Module Specifications.
Academic Year 2026 - 2027
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Description This module focuses on personal narratives (or ego documents) such as diaries, letters and memoirs as sources for the historian with an emphasis on the study of nineteenth-century Dublin. The first portion of the module will provide an overview of the social, political and cultural history of the city from the Act of Union to the fin de siecle. This will be accompanied by the exploration of a variety of primary sources created by people living in Dublin over the century. We will ask what these kinds of personal documents can tell us about the history of the city. Students will then develop an individual research project where they use one or several personal narratives, alongside the writings of historians, to pose and answer a question about the history of nineteenth-century Dublin. Areas of interest include the response to outbreaks of contagious disease, the experience of love and relationships, the life of the police officer or magistrate, scientific and medical culture, and the life of the artist. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Learning Outcomes 1. Understand the differences between a variety of so-called 'ego documents' that historians might use for research. 2. Analyse and contextualise primary sources using appropriate secondary literature. 3. Develop their own research questions and conduct research in primary and secondary source documents. 4. Recognise the limitations of historical narratives, including those they have created themselves. 5. Receive formative feedback on their work and use it to improve. 6. Create a history of nineteenth-century Dublin that makes appropriate use of both primary and secondary source documents. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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
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Indicative Reading List | Books: None Articles: None
Other Resources | None
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