Module: Empires and Globalisation

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Empires and Globalisation
Module Code	HIS1046 (ITS: HY349)
Faculty	History & Geography	School	Humanities & Social Sciences
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

This module surveys the history of empires on a global scale between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries. It challenges students to grasp the history of empires by examining their structures, instruments and consequences. Themes will include the expansion of European empires (Portuguese, Spanish, British, French, Dutch, Belgian and Danes) in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Caribbean. Thus, it will explore the events that accompanied the global rivalry for empires among European nations in the eighteenth century, mercantilism, the commercial expansion of the East India Companies in the Indian Ocean, the establishment of administrative and judicial structures beyond Europe, the expansion of British colonies in India, slavery and the Abolition movement and up to the Scramble and Partition of Africa in 1885. The module will give students critical historical knowledge of imperialism and globalisation.

Learning Outcomes

1. LO1 Demonstrate an understanding of the economic, political and socio-cultural developments in the history of European empires from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century on a global scale.
2. Assess critically with historical material on the history of modern empires and demonstrate their skills in researching historical subjects and communicating their knowledge and ideas.
3. Identify and explain the minor and significant causative factors and consequences of European expansion.
4. Engage critically with various historical sources and pursue independent inquiry at an advanced level.
5. Evaluate the impact of empire-making, European culture and conquest on the wider world during our study period.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	48	Lectures
Assessment Feedback	202	Reading and completing assignments
Total Workload: 250

Section Breakdown
CRN	20544	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	James Akpu	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Participation	Class participation and contribution to discussion on set themes.	10%	n/a
Essay	Written assessments	30%	n/a
Formal Examination	n/a	60%	End-of-Semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Denoon, Donald; Wyndham, Marivic; Mein Smith, Philippa: 2000, A history of Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific, Oxford,
Bayly, C. A.,: 2004, The birth of the modern world, 1780-1914: global connections and comparisons, Malden, Mass: Oxford,,
Lovejoy, Paul E.,: 2011, Transformations in slavery: A history of slavery in Africa, Cambridge,
Suraiya N. Faroqhi and Kate Fleet (eds): 2013, The Cambridge history of Turkey volume 2: the Ottoman empire as a world power 1453-1603, Cambridge,
Joseph M. Fradera: 2021, The Imperial Nation: Citizens and subjects of the British, French, Spanish and American Empires, Princeton,

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None