Option A: Figurations of European National Identities

ECTS allocation : 10 credits (22 contact hours; student work load 220 hours)
Module Coordinators : Edward Arnold and David Scott
Teaching Staff : Edward Arnold and David Scott

Aims

The aim of the course, in enabling students to engage with a wide variety of textual and visual media, is to explore ways in which the identity of European countries finds expression in terms of national icons as represented in pamphlets, posters, stamps and other primary textual/visual sources. The relationship between iconography and history and history and politics will be a central theme, with semiology playing a leading role as a theoretical and analytical device.

Working methods

The course will follow a standard lecture-seminar format. Each week students will be presented with a corpus of material for analysis and discussion. Individual or small-group presentations will be made by the students during the semester. Their work will be assessed at the end of the option course by a submitted essay on an agreed topic.

Learning outcomes

Students should be able to identify and elucidate the function of icons in expressing cultural or ideolgical meanings. They will have a solid understanding of sign analysis having acquired familiarity with the terminology and methods of both Saussurian semiology and Peircian semiotics. They will also have a full understanding of the relationship between iconography and history and history and politics, and will be able to articulate their findings in a disciplined and scholarly manner.

Syllabus

Topics:

Week 1 : General methods and approaches
Week 2 : Historical perspectives 1 (EA)
Week 3 : Historical perspectives 2 (EA)
Week 4 : Political dimensions 1 (EA)
Week 5 : Political dimensions 2 (EA)
Week 6 : Semiological analysis & Media types (DS)
Week 7 : Study Week

Case studies

Week 8 : Britain, Ireland: Britannia, John Bull, British Lion; Hibernia, harp (DS)
Week 9 : France (1) Political posters: Marianne, le coq gaulois (EA)
Week 10 : France (2) Ideology of stamps: Marianne, le coq gaulois (DS)
Week 11 : France (3) Lieux de mémoire and other historical themes (EA/DS)
Week 12 : Switzerland, Germany: Helvetia, William Tell, Matterhorn, Germania (DS)

Assessment

Students will write an essay of 3500-5000 words. In addition, as well as fulfilling the reading and other requirements, students will be expected to make oral presentations in class, individually or in small groups.

Preliminary Bibliography

• Maurice Agulhon : Marianne au combat Paris, 1979 (944.05 3 M1)
  • Marianne au pouvoir Flammarion, 1989 (944.053 M9)
  • Les Métamorphoses de Marianne Flammarion, 2001 (LEN 944.053 P1)
• Fernand Braudel : L'Identité de la France vol. 1 Paris: Flammarion, 1986 (French ; PB-164-557 ; English : PB-98-318 ; Arts 309.144 NO3 ;1-3)
• Gérard Deledalle : Théorie et pratique du signe Paris; Payot, 1979 (French : PL-265-982 ; English : 191.9 PEI9 PO1)
• Pierre Nora : Lieux de mémoire vol 1 La Rép. Gallimard, 1984 (PL 330-770.1)
• Michel Pastoureau : Les Emblèmes de la France Bonneton, 1998 (PB-190-573)
• David Scott : European Stamp Design Academy 1995 (PX-113-104) (PX-166-413)