This module is not currently running in 2025 to 2026.
This module explores the interaction between scientific, technological and medical knowledge production and Empire through the lens of Imperial and Global History. Focusing largely on colonial South Asia or 'British India,' the module will introduce students to the complexities that accompanied transmission of scientific knowledge and transfer of technology in the peripheries of Empire. Students will engage in an understanding of the circumstances that led to the colonisation of South Asia and the debates surrounding introduction of western scientific knowledge and technologies (such as railways) in the region. Drawing upon methodologies of Imperial History and Global History, the module will provide students with a critical grasp of the ways in which ‘western knowledge’ was adopted and adapted in a colony, especially underlining the role of the colonised in mediating the process and therefore shaping its outcome.
Total contact hours: 80
Private study hours: 520
Total study hours: 600
Main assessment methods
Essay 1 (3,000-words) 15%
Essay 2 (3,000 words) 15%
Presentation 1 (15-minutes) 5%
Presentation 2 (15-minutes) 5%
Examination 1 (2-hours) 30%
Examination 2 (2-hours) 30%
Reassessment methods
100% coursework
The University is committed to ensuring that core reading materials are in accessible electronic format in line with the Kent Inclusive Practices. The most up to date reading list for each module can be found on the university's reading list pages: https://kent.rl.talis.com/index.html
The intended subject specific learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
1. A clear understanding of interactions between knowledge production and Imperial history in a global context.
2. A critical historical appreciation of scientific, medical and technological knowledge production in imperial metropolis and in the colonies.
3. A critical knowledge of how colonies and metropolis interacted through the lens of knowledge production.
4. Demonstrate a critical awareness of the problems and possibilities of studying imperial history, particularly in comparative spatial framework
5. Accurately deploy a variety of methodological techniques in the analysis of a range of written documents and visual evidence from 19th and 20th centuries, but also appreciate the limitations and ambiguity of this evidence and issues pertaining to 'colonial archive'.
The intended generic learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
1. Formulate detailed arguments based on critical evaluation of scholarly reviews and primary sources, and then communicate and sustain these clearly.
2. Manage their own learning and exercise both initiative and personal responsibility by identifying the most relevant research materials and carrying out substantial independent research.
3. Identify a range of solutions involving different types of evidence and abstract concepts in order to make decisions about complex problems in a variety of contexts.
4. Analyse and assimilate large quantities of data at a high level which enables them to undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature.
5. Demonstrate an awareness of the importance of communicating historical research and understanding to non-specialist audiences and the wider public
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