HSY2065 - Suspicious minds: A history of distrust

Leader(s): Richard Scully

Offered

Not offered in 2009

Synopsis

Has suspicion between people increased or declined in the modern world? What are the effects of personal distrust? This unit will look at a range of case studies of how people have thought about (and often loathed) their neighbours, countrymen or foreigners, from medieval and renaissance Italy to 19th century Britain and Australia and 20th century Asia and America. It will consider both the ways in which we might be able to identify or measure distrust in past communities and also the multitude of effects on societies and political and other movements of differing views of human nature.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this unit, students will have:

1. some knowledge of the extent to which personal distrust has existed in a range of past societies;
2. an understanding of the debates concerning social capital in a historical setting;
3. knowledge of a range of methodologies used for investigating and measuring different historical phenomena;
4. an understanding of how individual views of human nature have affected past political and social philosophies and responses; and
5. the ability to interpret personal attitudes and prejudices within primary historical sources.

Assessment

Case study (2000 words): 35%; Historical document reading(1500 words): 30%; Exam (1 hour): 25%; Tutorial participation: 10%.

Contact hours

One hour lecture and one hour tutorial

Prohibitions

HSY3065