodological. This leaves students free to explore a great diversity of research themes in their dissertation, on topics which genuinely interest and inspire them
Recent thesis titles include:
'Representations of the press: aspects of the East End response to immigration, 1880-1905'
'What is a brothel?: space, fantasy and law in the late-nineteenth-century city'
'Music, modernity and mystery: Britain, 1880-1939'
'The meanings of revolution: international situationism and the ultra-left in France 1968-1979'
4. Archives
The SAGE programme introduces students to the wonderful range of archival resources available in Manchester and the North-West. In addition to the Special Collections of the John Rylands University Library, the city's Central Library, and local record offices, recent MA theses have drawn on resources in a diverse range of collections including the Greater Manchester Police Museum, the North-West Film Archive, Salford Diocesan Archives and the Labour History Archive Centre.
For a list of major archives in Manchester, go to
http://www.arts.manchester.ac.uk/subjectareas/history/resourcesandlinks/#5
5. Academic Staff
The MA programme in Cultural History is convened by Prof. Patrick Joyce and Prof. Bertrand Taithe. Students on the programme work with a wide range of scholars at Manchester, including Dr Ana Carden-Coyne, Dr Max Jones, Dr Stuart Jones, Prof. Frank Mort, Prof.Stephen Rigby, Dr Julie Marie Strange, Dr Maiken Umbach, and Dr Natalie Zacek.
6. Entrance Requirements & Funding Opportunities
For further information on both entrance requirements and funding opportunities go to:
http://www.arts.manchester.ac.uk/subjectareas/history/postgraduatestudy/funding/
7. Contacts
If you require any further information on the MA in Cultural History, please do not hesitate to email me at bertrand.taithe@manchester.ac.uk
Professor Bertrand Taithe
Director of the MA Programme in Cultural History