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Gender, Power and Identity in Early Modern England

Module description

This module provides you with an opportunity to investigate the meanings and construction of gender in historical context: not just biological difference but also the social meanings attached to that difference. As well as investigating the lives and experiences of women, the module engages with the most recent research on sexuality, masculinity and gender as a key component in early modern power relations. It is concerned with contrasting the myths about gender relations in this period with a close understanding of the documented experiences of the lives of men and women. This module is concerned throughout with the ways historical lines of enquiry have developed over time and how old assumptions are modified in light of new theoretical and methodological developments.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to do two things.

• It provides an introduction to the study of gender relations and how the experiences of men and women relate to broader debates about the social, economic, cultural and political changes taking place in the early modern period.
• The module is designed to ensure that you acquire a firm grasp of academic skills, techniques and concepts in order to develop your skills as independent researchers and critical thinkers. 

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Display a core knowledge of gender relations in the early modern period, linked to key themes
• 2. Demonstrate critical awareness of the historiography of the period
• 3. Bring primary evidence to bear on your interpretations of secondary arguments about gender relations and social and cultural change

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Analyse and reflect critically and contextually upon historical texts relating to a specific historical period or theme
• 5. Collate data from a range of sources, both primary and secondary
• 6. With limited guidance, understand and deploy historical terminology in a comprehensible manner
• 7. Handle different approaches to history in areas of controversy and work with a range of primary sources

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 8. Show evidence of ability to read and use texts and source materials critically and emphatically
• 9. Combine independent, autonomous study with the ability to work reflectively and collaboratively
• 10. Show evidence of collaboration in group work and oral presentation

Syllabus plan

Through a sequence of linked seminars and lectures you will investigate some of the following themes and issues:

• Ideas and laws regarding women
• Meanings of masculinity and femininity
• The patriarchal state
• Household, family and the lifecycle
• Women, work and the household economy
• Sexuality and the body
• Crime and gender
• Religion and witchcraft
• Gender and popular politics
• Questions of agency

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

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 40%) 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 40%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

• Amanda Flather, Gender and Space in Early Modern England (Boydell, 2007)
• A. Fletcher, Gender, Sex and Subordination in England, 1500-1800 (1995)
• Sara Mendelson and Patricia Crawford Women in Early Modern England 1550-1720 (Oxford, 1998)
• Alex Shepard, Meanings of Manhood in early Modern England (Oxford, 2003)

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE page: https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=11318 
• EEBO
• JSTOR
• Project Muse

Key words search

Gender, patriarchy, early modern, social relations, popular culture, community, identity, power, politics