Debating Modern Britain: Conflict, Change, and Society in the Long Eighteenth Century

Overview

Overview

Between 1688 and 1832, Britain emerged from a period of chronic instability to become a global power and the world’s first industrial nation. This module examines some of these transformations, exploring the political, social and economic changes of the period and considering the impact of change on the everyday lives of the men, women and children who lived through it.

Most aspects of Britain’s evolution towards ‘modernity’ are contested by historians and a core aspect of the module will be the development of critical skills in relation to these debates. Students will consider, for example, the appropriateness of the term ‘revolution’ with regards to industrial developments; the validity of the ‘moral economy’ with regards to popular protest, and the significance of the ‘bloody code’ as a tool of social discipline and control. They will also examine ideological developments in the period and their broader social and cultural significance, focusing on issues such as the growth of ‘politeness’ and new concepts of male and female behaviour.

Time, Date, and Place

This lecture-only module comprises of one lecture per week over one term, commencing the week beginning 19 January 2026. Lectures take place on the Trinity Campus.