Course Catalogue

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The course explores changing understandings and representations of ideas of race in Scotland (or in the lands that will become Scotland) over c.1500 years. The concept of race will be situated in Scotland's distinctive historical experience and European religious, philosophical, intellectual, and socio-economic dynamics operating at a global level during the era of European colonial expansion and decolonisation. The course enables critical and reflective engagement with the concept of race to reveal its deeply embedded and historically and socially contingent nature.

10 x two-hour workshops 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

Learning journal (2,250 words) -- 50% 

Essay (2,250 words) -- 50%

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 and critical understanding of the role and changing nature of ideas of 'race' in Scottish society over an extended historical period.

■ Utilise and develop the skills acquired in previous levels by engaging with more complex and challenging material that enables a critique of existing interpretation of race in Scotland's history.

■ Develop and practice intellectual and analytical skills in History through critical assessment of both secondary and primary sources

■ Facilitate engagement with critical and reflective thinking and a better appreciation of the requirements, challenges and responsibilities inherent in working effectively in groups and managing collective debate.

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

■ Reflect critically on ideas of race from Scotland's beginnings until the modern era.

■ Evaluate continuities and changes in the transmission of understandings of race in Scottish society.

■ Analyse key texts/primary sources in relation to the conditions of their creation and their meaning and use over time.

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