Great Britain at a Crossroads 3301-KB001-OG

Core subject areas:
1. Between Elizabeth II and Charles III, between William and Harry. The modern British monarchy – its significance, media image and future prospects.
2. What was it like with Brexit? Circumstances of Britain's exit from the European Union and prospects for development outside the Union.
3. Do the British do without a constitution? The legal and judiciary system in action.
4. Does the 300-year-old two-party system still work? Political parties and parliamentary elections.
5. The real “House of Cards”. Current politics between Westminster and Downing Street.
6. “The United Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland”. A study of the composite state and current centrifugal tendencies in the Kingdom.
7. The case of Scotland. What do its people actually want and will the United Kingdom ... break up?
8. Eton and Oxford. Is the British education system the best in the world?
9. Qualities, tabloids, the BBC and TV licence fees... How does the British media system work?
10. The legacy of Henry VIII: Anglicanism and other British religions
11. The Legacy of Empire: Multiculturalism and multi-ethnicity in British society
12. Where to go on holiday? The cultural geography of the British Isles.

Type of course

general courses

Course coordinators

Paweł Rutkowski

Learning outcomes

Knowledge
Students will be able to:
K_W01 identify and characterize on an advanced level the generic determinants of British culture within the humanities
K_W02 describe on an advanced level the current trends in literary and cultural studies research in reference to British culture within English studies
K_W04 characterize on an advanced level the principles of research design in literary and culture studies with special focus on the application of methods and tools in formulating research problems in reference to British culture
K_W05 identify the notions and principles pertinent to intellectual property and copyright

Abilities
Students will be able to:
K_U01 Apply advanced terminology and notions pertinent to the discipline within the British culture
K_U02 Apply advanced research methodology within literary and culture studies and English studies, respecting ethical norms and copyright law
K_U03 Apply knowledge obtained during the course of studies to account for and solve a problem, thereby completing a research task related to the discipline literary studies and/or culture and religion studies
K_U04 Analyze literary and cultural phenomena and draw generalizations on their basis in the context of societal, historical and economic factors on an advanced level
K_U05 Discern alternative methodological paradigms within a discipline

Social competences
Students will be ready to:
K_K02 Apply knowledge and skills obtained during the course of studies to undertake lifelong learning, as well as personal and professional development
K_K03 Take responsibility for performing one’s professional duties, with due respect for the work of others, obey and develop the ethical norms in professional and academic settings related to the disciplines included on the curriculum of English studies
K_K04 Assess critically one’s own knowledge and skills related to the studies
K_K06 Value cultural heritage and cultural diversity as well as individual opinions

Education at language level B2+.

Assessment criteria

Assessment methods:
- attendance
- participation in discussions
- presentations
- oral exam
3 absences are allowed.

Bibliography

• Peter Childs, Mike Storry, Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture (Routledge, 2002).
• Bill Jones (ed.). Politics UK. 7th Edition (Harlow, 2010).
• Michael Higgins, Clarissa Smith, John Storey (eds.), Cambridge Companion to Modern British Culture (CUP, 2010).
• John Oakland. British Civilization. An Introduction. 8th Edition (New York, 2016).
• Paul Ward, Britishness since 1970 (Roultedge, 2004).

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 3301-KB001-OG in USOSweb