Course Catalogue

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In recent decades, memory has become one of the most widely debated issues in academia as well as in everyday life. This course will familiarise students with the exciting interdisciplinary field of memory studies. Beginning with a discussion of the history of the concept of memory and a brief foray into the science of memory, we will analyze how several disciplines (psychology, sociology, history, anthropology) have dealt with memory. We will then look at memory studies through the prism of a number of themes (such as nationalism, transnationalism, media, rights/justice, subjectivity, body, forgetting/silence) and case studies.

10 x 1 hour lectures and 10 x 1 hour seminars per week over 10 weeks as scheduled in MyCampus. This is one of the Honours options in History and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on

MyCampus.

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into History, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

None.

None.

Three reading responses (500 words each) - 40% total

Essay (2500 words) - 60%

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. Where, exceptionally, reassessment on Honours courses is required to satisfy professional/accreditation requirements, only the overall course grade achieved at the first attempt will contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

This course aims to:

■ Develop a broad understanding of the history and emergence of the field of Memory Studies and engage with debates in this interdisciplinary field;

■ Analyse and interpret the theoretical literature on Memory Studies to develop a critical understanding of key concepts in this field;

■ Compare the approaches to memory of different disciplines from neuroscience to psychology to sociology to history to anthropology;

■ Recognise the relevance of issues such as nationalism, transnationalism, rights/justice, media, subjectivity, body, forgetting/silence in relation to memory;

■ Hone interdisciplinary research and writing skills, including analytical skills.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Communicate effectively about the history of critical debates in the field of Memory Studies;

■ Assess the way different disciplines study memory;

■ Critically analyse, synthesize and evaluate the theoretical literature on Memory Studies;

■ Identify and discuss key theoretical, methodological and historiographical issues concerning the study of memory;

■ Seek out, engage with and critically assess a variety of sources.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.