Prospectus

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Navigating History: New Perspectives on Maritime History

Course
2022-2023

Admission requirements

This course is part of the (Res)MA History Programme. Students from within the specialization the course belongs to have right of way. It is not accessible for BA students.

Description

Maritime history encompasses humankind’s relationships to the seas and oceans of the world. It is a heterogeneous research field which brings a variety of research perspectives together: shipping, nautical science, cartography, warfare at sea, overseas trade, exploration and encounters, port communities, the steam revolution, containerization, maritime labor market and seafaring culture are some of the main subjects. In the past two decades maritime history has enjoyed a real renaissance. Besides economic, political and nautical themes, there is a new attention to social and cultural phenomena and the relation between maritime and global history, and between maritime history and cultural heritage institutions. This literature seminar focuses on recent scholarly views and insights in the field of maritime history.

Course objectives

General learning objectives

The student has acquired:

  1. The ability to analyse and evaluate literature with a view to addressing a particular historical problem;

  2. The ability to give a clear and well-founded oral and written report on research results in correct English, when required, or Dutch, meeting the criteria of the discipline;

  3. The ability to provide constructive feedback to and formulate criticism of the work of others and the ability to evaluate the value of such criticism and feedback on one’s own work and incorporate it;

  4. The ability to participate in current debates in the specialisation;

  5. (ResMA only:) The ability to participate in a discussion of the theoretical foundations of the discipline.

Learning objectives, pertaining to the specialisation

The student has acquired:

  1. Thorough knowledge and comprehension of one of the specialisations or subtracks as well as of the historiography of the specialisation, focusing particularly on the following;
    -in the specialisation Colonial and Global History: how global (political, socio-economic, and cultural) connections interact with regional processes of identity and state formation; hence insight in cross-cultural processes (including the infrastructure of shipping and other modes of communication) that affect regions across the world such as imperialism, colonisation, islamisation, modernisation and globalisation (in particular during the period 1200-1940);
    -in the subtrack Maritime History: the development of maritime history from the 16th century onwards; insight into recent issues in the field.

  2. (ResMA only): Thorough knowledge and comprehension of the theoretical foundation of the discipline and of its position vis-à-vis other disciplines.

Learning objectives, pertaining to this Literature Seminar

The student:

  1. Is able to assess, discuss and criticize recent scholarship in the field of Maritime History, and understand the relative position of individual authors and monographs within this field.

  2. Is able to discuss the interaction between the fields of Maritime History and Colonial and Global History.

Timetable

The timetables are available through MyTimetable.

Mode of instruction

  • Seminar (compulsory attendance)

This means that students must attend every session of the course. Students who are unable to attend must notify the lecturer beforehand. The teacher will determine if and how the missed session can be compensated by an additional assignment. If specific restrictions apply to a particular course, the lecturer will notify the students at the beginning of the semester. If a student does not comply with the aforementioned requirements, the student will be excluded from the seminar.

Assessment method

Assessment

  • Written essay
    Measured learning objectives: 1-3, 6, 8-10 (ResMA also 5 and 7)

  • Assignments
    Measured learning objectives: 1-4, 6, 8 (ResMA also 5 and 7)

  • Oral presentation
    Measured learning objectives: 1-3, 6, 8 (ResMA also 5)

  • Active participation in class discussions
    Measured learning objectives: 1-4 (ResMA also 5)

Weighing

  • Written essay(s): 50%

  • Weekly assignments: 40%

  • Oral presentation and in-class participation: 10%

The final grade for the course is established by determining the weighted average with the additional requirement that the written essay must always be sufficient.

Deadlines

Assignments and written papers should be handed in within the deadline as provided in the relevant course outline on Brightspace.

Resit

Should the overall mark be unsatisfactory, the paper is to be revised after consultation with the instructor.

Inspection and feedback

How and when a review of the written paper will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the results, a review of the written paper will have to be organised. 

Reading list

Assignments and written papers should be handed in within the deadline as provided in the relevant course outline on Brightspace.

Registration

Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.

Contact

  • For course related questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.

  • For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Huizinga.

Remarks

Not applicable.