OL Identities in History: Who Are We?

Who do you think you are? How we think about our identity is shaped by our historical and cultural context. This course explores how different types of identities - national, gender, sexual, religious, family - are thought about in particular historical periods and places and how exploring identities enables us to better understand human experience and processes of historical change. We explore the ideas that shape identity concepts (such as the invention of the nation-state or new medical research), the 'tools' people use to display and produce identity (such as clothing, flags or religious symbols), and how both of these evolve over time. This course reflects on what we mean by identity, why and when it is important, and the relationship between the individual and wider society and culture. It provides an introduction to the study of history at university, teaching students how to use primary and secondary sources and how these are used to make a historical argument. Through being introduced to a wide range of cultures and time periods, students will acquire important contextual knowledge that will support their learning at upper levels. Finally students will learn to critically engage with the concept of identity and how it shapes our lives today.