BRITISH CIVILIZATION
2014/15 Autumn Term
SZABADI ISTVÁN
AN12000BA; AN18007BA
FIRST YEAR BA
MINOR PROGRAMME
seminar, 2hrs, graded
Mon 18.00-19.40; Rm 119
Wed 18.00-19.40; Rm II
OFFICE HOURS:
Time: Mon 9-10
Place: Rm 105
e-mail: [email protected]
The course has a double aim. First, to introduce students to British cultural history and life in modern Britain,
that is, to basic cultural phenomena, and second, to improve the students' language skills. In each seminar
various images, newspaper articles, literary and visual texts (including films, for example Braveheart, The Lord
of the Rings, Bend It Like Beckham, British television series like You Rang M’Lord, Misfits, and comedy
sketches by Monty Python) and songs (from William Blake’s “Jerusalem” to U2’s Bloody Sunday) are
discussed. The discussions are accompanied by comprehension questions and exercises on the topics, including
popular images of Britishness vs. Englishness, national symbols, language, manners, gender roles, other “things
English” (tea ceremony, the cult of the countryside, the Beatles, etc.), political institutions, the cultural
geography of London, law, education, class, international relations, Euroscepticism, race relations,
multiculturalism, religion, welfare and the media.
REQUIREMENTS:
Students are expected to read the assigned texts for each class as this is the basis of classroom participation,
and it also contributes to the final grade. The success of the seminar will greatly depend on your contribution; it
is essential, therefore, that participants take an active part in classroom discussions.
OCCASIONAL QUIZZES: can be expected at the beginning of seminars to check students’ familiarity with the
assigned material. It will take approximately 5 minutes to write these tests. If the total of the quizzes does not
reach 60% percent, the entire course fails to be graded. Latecomers will not be allowed to write them, nor those
who are absent from the class. In case of failure, there will be one more chance to pass them on week 14,
together with the end-term test. Also, quizzes count 10 % of the final grade.
MID-TERM TEST: an objective test on the material covered in the first half of the term.
END-TERM TEST: an objective test mainly on the material covered in the second half of the semester, with a
few general questions on the material covered in the first half of the term.
CLASSROOM WORK: students’ active participation in classroom work is an important constituent of the final
grade. Students are expected to take part in classroom discussions and to give a five-minute presentation on
one of the topics covered in the semester. The content of the presentation is to be discussed with the instructor a
week before the presentation is due.
CLASS ATTENDANCE: no more than three missed classes can be tolerated.
GRADING POLICY
Course components
classroom work
occasional quizzes
end-term test
mid-term test
Total
Percentage
10%
10%
40%
40%
100%
Overall
percentage
87-100%
75-86%
63-74%
51-62%
0-50 %
Grades
5
4
3
2
1
Neither mid-term tests, nor end-term tests can be rewritten. If the mid-term test receives a very low percentage,
the student will have to write a very good end-term test in order to get a grade for the course. Unlike exams, both
the mid-term and the end-term tests assess how students have been studying during the entire semester. If the
mark for the mid-term and the end-term does not add up to 50 %, the final grade for the course will be 1. Only
occasional quizzes can be rewritten, as it is described above.
(N.B. NO GRADE CAN BE OBTAINED UNLESS ALL THE COURSE COMPONENTS ARE FULFILLED)
COURSE MATERIALS: selected chapters from James O’Driscoll’s Britain (provided by the instructor)
WEEK
1
2
DATE
15/09
17/09
22/09
24/09
TOPIC
Orientation and general introduction
English vs. British: places, national symbols and anthems
Required reading: James O’Driscoll, Britain, Chapter 3,
“Geography” pp. 31-41
AND Excerpt from Chapter 4 “Identity” pp. 42-45
3
29/09
01/10
4
06/10
08/10
5
13/10
15/10
Law and Welfare
Required reading: James O’Driscoll, Britain, Chapter 11, “The Law”
pp. 106-112 AND Chapter 18: “Welfare” pp. 168-173
6
20/10
22/10
7
27/10
29/10
03/11
05/11
10/11
12/11
Education and Work
Required reading: James O’Driscoll, Britain, Chapter 14,
“Education” pp. 130-140
Consultation Week: No Class 
8
9
10
17/11
19/11
11
24/11
26/11
12
01/12
03/12
08/12
10/12
15/12
17/12
13
14
The British character
Required reading: James O’Driscoll: Britain, Chapter 5, “Attitudes” pp. 56-66
AND Excerpt from Chapter 4, “Identity” pp. 48-51
The Queen and Her government
Required reading: James O’Driscoll: Britain, Excerpts from
Chapter 6, “Political Life”, Chapter 7, “The Monarchy”
Chapter 9, “Parliament” (pp. 67-73, 77-81, 90-97)
Mid-Term Test
Post-war history and International relations
Required reading: James O’Driscoll, Britain, Chapter 12,
“International Relations” pp. 113-120
Religion
Required reading: James O’Driscoll, Britain, Chapter 13,
“Religion” pp. 121-129.
The media
Required reading: James O’Driscoll, Britain, Chapter 16,
“The Media.” pp. 151-162
Arts and Sports: No required reading 
Food and Holidays: No required reading 
End-Term Test