Youth Cultures in Twentieth-Century Britain
This course discusses some of the most prevalent youth cultures and subcultures in post-WWII Britain, using them to illuminate class, politics, and other factors critical to an informed understanding of British postwar history. Through analysing each of the cultural and subcultural movements, students will consider a number of questions: Who participated in these cultures and subcultures? What made them noteworthy? How did they develop and why? What level of prominence did they reach in broader British society?
The main goal of the course is to show the ways in which British politics and society shaped, and imposed upon, the country’s young people through the latter half of the twentieth century. Topics including race, sexuality, the use of drugs, immigrants’ sense of belonging, and anti-governmental protest are inherent parts of these youth cultures, and will be examined in detail through the course.
Divided Cities
This course will look at the phenomenon of divided cities, the ways in which these polities function, and the ways in which they are conceptualized by their residents. A number of fundamental questions will be addressed throughout the course, predominantly through the introduction of a series of case studies introduced each week. The aim of the course is for students to recognize why cities become divided, the ways that such divisions manifest, and the impact on the cities’ inhabitants.