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This course explores the relationships between history, film and national identity with a focus on Britain and Russia. Looking at key moments in the history of Russia and Britain (with reference to other national cinemas) it looks at how film and later television has responded to and represented those events. There is a particular interest in how much earlier history is drawn upon in creating national cinemas and how it may inform national identity and national stereotypes. The course will primarily be concerned with feature film but will also look at the propaganda shorts produced by the states. The structure and theoretical framework for the course would allow for other national cinemas to be the case studies on the course.

On successful completion of this module a student will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the concepts of national cinema and national identity.
2. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of historiographical debates relating to Britain and Russia on screen.
3. Assess and evaluate the nature of propaganda and media in shaping public perceptions of historical events.
4. Analyse and evaluate the relationship between film, television and history.
5. Gather, organise and deploy evidence, data and information; show structure, coherence, clarity and fluency of written expression.

The course syllabus may include (but not limited to) topics such as:

1) Concepts of national identity, propaganda and national cinema.
2) The First World War .
3) The Russian Revolution.
4) Second World War.
5) Cold War –Spy culture.
6) Cold War – comedy and stereotyping of Britons/ Russians.
7) Use of pre 20th Century history on film/tv Elizabeth 1/ Catherine the Great.
8) Use of pre 20th Century on film/ tv the Last Tsar and the ‘cult’ of Anastasia.
9) British film in the Thatcher period – nostalgia and fears of nuclear war.
10) Shaping new identities in Russia in the 1990s and confirming old ones in Britain at the turn of 20th century.
11) Nostalgia for the Soviet period & 21st century Russian film and television.
12) Film archive visit.

This module will be campus based and be taught in workshops using some flipped classroom techniques, as well as short presentations by the tutor, group work and the watching of fim. There will be a visit to film archives (BFI or IWM). The course tutor is currently undertaking collaborative research with a Russian university (ITMO, University of St Petersburg) and it is hoped that this will develop to provide opportunities for students to visit Russia or to have an online webinar with Russian students, or a session with a Russian academic. These collaborations would be to enhance the course and student experience but are not essential to the course design or assessments.

Coursework: 30% weighting, 40% pass mark.
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3.
Word Length: 1000 words.
Outline Details: Concept map to show connections between film/ politics/events and ideology on a topic chosen by the student with approval from tutor.

Essay: 70% weighting, 40% pass mark.
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Word Length: 2000 words.
Outline Details: Essay title to be chosen by the student with approval from tutor.

Formative Assessment: There will be a workshop on creating concept maps and the class will make one jointly before working on their own topic for the assessment. For the research essay students will be required to submit a plan and feedback will be given on this by the tutor individually (using Word comments and track changes though all will be offered individual tutorials).