| Unit name | Colonial Disorders (Level H Special Subject) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HIST30013 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Saha |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of History (Historical Studies) |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
The British in Burma faced a host of what they perceived to be threats to their authority: amongst them rebellion, disease, miscegenation, and criminality. From the very outset of the conquest of Burma, disorder was apparent: during the first Anglo-Burmese War in 1824-26 malaria killed many of the British soldiers; and, following the annexation of Upper Burma in 1885, there were years of guerrilla warfare across the territory, led by what the British saw as criminal bands. In this unit we will examine colonial governance in Burma by studying British responses to these apparent threats. In the seminars we will extensively examine primary sources to study colonial perceptions of disorder, and how they attempted to overcome it in practice. We will also consider the impact and postcolonial legacy of their strategies for overcoming these disorders, reflecting on how we might uncover a Burmese perspective on this history.
By the end of the unit students should have:
developed their skills in contributing to and learning from discussion in a small-group environment.
Weekly 2-hour seminar Access to tutorial consultation with unit tutor in office hours
3000 word essay (summative, 50%) and 2-hour unseen written examination (summative, 50%)
The essay and examination will assess the student’s understanding of the unit’s key themes, the related historiography as developed during their reading and participation in / learning from small group seminars, and ability to understand and deploy relevant primary sources.
Robert Taylor, The State in Burma (recently reprinted as The State in Myanmar).
Michael Charney, A History of Modern Burma.
Matrii Aung-Thwin, The Return of the Galon King: History, Law and Rebellion in Colonial Burma.
Thant Myint-U, The Making of Modern Burma.
Parimal Ghosh, Brave Men of the Hills: Resistance and Rebellion in Burma, 1825-1932.
Chie Ikeya, Refiguring Women, Colonialism and Modernity in Burma.
