Navy and Nation: The Royal Navy in the Long Eighteenth Century, 1688-1815
| Module title | Navy and Nation: The Royal Navy in the Long Eighteenth Century, 1688-1815 |
|---|---|
| Module code | HISM038 |
| Academic year | 2022/3 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr James Davey (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 16 |
|---|
Module description
In this module, you will explore the multi-faceted relationship between the Royal Navy and the British nation during the long eighteenth century. This was an era defined by intense conflict with European powers, in which the Royal Navy emerged as one of the most important institutions in Britain, alongside Parliament, the monarchy and the Church. You will examine the different ways the Navy impacted on national life, considering how it shaped British culture and identity, and analysing the political and economic contexts in which it operated. It also offers a number of seminars that consider the social worlds of the Navy 'from below'.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The module will encourage you to think beyond the traditional remit of naval history, and consider how new approaches to the subject are re-defining how it is conceived and practiced. As such, it will also show how naval history can offer a perspective on broader historiographical debates, such as the development of the nation-state, the creation of masculine and national identities, the advent of the ‘consumer revolution’, as well as discussing the extent to which mutiny and desertion can be mapped on to wider narratives of resistance. Taken together, the module will investigate the complex connections between navy and nation, and demonstrate that what occurred at sea had a significant impact on shore.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Locate and evaluate critically the relevant primary and secondary source materials required to investigate a specific historical or methodological question related to the history of the Royal Navy.
- 2. Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of key themes and approaches in the study of the Royal Navy in the eighteenth century.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Analyze and synthesize widely different types of historical material and evidence.
- 4. Identify and understand the nature of original sources.
- 5. Demonstrate a critical understanding of key historical concepts and debates.
- 6. Research for yourself and present independent accounts and interpretations of different historical issues.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Apply key bibliographical skills (including the use of on-line finding aids)
- 8. Demonstrate a capacity for independent critical research, study and thought, including developing the ability to construct and defend a sustained argument using primary and secondary materials
- 9. Work as an individual and with a tutor and peers in an independent, constructive and responsive way (e.g. lead a group discussion or task ).
Syllabus plan
The exact syllabus may vary year to year but the module will examine topics such as:
- The Social Worlds of the Royal Navy
- The Navy and the British state
- Trade and Empire
- Science and Exploration
- Navy, Identity and Popular Culture
- Mutiny
- Sexuality
- Desertion
- Policy and Strategy
- Crime and Punishment
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 278 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 22 | 11 x 2 hour seminars. |
| Guided independent study | 278 | Preparation for seminars, essays and presentations |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Literature Review | 50 | 3000 words | 1-9 | Oral and written |
| Source Essay | 50 | 3000 words | 1-9 | Oral and written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Literature Review (3000 words) | Literature Review (3000 words) | 1-9 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Source Essay (3000 words) | Source Essay (3000 words) | 1-9 | Referral/Deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 50%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Michael Duffy, ed., Parameters of British Naval Power 1650-1850 (Exeter University Press, 1992)
Ellen Gill, Naval Families, War and Duty in Britain, 1740-1820 (Woodbridge: Boydell and Brewer, 2016)
Jan Glete, Navies and Nations: warships, navies and state building in Europe and America 1500-1800 (Stockholm, 1993)
John B. Hattendorf, R.J.B. Knight, et al, British Naval Documents, 1204-1960 (Navy Records Society, 1993)
Timothy Jenks, Naval Engagements: Patriotism, Cultural Politics, and the Royal Navy 1793-1815, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006)
Isaac Land, War, Nationalism and the British Sailor 1750–1850 (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2009)
Brian Lavery, Shipboard Life and Organisation, 1731-1815 (Navy Records Society, 1998)
Margarette Lincoln, Representing the Royal Navy: British Sea Power, 1750-1815 (Ashgate, 2002)
Roger Morriss, The Foundations of British Maritime Ascendancy. Resources, Logistics and the State, 1755- 1815 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011)
Geoff Quilley, Empire to Nation: Art, History and the Visualisation of Maritime Britain (Yale University Press, 2011)
N.A.M. Rodger, The Wooden World: an anatomy of the Georgian Navy (London, 1986)
N.A.M. Rodger, The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain, 1649-1815 (London, 2004)
Clive Wilkinson, The British Navy and the State in the 18th Century (Woodbridge: Boydell, 2004)
Evan Wilson, A Social History of British Naval Officers, 1775-1815 (Woodbridge: Boydell Press, 2017)
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 02/05/2017 |
| Last revision date | 27/06/2022 |