ACADEMICS
Prerequisites and Language Requirements
London, like all large cities, requires a great amount of walking. On an ordinary day students will walk a couple of miles just getting to, on, and from public transport.
Credits
5 UW Credits
Courses
ENGL 259: London in Times of Crisis and Change (5 Credits: VLPA, DIV)
Situated on the edge of Europe, Great Britain, like many of its European neighbors, has had its fair share of crisis and change. Reading about it is one thing. Visiting the sites where the change took place is an invaluable addition to understanding the past and, in part, the present. In each of the four weeks there will be a discussion of the week's reading in the classroom before our site visits which are designed to complement and bring the readings to life. Readings include one Shakespeare play (TBA), Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn, Diaries related to the Great Fire, Oscar Wilde, A Woman of No Importance, a selection of First World War poetry, and Monica Ali, Brick Lane.
Learning goals include:
The goal of this course is to help students becomes more informed about the great crises in London's culture and their effect in shaping modern London. These include the succession crisis and the great fire in the 17th century, the wide disparity between social classes at Victoria's death in 1901 brought about during the high point of by Britain's colonial empire in the 19th century, the alienation and fragmentation following World War I, and the Brexit decision in 2016 in which prejudice related to immigration was a key factor. Students will write weekly essays and keep a journal of their experiences. The course is approved for VLPA and DIV credit. By arrangement with the instructor W credit is available, as is Ad Hoc Honors credit for those who qualify.