The Cold War 1941-1991 (VS1) (U03511)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : HCA-3-CW VS1

This course involves the study of a subject of the widest (global) geographical scope and one that lasted long enough (fifty years) to undergo several phases. Involving, as it does, competing ideologies and differing cultures (e.g. Russian and Chinese) even within the same ideological camp, it provides an opportunity to study a wide range of human experience.

The historical truth about the conflict between the non-commmunist and communist worlds known as the Cold War has been much (and sometimes bitterly) contested. Various starting dates have been posited, most of them having some merit. Responsibilities have been debated between 'orthodox' (pro western), 'revisionist' (anti western) and post orthodox and post revisionist schools. Individual events continue to attract controversy, e.g. whether the atomic bombs were dropped on japan at least as much to overawe the Soviet Union as to induce Japan to surrender. The roles of individual participants have received widely differing interpretations from Stalin and Roosevelt to Gorbachev and Reagan.

The course should be of particular interest to those who have taken survey courses, e.g. on European or American history, in which the international history component is inevitably limited and who wish to explore that aspect in greater depth.

Entry Requirements

? This course is only available to part year visiting students.

? This course is a variant of the following course : HI0073

? Pre-requisites : A pass in any first level historical course and any second level historical course or equivalent. Visiting students should normally have 3 to 4 History courses at Grade B or above. Before enrolling students on this course, Directors are asked to contact the History Honours Admissions Secretary to ensure that a place is available (tel. 503783).

Subject Areas

Home subject area

History, (School of History, Classics and Archaeology, Schedule E)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Not being delivered

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Thursday	14:00	15:50	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

The intended outcomes are:

1. Enhancement of student understanding of important themes in modern international history from both western and communist perspectives.

2. Enhancement of student understanding of history as a subject that is imaginitively and dialectically constructed through competing historiographical viewpoints.

3. Enhancement of student understanding of history as a subject that can profitably be understood thematically rather than within the conventional boundaries of national history.

4. Enhancement of student understanding of, and skills in using, historical theory, historical evidence and comparative method.

5. Enhancement of student historical and transferable skills, primarily through the preparation and presentation of seminar papers, and collective participation in informed discussion and debate of seminar topics.

6. Enhancement of historical and transferable writing skills through the preparation of an essay displaying: empirical rigour, theoretical and analytical skills, narratyive and literary skills, and best practice concerning footnote and bibliographical citation.