In the twenty-first century 'riot' continues to be an important form of protest, but one which continues to attract a largely negative press. Central to this module, is an argument that protest to be properly understood needs to be seen as part of a broader political process. The module suggests that it might be more appropriate to talk rather of protest in the context of popular agency and a popular political culture. As such, it aims to promote a critical attitude to the uncritical use of 'riot' in the past which has important consequences for understanding protest in the present world.
The module offers a critical examination of what has been called 'history from below'. It uses the evidence provided by various forms of protest to examine how the 'people' (a term which the module seeks to deconstruct) experienced, interpreted, and reacted to, the major changes over this period. It also seeks to challenge the male bias in thinking about who engaged in protest. The module examines - within a broadly chronological framework - the various types of protest culminating in the English Revolution and its radical groups. To overcome the problems of trying to recover the beliefs of a largely illiterate group the module encourages you to think creatively about what 'evidence' we can use: what, for example, might men dressed in drag in a riot tell us about popular political beliefs? It also makes extensive use of manuscript primary sources, made available to you as printed xeroxes.
Recent decades have seen a sharp increase in interest in the field of popular protest and politics, with a corresponding increase in publications in the field. The module draws extensively on this literature and on its central debates. It is designed to offer you an opportunity to work at the edge of current research, incorporating very recent and forthcoming work in the field. In addition, the module also offers an opportunity to work on a variety of primary sources. For third year students the module provides a possible route into postgraduate research.
The module offers a critical examination of what has been called 'history from below'. It uses the evidence provided by various forms of protest to examine how the 'people' (a term which the module seeks to deconstruct) experienced, interpreted, and reacted to, the major changes over this period. It also seeks to challenge the male bias in thinking about who engaged in protest. The module examines - within a broadly chronological framework - the various types of protest culminating in the English Revolution and its radical groups. To overcome the problems of trying to recover the beliefs of a largely illiterate group the module encourages you to think creatively about what 'evidence' we can use: what, for example, might men dressed in drag in a riot tell us about popular political beliefs? It also makes extensive use of manuscript primary sources, made available to you as printed xeroxes.
Recent decades have seen a sharp increase in interest in the field of popular protest and politics, with a corresponding increase in publications in the field. The module draws extensively on this literature and on its central debates. It is designed to offer you an opportunity to work at the edge of current research, incorporating very recent and forthcoming work in the field. In addition, the module also offers an opportunity to work on a variety of primary sources. For third year students the module provides a possible route into postgraduate research.