APH300.1 Fashion Photography (Fall, Spring)

This course presents an alternative history of London that contrasts conventions of progress and openness with the stories of minorities, rebels and martyrs in order to challenge conventional narratives of the city’s tolerance and diversity. Foregrounding the histories of immigration, religion and politics reveals the crucial role played by conflict, suppression and protest in the development of the metropolis.

London is commonly characterised as diverse, tolerant, stable and safe; a city that has evolved gradually and evenly and without the cataclysmic revolutionary change that has convulsed so many other European cities.  But how true is this portrait of London, and to what extent does it serve the political agenda of the ruling elites? In the light of recent political, social and cultural protests that have called into question our dominant historical narratives, this course aims to question our conventional understanding of this metropolis and its 2,000-year development.

In particular, we will explore two great truisms about London:

• Firstly, we will question the discourse of London’s historical continuity by pursuing disruptive narratives of rebels and revolutionaries – from Boudicca’s revolt in the first decades of London’s recorded history, via civil war and political protests, through to recent struggles over taxation, war and globalisation
• Secondly, we will focus on the conventional understanding of London as a city of tolerance and diversity, questioning this broadly accepted overview through histories of religious martyrdom and emancipation, through an historical overview of London as a hub of immigration and of political exile, and lastly through an examination of London’s complex relationship with colonialism and slavery as capital of the British Empire.

The intention of this course is not merely to deny or denigrate London’s status as an open and diverse metropolis; indeed, by questioning the dominant narratives of the city we will expose the extraordinary contribution that religious and ethnic communities have made to London’s life and culture over its entire history. Furthermore, we will discuss how contemporary debates surrounding globalisation, the environment and especially Black Lives Matter, can serve to enrich our understanding of the city, and underpin ambitions for its future development.

This course examines the interplay between political violence, popular protest, and peace processes with a particular focus on the role of public mourning and collective grief. Case studies from around the world introduce students to death as a catalyst for social change and an analytical lens for political science.

The 2020 police killing of George Floyd brought global attention to #BlackLivesMatter, a movement launched in 2013 in the wake of another death—that of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. Images like Floyd’s daughter proclaiming ‘Daddy changed the world’ highlight the potential for death and mourning to be significant catalysts for social and political change.

Death as Political: Violence, Grief, and Protest examines how contemporary protests build on other collective responses to death around the world. The course asks students to engage with the pain and emotion of a conflict society – as well as its constructive potential. As demonstrated by recent events, death can serve to draw attention to wider concerns. Sites and rituals of death in the form of memorial infrastructure, commemorative institutions, and highly publicized funerals are often used by activists, community leaders, and policymakers to champion particular causes.

This course introduces core concepts in peace and conflict studies by examining various types of political protest. Students will engage with literature on terrorism, violence, non-violence, peace, and reconciliation. Diverse tactics and outcomes for political violence will be explored in four conflict settings: Argentina’s ‘Dirty War’, South Africa’s Apartheid period, the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland, and the now global Black Lives Matter movement. This historical and geographic diversity allows students to compare and contrast protest methods as they consider:

• What is ‘peaceful’ protest?
• What role do our emotions play in shaping responses to violence?
• Who holds decision-making power for protest movements?
• When do we achieve ‘peace’ and how do we maintain it?

While asking these questions, students will come to understand that violence and mourning are full of potential for both further conflict and greater peace.

This course may also be registered as PSC 484

Most semesters, registration limited (including minors) to only one Political Science class (PSC prefix and courses cross-listed with PSC) except for Political Science majors. Check the current semester’s Schedule of Classes for more information.