Students studying Anthropology and Spanish gain an understanding of socio-cultural differences and similarities and how they arise, are transmitted and develop. You acquire knowledge and understanding of the inter-relationship between texts and contexts, a familiarity with debates surrounding culture and identity, both individual and communal, and skills in synthesising and developing ideas and arguments from diverse literary and other contemporary sources. By studying Anthropology and Spanish, students can also analyse a wide variety of literary, political, social, cultural and linguistic aspects of Spanish-speaking countries across the globe.
Students can start to learn Spanish as beginners if they do not have an A level in Spanish. All students follow core modules in Spanish language that enable them to develop skills in written and spoken Spanish and translation from Spanish to English. Alongside the core language modules student study students are introduced to the literatures, histories, cultures and language of the Spanish-speaking world. We are proud to offer students the opportunity to learn more about Spain and Latin America and to study different periods from early modern (Golden Age) Spain and colonial Latin America to twentieth-first century Spain and contemporary Latin America.
The degree takes four years to complete (which includes the study abroad year in a Spanish speaking country, during which students can complete anthropological fieldwork).
In The Guardian University Guide 2021, Queen's Anthropology was ranked 2nd in the UK. In the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022, Iberian Languages is ranked 5th in the UK overall.
Anthropology and Spanish highlights
Career Development
Anthropology combines an understanding of cultural diversity through human behaviour and expression, with a hands-on method of study that focuses on lived experience. Queen's offers the only anthropology course in the UK that combines the study of expressivity (through art and music) with thematic strands on conflict, religion, cognition, and applied anthropology.
Global Opportunities
After stage 2, you will spend an academic year working or studying in a Spanish-speaking country. Students have the possibility of acquiring valuable professional experience by teaching in a school, undertaking a work placement, or doing voluntary work; they may also elect to study at a Spanish university.
In addition to the benefits for oral competence, the residence provides a unique opportunity for immersion in Spanish and Spanish/Hispanic culture and to conduct anthropological fieldwork, which helps form your final year dissertation in Anthropology.
Undergraduate anthropology students, as part of their training, have carried out ethnographic field research around the world. Projects have focused on tourism in Barcelona, youth unemployment in Madrid, education in Ghana; dance in India, NGOs in Guatemala, music in China, marriage in Japan, backpacking in Europe, and whale-watching in Hawaii.
Industry Links
Anthropology students develop a range of skills (organizational skills, interpersonal skills, information-handling skills, and project management skills) that prepare them for later employment. Many of our students work with NGOs and other organisations (e.g. Operation Wallacea; Belfast Migration Centre) as part of their fieldwork.
Graduates in Spanish have risen to the top in a number of fields, including media, print journalism, translating, marketing, local government, fast-stream Civil Service, and a very wide range of local, national and international companies.
World Class Facilities
Queen’s Library has an outstanding collection of resources relating to Spain and Latin America, as well as a range of anthropological topics. The Language Centre has state-of-the-art facilities for language learning, and the IT provision more generally is excellent.
Internationally Renowned Experts
Spanish at QUB has world leading experts in Spanish and Latin American literatures and cultures. Thanks to the breadth of staff expertise, we are able to offer students the opportunity to study countries across the Spanish speaking world and different time periods.
Student Experience
Students run both a lively Spanish and Portuguese Society and Anthropology Society, and staff offer support through a personal tutoring system, skills development programme and a structured framework for feedback.
Further Study Opportunities
Further study is also an option (eg MA Anthropology, MA Conflict Transformation and Social Justice. Students can also continue to the MRes programme with a specialism in Spanish, which will be tailored to a student’s particular interests, and will involve a combination of guided study and independent research. Please see the School website for details.
Student Experience
In the Guardian University Guide 2023, Queen's is ranked 16th in the UK for Languages and Linguistics.
In the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021, Anthropology was ranked:
2nd in the UK for: Teaching Quality
5th in the UK for: Student Experience
3rd in the UK for: Research
3rd in the UK for: Graduate Prospects
Internationally Renowned Experts
Anthropology at Queen’s has international renown in the following areas:
• Ethnomusicology and performance
• Conflict and borders
• Religion
• Cognition and culture
• Migration and diasporas
• Irish studies.
• Material culture and art
• Human-animal relations
• The cross-cultural study of emotions.
Anthropology at Queen's also connects with the following research institutes: Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice; Institute of Cognition and Culture; Institute of Irish Studies.
Career Development
In the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023, Anthropology was ranked 10th in the UK for graduate prospects.
Student Experience
Our National Student Survey results have shown Anthropology received a 100% teaching score in 2021.
In the 2023 National Student Survey, Iberian Studies was 4th in the UK for assessment and feedback and 3rd in the UK for mental wellbeing services. 97% of our students said that staff are good at explaining things. 92% said that “the course challenges me to achieve my best work”, 94% thought that the course “introduces subjects and skills well in a way that builds on what I have already learned”.
Anne Maguire Memorial Prize
The prize is awarded to an Anthropology student who, in the judgement of the Board of Examiners for Social Anthropology, produces the best dissertation for this module in any year.
Improved Performance Undergraduate Prize
The Improved Performance Undergraduate prize is awarded by the Board of Examiners of the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics to the student, registered on any HAPP UG programme with the most improved performance between Level 2 and Level 3.
The Joint Honours Undergraduate Prize
The Joint Honours Undergraduate Prize is awarded to the student with the highest final degree mark in a School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics - owning Joint Degree programme, excluding any combination with History or Politics.
Languages and Linguistics at Queen's is ranked 16th in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2023.
World Class Facilities
The Performance Room includes a variety of musical instruments from around the world, a collection that has grown since the 1970s when Ethnomusicology was first established as an International Centre at Queen’s by the late Prof John Blacking. These instruments, together with the sprung performance room floor, facilitate music and dance ensembles, enabling our unit to remain one of the leading departments in Ethnomusicology.
Student Experience
16% of the Queen’s student population are international students (Queen’s Planning Office, 2023).
Internationally Renowned Experts
Spanish at Queen’s is one of the few areas in the UK where you can study courses that cover the 15th-21st centuries in Spain and Latin America.
"The fieldwork and dissertation have been central to my experience as a Anthropology student. While I am sure it will stand me in good stead in my future search for employment, its central value was as a practice which revealed what Anthropology is really about; through fieldwork, the abstract and theoretical concepts which we had absorbed in two years previous study became immediate and concrete; the subject came alive. Observing and analysing patterns of human action and thought, and later attempting to relay any inferred information (in the form of a dissertation) was a stimulating and challenging process, which seemed to me to be of value in and of itself."
Samuel Ward http://pure.qub.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/samuel-ward(dbcd81f2-8126-4aaa-a589-5279c7a146ab).html
‘’Doing an anthropology dissertation is great for allowing you to use your own creativity and actually apply your knowledge rather than simply learning from others. It is a fantastic way of building confidence for any future career as it gives you the opportunity to expand on something independently and looks great on the CV!’'
Genevieve Bigger
‘’Recently the dissertation experience has been really useful in my job search. Because it involves different research methods and demonstrates good written and verbal communication skills, it's great for the CV and even better for coming up with examples for competency questions in interviews. It's also brilliant for networking because it provides easy conversation and an awareness of social issues etc.”
Lucy Proudlock
Anthropology at Queen’s is constructed around four innovative, engaged themes:
What Makes Us Human?
Key modules explore core elements of anthropology. They examine social groups, from families to nations, and social dynamics, from village politics to globalisation. In understanding social groups we examine individual life trajectories against the background of diverse social expectations.
Conflict, Peacebuilding and Identity
Modules on this theme deal directly with large-scale Global Challenges such as conflict, security, and peacebuilding. Issues such as migration, ethnic conflict, and globalisation will be covered across all three years of the degree, with specialist modules looking at Ireland and at the role of anthropology in policy.
Arts, Creativity and Music
Globally renowned for long-standing research expertise in the area of ethnomusicology and the arts, our modules examine issues of sound and music making; art, aesthetics and emotion; and performance and identity around the world. We explore the production, appropriation and use of material artefacts and images in a world of interconnectedness through migration, trade, and digital communication technology.
Morality, Religion and Cognition
These modules examine a number of important themes in religion and morality, including the origins of religion, apocalyptic movements, sacred values, and the relationship of emotion and religion. We will explore our moral worlds and beliefs through the socio-cultural, psychological, and evolutionary sciences.
Spanish at Queen's:
Stage 1
• Spanish 1
• Spanish for Beginners
• Introduction to Iberian Studies
• Introduction to Latin American Studies
Stage 2
• Spanish 2
• Issues and Cultures of the US-Mexico Borderlands
• Afterlives: Rogues and Mystics of the Spanish Golden Age
• The Fantastic in Latin America
• Autobiographies
Stage 3 - Placement Year
Stage 4
• Spanish 3
• Rewriting Love in the Renaissance
• Failed Romances of Latin American Literature
• Brazilian Digital Culture
• Imperfect Heroines: Spanish fiction in the 19th and 20th centuries
• Disease and Society in Colonial Latin America
• Inner Journeys
• The Sacred Made Real: Representing Spirituality in Spain’s Golden Age
10 (hours maximum) Typically 10 hours per module (30 hours per week), revising in your own time
Large Group Teaching
6 (hours maximum) In a typical week you may have up to 6 hours of lectures, depending on the level of study.
Small Group Teaching/Personal Tutorial
6 (hours maximum) In a typical week, you will have 3-6 hours of tutorials (or later, project supervision).
Medium Group Teaching
9 (hours maximum) In a typical week, you may have up to 9 hours of practical classes, workshops or seminars, depending on the level of study.
Learning and Teaching
Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course are:
E-Learning technologies
Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree programme through the use of, for example, interactive support materials, podcasts and web-based learning activities.
Fieldwork
Anthropology students have the opportunity to study research methods and carry out anthropological fieldwork for an 8-week period. This crucial period of skill-formation and research forms the basis of a dissertation they write up in the first semester of their final year.
Lectures
Lectures introduce foundation information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures, which are normally delivered in large groups to all year-group peers, also provide opportunities to ask questions and seek clarification on key issues as well as gain feedback and advice on assessments.
Self-directed study
This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s student. It is during self-directed study when a student completes important private reading, engages with e-learning resources, reflects on feedback, and completes assignment research and preparation.
Seminars/tutorials
A significant amount of teaching is carried out in small groups (typically 10-12 students). These sessions are designed to explore in more depth the information that has been presented in the lectures. They provide students with the opportunity to engage closely with academic staff, to ask questions of them and to assess their own progress and understanding with the support of their peers. During these classes, students will be expected to present their work to academic staff and their peers.
Assessment
A variety of assessment methods are used throughout the programme. These include:
Coursework essays (submitted during or at the end of the semester)
Video logs
Artwork and performance workshops
Weekly online commentaries on set readings
Written examinations
Dissertations
Oral presentations by individual students
Feedback
As students progress through their course at Queen’s, they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module co-ordinators, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study, external examiners and peers. University students are expected to engage with reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work.
Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:
Face to face comment. This may include occasions when you make use of the lecturers’ advertised “office hours” to help you to address a specific query.
Placement employer comments or references.
Online or emailed comment.
General comments or question and answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar or tutorial.
Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which you can review in your own time.
Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service.
Once you have reviewed your feedback, you will be encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of your work.
The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2024/25). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.
Course contents:
This module aims to consolidate and expand on existing Spanish language competency by developing written and oral language skills, knowledge of Spanish and Latin American culture, and grammatical proficiency, to equip students with professional and employability skills in preparation for further study of Spanish. It consists of four elements designed to provide a comprehensive consolidation of Spanish language competence:
1. Language Seminar (1hr per week)
Seminar aims to develop students’ ability to understand, translate, and compose Spanish-language materials in a range of forms: text, image, audio-visual. Language will be engaged in context, guided by themes such as University Life, Culture & Identity, and Culture & Communication. Linguistic competence will be developed through a range of methods that may include: group discussion, translation, responsive and report writing.
2. Grammar Workshop (1hr per week)
Workshop designed to consolidate and enrich students’ knowledge and understanding of Spanish grammar and syntax. All major areas of grammar will be encountered, laying the foundations for future study of the language and its nuances.
3. Specialised Language Cursillo (1hr per week)
Cursillo offers language skills for special purposes providing career development, linguistic and socio-cultural knowledge important to work-related situations in different fields.
4. Conversation Class (1hr per week)
Conversation class is led by a native speaker of Spanish and compliments the content of the Language Hour. Students will meet in small groups to discuss, debate, and present on the main themes of the course.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the modules students should:
1. be able to read Spanish texts in a variety of forms and demonstrate a sensitivity to their detail and nuance in speech, writing, and when translating;
2. be able to produce Spanish texts appropriate to different requirements and registers;
3. be able to investigate, structure, and present a complex argument in longer pieces of written work;
4. be able to communicate using more sophisticated grammatical and syntactical constructions with a good level of accuracy (without basic errors).
Skills
On successful completion of the modules students should have developed the following range of skills: comprehensive dexterity using Spanish grammar; translation skills; text analysis; essay writing; lexicographical skills; report writing skills; IT skills; presentation skills; spoken language skills.
This course is designed to introduce students to social anthropology through a discussion of the key concepts in the discipline, and a consideration of the principles which underlie family life, kinship, sexuality and gender relations, and gaining a livelihood in different parts of the world.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module, students will have been introduced to social anthropology, and should be aware of how social and cultural differences constitute variations on a number of basic themes. Students should also be aware of the ways in which anthropology is useful for the understanding of their own society as well as for the understanding of others.
Skills
Skills in literacy, oral communication, the organisation of arguments, effective presentation of written work, critical reflection on one's own cultural assumptions and biases.
Us And them: Why do we have ingroups and outgroups?
Overview
Drawing theoretically on both cognitive and social anthropology and utilizing a wide range of case studies, from personal passions for particular sub-cultures of music and sport to national politics in Northern Ireland to global divides of religion and class, this module will introduce students to social groups.
We will explore what makes human social groups different from those of other animals, psychological explanations of group commitment, and anthropological literature on symbols, rituals, and politics to examine how particular social groups are created and sustained and how some individuals become willing to fight and die for their fellow group members.
Learning Outcomes
Be able to describe and consider the implications of:
1) The importance of social groups for individuals.
2) How group identities and traditions are created.
3) How groups continue from generation to generation.
4) The similarities and differences between national, religious, sporting, class, and interest groups.
5) How groups can convince individuals to die for them
6) Why intergroup prejudice and conflict is so common.
Skills
The module will help foster the students’:
Ability to consider the findings of multiple disciplines in addressing questions of human society.
Ability to present ideas clearly in both oral and written formats
Ability to research and analyse material from multiple disciplines
Ability to debate and defend arguments
Ability to engage in civil discourse about strongly held convictions
Ability to prepare concise and focused presentations
This module introduces students to key concepts, movements and historical moments pertaining to the cultures, literatures and societies of the Iberian Peninsula (i.e. Spain and Portugal). It explores a selection of texts (literary and visual) from a range of authors and artists from the early modern period (16th / 17th century) to the present day. This course will give you a broad overview of the main historical events in Spain and Portugal from a cultural perspective.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module students should - acquire a basic knowledge and understanding of crucial periods of peninsular cultural history - develop an understanding of the complex inter-relations between a text and its historical context - have an awareness of the distinct methods of cultural analysis and begin to apply these appropriately to a range of texts, written and visual.
Skills
Students should begin to - situate art and literature in their socio-political contexts - develop skills of critical analysis - develop essay writing skills - develop bibliographical research skills
Course Contents
This module introduces students to key concepts, movements, literary and historical moments pertaining to the cultures, literatures and societies of Latin America. Throughout the module, a representative selection of primary and secondary texts from a range of historical periods will be used to explore key issues and themes. Themes will vary from year to year but may include: exploration, conquest, identity, borders, dictatorship, and migration.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module students should:- acquire a basic knowledge and understanding of crucial periods of Latin American culture and history - develop an understanding of the complex inter-relations between a text and its historical context - have an awareness of distinct methods of cultural and historical analysis and begin to apply thses appropriately to a range of texts, writtren and visual.
Skills
Students should begin to: - situate art and literature in their socio-political contexts - develop an awareness of key historical trends - develop skills of critical analysis - develop essay writing skills - develop bibliographical research skills
'Understanding Northern Ireland: History, Politics and Anthropology'
Overview
This level 1 module will use a variety of historical, political, sociological and anthropological perspectives to look at key issues relating to Northern Ireland. The course will provide an overview of the history and politics of the state of Northern Ireland. It will use anthropological understandings of ethnicity and nationalism to examine how Unionism and Irish Nationalism developed. It will look in detail at the various political solutions which have been applied to ‘the Province’, with a particular focus on the Peace Process. It will examine the realities and legacies of the conflict since the signing of the 1998 Agreement. It will explore the development of cultural and political 'traditions' examining, in particular, change and continuity in Irish society.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module, students should
•be aware of how to utilise a range of disciplinary approaches (historical, political, sociological and anthropological) in helping to develope an understanding of division and conflict within Northern Ireland.
•be aware of how to examine how contemporary political communities use the past to construct traditions, ideologies and identities.
•understand how to explore the role of history in understandings of Northern Ireland.
•To develop a broad understanding of the politics of the state.
•understand and look at key contemporary issues in Northern Irish society.
•be able to assess and highlight various research approaches to Northern Ireland, and to explore how academic work can be applied.
Skills
Students will acquire skills in understanding written material, skills in weighing evidence and skills in debating controversial topics. The ability to read material, weigh judgements and engage with the topics being discussed. They should also develop oral presentation skills, essay writing skills and skills in accessing and analysing information, research evaluation. They will also gain experience of coping with controversial topics.
Anthropologists have analysed how people with different cultures' express themselves in a variety of ways through sound, text and image. Who is involved in specific expressive practices, who controls these practices, and which media are emphasised by different groups? Can textual, verbal, musical and material forms of expression be communicated across cultural boundaries? How do processes of cultural translation affect their meaning and impact on different lifeworlds? In this module, we will explore performative genres including musical activities and rituals; language-based forms of expression and processes of visual and material expression around artworks, objects and film documentation.
Learning Outcomes
Students should have acquired a basic understanding of key issues relating to the performative dimensions of cultural expression through a comparative analysis of ethnographic studies pertaining to sound, text and image. Students should be able to discuss how anthropology has approached expressive cultures and understand a range of cultural differences between themselves and others in this arena. The module should prepare them for further study in the fields of performative, textual and visual analysis.
Skills
Students should develop skills in literacy; oral communication; the organisation of logical arguments; effective presentation of written work; critical reflection on their own cultural assumptions and biases; and teamwork.
A World on the Move:Historical and Anthropological Approaches to Globalization
Overview
This modules provides an anthropological introduction to the study of globalisation, using comparative case studies from the contemporary and the historical record, and outlining links with perspectives in the field of history. Among the issues discussed are: global and local linkages in a world of economic, cultural and political connectivity; cultural convergence and the expression of cultural difference; migration, refugees, trafficked people, tourism; diasporas, the idea of home and national borders; transnational family networks in the contemporary world; global and local regimes of power and resistance.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module, student should be aware of the complex ways in which globalising forces have influenced people's everyday experiences in different socio-cultural settings and changing historical contexts.
Skills
Students should develop skills in literacy; oral communication; the organisation of logical arguments; effective presentation of written work; and teamwork.
Building on skills acquired at Level 1, this module aims to develop more advanced language skills in spoken and written language. Students will be required to take on increasingly complex tasks which require them to be aware of and use different written and spoken styles and registers. Task will promote linguistic, sociolinguistic and cultural awareness at a more advanced level. The module will contain the following elements:
1. Text-based class – (1 hour a week).
This class will focus on developing skills in reading, writing, literary and non literary translation. Students will be required to read and respond to texts which deal with current issues in Spanish speaking countries in Europe and Latin America.
2. Translation into English Workshop ( 1 hr per week)
Students will develop their ability to respond to a range of source text types of an appropriate level of difficulty, grouped according to the course themes. They will also develop editing skills and improve their expression in English. Study of Spanish grammar in context will be embedded into the class.
3. Oral class ( 1 hr per week)
This class will encourage students to develop their skills in spoken language with an emphasis on being able to communicate information and a point of view and on eliminating basic errors from spoken language as well as developing fluency in spoken Spanish
4. Cursillo ( 1 hr per week)
This class will focus on preparing students for the year abroad and on highlighting and developing the professional skills which students develop as a result of studying Spanish at degree level
There will be an extra hour of language tuition for ex-beginners
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the modules students should:
1. be able to demonstrate a level of fluency, accuracy and spontaneity in speech and writing, and a wide range of vocabulary and expression, so as to be able to discuss a range of complex issues.
2. be able to read a wide variety of Spanish texts (fiction and non fiction) and identify important information and ideas within them.
3. be able to demonstrate a good grasp of structures of the language covered in the module and identify and use appropriate reference works including dictionaries and grammars.
4. be able to organise and present a coherent argument in Spanish relating to topics covered in the course, and present their knowledge and ideas in a range of formats and registers
Skills
On successful completion of the modules students should have developed the following range of skills: Translation skills; text analysis; essay writing; lexicographical skills; report writing skills; IT skills; presentation skills; spoken language skills - including practical language knowledge for living and working abroad
This module will examine the theme of culture from an anthropological perspective. Focusing on an assortment of critical thinkers and formative texts, it addresses the relation of culture to race, society, history, practice, embodiment, emotions, power, the politics of identity, the state, and globalization. The course examines some of the foremost anthropologists who have contributed to these topics, drawing on functionalist, structuralist, Marxist, reflexive and other traditions of thought.
Learning Outcomes
One objective of the module is that the students acquire a firm grasp of the key principles and theoretical perspectives of social and cultural anthropology. A second objective is that the students develop an ability to apply these principles and perspectives to a broad range of ethnographic and other materials. In its emphasis on the development of critical thinking, the module will therefore make a larger contribution by equipping students in relation to other anthropology - and non-anthropology - modules to take.
Skills
To develop critical reading skills with respect to anthropological texts, and to develop debating skills in class. To develop the critical faculties of the students with respect to cultural discourses.
Understanding 20th Century Mexico through Art, Film and Literature
Overview
This module introduces students to key moments in Mexican history and cultural production through the study of art, film and literature.
The module will introduce students to a selection (typically three or four) of the following topics:
The Mexican Revolution
The Rights and Experiences of Indigenous Populations
1968, the Mexico Olympics, Student Movements and Tlatelolco
Migration, Border Crossing and Border Culture
The Zapatista Uprising
Mexico’s Dirty War
Mexico City becomes a mega city
Inserting women into Mexican history
NAFTA, maquiladoras and femicide
Communism, Fascism, and the Spanish Civil War exiles in Mexico
Workers’ Movements and Workers’ Rights
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, student should:
• Be able to demonstrate an understanding of a selection of key moments in 20th century Mexican history
• Understand how cultural production (art, film and literature) has responded to a selection of key moments in 20th century Mexican history.
• Be able to use their knowledge of the set texts to construct an argument on a given topic.
• Understand individual texts and the contexts and critical debates surrounding them.
• Have demonstrated the ability to read and understand works of fiction and academic criticism in Spanish.
• At an advanced level students should have acquired an appreciation of the complex relationships and dialogues between texts and reality.
Skills
On successful completion of the course, student should be able to:
• Articulate ideas and arguments in written form using evidence from primary and secondary literature as appropriate
• Prepare presentations and handouts suitable for a specified purpose or audience
• Interpret texts in different media using appropriate critical vocabulary and terminology
• Be able to recognise and explain nuance and ambiguity in texts
• Adjust their writing style for different purposes
• At an advanced level students should be able to point out shortcomings in scholarly literature and analysis
• Read complex texts in Spanish
Harry Belevan has written that the Fantastic mode of literature is revolutionary because it created a new type of reader, one attuned to the limits between reality and unreality in a text. With this in mind, this course begins with a reflection on the practice of close analysis in order to develop the tools of active reading that will allow a proper engagement with the rich tradition of lo fantástico in Latin America. Students will then learn how the Fantastic has been theorised by critics, before using this knowledge as a lens through which to explore a range of texts by some of Latin America’s most important cultural icons (e.g. Jorge Luis Borges, Julio Cortázar) and exciting new authors (e.g. Samanta Schweblin, Mariana Enriquez).
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
• Provide a close reading of both image and text using a range of critical terminology
• Discuss and identify the most common characteristics of the Fantastic mode in literature and film
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the work of important, 20th century Latin American artists
• Argue at length and in detail about an aspect of the topic, supporting the argument with evidence from the text and with opinions from secondary literature
Skills
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
• Identify own areas of strength and interest
• Closely analyse the subtleties of a written text
• Undertake independent research
• Time management and working to deadlines
• Adopt a critical approach to the selection and organisation of a large body of material in order to produce a written argument of some complexity
• Extract relevant information for presentation and discussion based activities.
• Demonstrate ability to combine a variety of IT skills in researching and reporting on a topic (Word, PowerPoint, Internet)
Over 85% of the population of Brazil lives in cities. In this module, students will explore and engage with a diversity of Brazilian urban configurations, spanning cities of different sizes in different regions of the country (as well as, potentially, cities outside of Brazil in which Brazilian migrants have established a presence). Students will be
introduced to and learn how to analyse varied practices of the occupation and representation of Brazilian urban spaces by their inhabitants and visitors in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, which might include verticalization, auto-construction, migration, mapping, tourism, datafication, performance, events, protest, and commerce/trade, as well as different cultural forms such as film, literature, art, music, digital culture and so on. The module will also foreground diverse perspectives on the city informed by attributes such as race and ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality. Previous knowledge of the Portuguese language and cultures of the Portuguese-speaking world are not required.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will be able to: * Critically analyse a range of occupations and representations of Brazilian urban spaces informed by an awareness of their specific features as well as the historical, social, cultural, geographical, and political contexts in which they are undertaken * Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of twentieth and twenty-first century Brazilian urban configurations, grounded in an interdisciplinary approach to the topic and the ability to engage with a range of social and cultural formations * Argue at length and in detail about an aspect of the topic, supporting the argument with evidence from relevant social and cultural material and with opinions from secondary literature.
Skills
On successful completion of this module students should have demonstrated: - Interpretive and analytical skills through the critical analysis of varied examples of Brazilian urban occupations and representations - Organisational and time management skills through their use of non-contact time to effectively prepare for and meet deadlines for classes and assessments - Oral and written communication skills through participation in class discussions and completion of coursework assignments - Independent study skills through identifying and making appropriate use of relevant secondary materials - The ability to formulate independent views and their effective expression and deployment in verbal and written form - The ability to combine a variety of IT skills in researching and reporting on a topic (e.g. Word, PowerPoint, Internet, etc).
Spanish Memoirs and Autobiographies of the 20th Century
Overview
This module will focus on Spanish 20th century memoirs and autobiographies. Particular attention will be paid to the republican, francoist and democratic periods. The analysis will aim to situate this genre within the contexts both of literature and history of contemporary Spain.
Learning Outcomes
To introduce students to the autobiographical genres in relationship to Spanish society and politics. To enhance their capacity in dealing critically with literary and historical texts.
Skills
Literary analysis, writing of essays, presentation techniques, use of bibliographies, use of the Web.
This module will bring together staff from a range of disciplinary fields including anthropology, film studies, and museum studies, in an examination of media, visual, and digital anthropology. The aim of the module is to offer students analytical skills to engage with the notion of the ‘visual’ and ‘media’ in research practice. A key focus will be placed on visual ethnographic methods, from ethnographic film, to photography, museum display and performance, as well as an examination of digital/social media and their anthropological significance. Some additional key themes will be those of the crisis of representation in anthropology, globalization and the dominion of the ‘visual’, sensorial and digital methods in the field, media and the social, the ethics of visual/digital anthropology and virtual/collaborative practices in ethnographic fieldwork.
Learning Outcomes
On completion, students will:
· be familiar with key issues in the study of the ‘visual’ and media in anthropology
· be able to recognize and critically assess the role of visual and other media in different cultures
· understand how visual methods can be utilized in ethnographic fieldwork
· understands the ethics and responsibilities involved in the use of visual and virtual/digital methods in ethnographic fieldwork
· be able to historicise the development of visual and media anthropology
· be able to employ different visual media (photography, ethnographic film, visual blogs, visual material) in interactive critical discussions with peers and employ visual methods in the practice of ethnographic fieldwork.
Skills
Academic reading and writing
Oral communication of theoretical and ethnographic data
Media literacy and criticism
Effective presentation of written work
Critical reflection on ethnographic films, museum displays and photography in anthropology
Creative work with electronic audio/visual media.
Being the most complex social species, human beings possess many competencies to deal with social interaction, including the capacity to make moral judgments that evaluate and regulate human behaviour (i.e., judgments on whether an action is right or wrong, and on whether someone deserves reward or punishment). Drawing from the anthropological and psychological literature on the matter, the module introduces the student to the various aspects of human morality, discussing the following types of issues:
- Are moral judgments totally relative to one’s culture or are there universal components of human morality?
- Is human morality based solely on religion?
- Are moral judgments framed by distinct concerns such as care/harm, justice/injustice, loyalty/betrayal, hierarchy/subversion, and purity/impurity or are they always related to a specific concern with basic human rights?
- Can the configuration of different moral concerns shed light on different political attitudes and ideologies, such as conservatism and liberalism, and their disagreement on a variety of topics, such as abortion, homosexuality, and economic equality?
- Although the intentional causation of harm is normally prohibited, why in many situations (e.g., in the punishment of heinous crimes, in the interrogation of suspected terrorists, or in the context of wars and revolutions) people have conflicting intuitions about the boundaries of such prohibition?
Learning Outcomes
Be able to describe and consider the implications of:
- current anthropological and psychological approaches to the various aspects of human morality;
- the interplay between cultural learning and basic psychological dispositions in the domain of morality
- moral judgments to politics and the law.
Skills
The module will help foster students’:
- Ability to consider the findings of multiple disciplines in addressing the topic of morality.
- Ability to present ideas clearly in both oral and written formats.
- Ability to research and critically analyse material from multiple disciplines.
- Ability to debate and defend arguments.
Preparing and guiding students for a period of personal research in the long vacation. Includes the selection of a research topic, documentary and bibliographical search, training in quantitative and qualitative research techniques. In addition, students will consider the ethical implications of their research, as well as show awareness of the risk factors involved.
Learning Outcomes
Students should develop the ability to devise an anthropological research topic and plan field research using existing social skills and standard research techniques. Students should also be able to assess the potential risks involved in their chosen research, and assess the ethical implications of their planned work.
Skills
Skills in devising a research proposal and in collecting and sorting information. Students should develop skills in the following areas:
- bibliographical research;
- design a manageable research project;
- assess usefulness of different research techniques
- assess ethical implications of research
- oral and written presentations
- time management
Apocalypse: Cultures, communities, and the end of the world
Overview
The aim of the course is to introduce students to historical and anthropological reflection on millennial / millenarian beliefs and movements across space and time. Taking a long view of historical events and using case studies of present-day groups that attend to ideas about the end of the world, taking advantage of the interdisciplinary character of the School, and using a wide range of primary sources, including novels, film, websites, and ethnographic case studies and film, this course will invite students to consider the ancient roots of millennial theory; its foundational texts, exponents / prophets and movements; examples of well-known failed and successful millennial claims and movements, including the Crusades, radical puritans, Mormons, Jewish Zionists, American evangelicals, new religious movements, including UFO and suicide cults, and radical Islamists; the use of millennial theory as presentist critique; the development of millennial majorities, and the social, cultural and political implications of their dominance; millennialism’s place in utopian theory; and a final consideration of theoretical rejoinders, in which the course leaders encourage students to consider whether millennial claims might be right – for example, in terms of global warming – and whether that might change the way in which historians and anthropologists should approach the subject.
Learning Outcomes
An understanding of the broad history and anthropology of millennial movements across space and time; An ability to discuss millennial ideas and movements using heuristic tools from history and anthropology; An ability to use electronic resources and to develop key research skills; Effective communication skills; An ability to write an informed analysis of historical problems discussed in the module; An ability to work independently.
Skills
Enhanced ability to think critically, reason logically, and evaluate evidence; Further develop communication skills, both written and oral; Critical appraisal of, engagement with, and effective use of a variety of historical and anthropological sources.
Hanging out on Street Corners: Creative, Public and applied Anthropology
Overview
The module is designed to introduce students to qualitative, ethnographic, methodologies, explore creative methods, and examine the applied use of ethnographic methods in the social sciences and policy analysis. It will discuss the differences between qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and the strengths and weaknesses of each. This will enable students to argue for the utility of ethnographic methodologies in further modules (dissertation).
Introducing the students to a range of ways of engaging with and understanding the social world, the module will look at the utility of ethnography and anthropology in applied situations. In doing so it will present an understanding of environments in which ethnography can be used in ‘problem solving’ and as a critical tool for ‘policy’ understanding.
Students will be exposed to specific case studies and examples and asked to develop their own skills through presentations, analysis of case studies, and workshops. The course will encourage internships and act as a preparation for dissertation modules in semester 2 (year 2) and semester 1 (year 3).
Students should develop an awareness of how qualitative/anthropological methods – ethnography and participant observation - might provide skills that have practical applications away from the academy.
Learning Outcomes
• To develop and understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
• To engage with creative methods
• To develop skills necessary in the utilisation of anthropology such as report & proposal writing, team work, presentation and communication skills.
• To develop confidence and ability to work within a team and under pressure of time.
• To develop a critical understanding of ethnographic research when applied to areas of policy.
• To critically analyse ethical issues related to ethnographic fieldwork.
• To analyse the relationship between anthropology and other disciplines and professional areas.
• To develop early engagement with dissertation topics, possibly through internships.
Skills
• Ability to consider the findings of multiple disciplines in addressing questions of human society.
• Ability to utilise interpersonal skills
• Ability to work in teams
• Ability to present ideas clearly in both oral and written formats
• Ability to research and analyse material from multiple disciplines
• Ability to debate and defend arguments
• Ability to engage in civil discourse about strongly held convictions
• Ability to prepare concise and focused presentations
Northern Ireland’s peace process, the legacy of conflict and enduring divisions present a range of ongoing challenges for politics and society. Drawing on expertise from across the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics – combined with that of relevant practitioners, where possible – this interdisciplinary, team-taught module will examine a range of thematic challenges with respect to conflict, conflict transformation, peacebuilding, community relations, public representations of the past, and democratic governance. Rooted in the case of Northern Ireland, the module will also routinely consider broader comparisons with other cases and possible generalisation to other cases. It will be structured into three main parts. First, it will critically engage with Northern Ireland’s past. What were the underlying sources of division, and what can we learn about the complexities and nuances of identity over time? Second, it will explore how the past continues to interact with contemporary Northern Ireland. How is this past represented and understood in today’s public history landscape? Is it possible for Northern Ireland’s contested past to be publicly represented in ways that promote mutual understanding? Can Northern Ireland now be characterised as a ‘post-conflict’ region? Finally, the module will look ahead. Does the current political settlement represent a sustainable form of governance for the region? What do internal developments, such as demographic change, and external challenges, such as climate change, mean for Northern Ireland’s future? By critically engaging with these interrelated themes through relevant disciplinary perspectives, this module ultimately seeks to better understand contemporary Northern Ireland, the history that has shaped it, and the future directions that are possible.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module the successful student should be able to demonstrate in assessed essays, coursework and tutorial contributions:
- A familiarity with a range of topical issues and debates in Northern Ireland, including their historical roots, their contemporary political significance, and their relevance for the region’s future;
- An understanding of the Northern Ireland conflict and the peace process, including the factors that contributed to both;
- A critical appreciation of the challenges associated with conflict transformation, peacebuilding, community relations, public representations of the past, and democratic governance in a divided society from a variety of disciplinary perspectives in the humanities and social sciences;
- Awareness of the role that arts, culture, heritage and public engagement with the past can play in reducing political and social divisions;
- A heightened sense of the complexity of identity, politics and place in Northern Ireland.
Skills
Intellectual skills
• Managing & Prioritizing Knowledge: identify relevant and subject-specific knowledge; manage such information in an independent manner;
• Analytical Thinking: identify, understand, interpret and evaluate relevant subject-specific arguments made by others; construct independent arguments;
• Critical & Independent Thinking: ability to think critically and construct one’s own position in relation to existing and ongoing debates in the field.
Professional and career development skills
• Communication Skills: ability to communicate clearly with others, both orally and in writing;
• Teamwork: ability to work with others in a team, negotiate conflicts and recognize different ways of learning;
• Diversity: ability to acknowledge and be sensitive to the range of cultural differences present in the learning environment;
• Self-Reflexivity: ability to reflect on one’s own progress and identify and act upon ones own development needs with respect to life-long learning and career development;
• Time Management: ability to negotiate diverse and competing pressures; cope with stress; and achieve a work / life balance .
Technical and practical skills
• Information Technology: demonstrate the knowledge and ability to use contemporary and relevant ICT.
Organizational skills
• Efficient and effective work practice: demonstrate ability to work efficiently to deadlines;
• Clear organisation of information: show efficiency in the organisation of large amounts of complex information and the ability to identify, describe and analyse the key features of the information;
• Organisation and communication: demonstrate ability to use evidence to develop logical and clear argument; show aptitude for the effective use of information in a direct and appropriate way;
• Enterprising thinking: Demonstrate ability to think and argue in novel and enterprising ways, to display originality of thought and argument and the ability to clearly support arguments in innovative ways.
The project will require the student to reflect on their extended period of residence abroad and the skills acquired as a result. It will include a 2000-word essay in the target language or languages. There will also be an oral examination in the target language or languages to be completed in the first half of the first semester following re-enrolment into Level 3.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module it is intended that you will:\n\nLinguistic Skills:\ndemonstrate advanced competence in the target language in both oral and written contexts\nbe able to understand the spoken language at near-native level\nhave developed enhanced strategies for independent language acquisition\nbe able to prepare and deliver an analytical report and oral presentation in the target language\n\nAcademic/Professional Skills\nhave demonstrated an ability to adapt to a new educational/professional context\nbe able to analyse and reflect critically on these experiences, and to communicate your conclusions orally and in writing\nhave developed an awareness and understanding of the structures and ethos of an educational institution (school/university) or workplace in a foreign country, and draw comparisons with the UK/Ireland\nhave enhanced your employability profile\n\nCultural Awareness\nhave gained an enhanced understanding of the culture and society of the foreign country through the experience of living and working/studying there\nbe able to draw comparisons with those of the UK/Ireland, and reflect critically on your own culture and society
Skills
have enhanced personal skills in six key areas (self-management & development, managing tasks, communication, working with others, applying knowledge, problem solving)\nbe able to articulate these skills in such a way that you are able to maximise personal development during residence abroad for your future career
Students complete a work, volunteer or study placement in fulfilment of the residence abroad requirements of their Modern Languages degree.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to demonstrate:
- Advanced linguistic skills
- Enhanced cultural and intercultural awareness
- An understanding of the work environment and professional skills OR an understanding of a different university system and enhanced academic skills
- Personal development
These skills will be assessed as part of the co-requisite module, either FRH3050 or SPA3050
Skills
Students undertaking the placement will develop their skills in the following areas: linguistic skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking); professional or academic skills; cultural and intercultural awareness; personal development.
Building on skills acquired at level 2, and during residence abroad, this module aims to develop advanced competence in the target language. Linguistic, sociolinguistic and cultural awareness will be consolidated and deepened. The module will contain the following elements:
1. Text- based work in the target language (1 hour per week)
This contact hour is centred upon skills in persuasive and report writing, drawing upon a variety of contemporary source texts in Spanish, which are grouped thematically. A range of language acquisition and development methods will be employed: group discussion, reading and critical analysis, summary & paraphrase and responsive writing.
2. Translation into English (1 hour per week)
Students will build upon translation skills embedded at Levels 1 and 2 to deepen their ability to respond to a range of source text types of an advanced level of difficulty, grouped according to the course themes as for Hour 1. They will also develop editing skills and improve their expression in English.
3. Contextual study (1 hour per week)
The research led strand will introduce students to literary, cultural and historical source material from Spain and Latin America, deepening and contextualising the linguistic elements of the module by placing them in a broader socio-historical context.
4. Conversation class (1 hour per week)
Conversation class is led by a native speaker of Spanish and complements the content of the Language Hour. Students will meet in small groups to discuss, debate, and present on the main themes of the course
Learning Outcomes
On Successful completion of the Module Students should:
1) Be able to demonstrate a high level of fluency, accuracy and spontaneity in their written and spoken Spanish, including the use of a broad variety of linguistic structures and vocabulary, congruent with carrying out activities in Spanish in a professional environment
2) Be able to deal with a broad variety of material in the target language, including material which is complex and abstract, and which involves a variety of genres, dialects and registers;
3) Be able to synthesise knowledge, identify key points, and structure and present arguments at a high level in a range of formats and registers
Skills
On successful completion of the modules students should have developed the following range of skills: Advanced skills in translation and textual analysis; the ability to argue at length and in detail about a topic in both Spanish & English, lexicographical skills; report writing skills; IT skills; presentation skills; spoken language skills
This module gives students the opportunity to engage with one of the so-called ‘classics’ of contemporary Hispanic literature. It is hoped that reading Roberto Bolaño’s novel 2666, which extends to almost 1000 pages, will prove a challenging yet rewarding experience for final year students. The course will require students to embark on a semester long endeavour to develop a comprehensive understanding of the novel and its complexities. Students will be required to compile an annotated bibliography, consisting of 6 journal articles or chapters, in preparation for writing an essay on a question that they will set, in consultation with the lecturer, on a topic of their choosing. At least two of the texts discussed in the annotated bibliography must be written in Spanish. This module is designed to introduce students to some of the skills they would need to undertake an independent research project.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, student should:
• Be able to demonstrate detailed knowledge of the text 2666 and identify suitable evidence from the text to construct an argument on a given topic
• Understand the range of critical debates surrounding the text and use evidence from secondary literature to construct an argument
• Have an understanding of the various contexts to which the novel refers
• Have demonstrated the ability to read and understand works of fiction and academic criticism in Spanish.
Skills
On successful completion of the course, student should be able to:
• Conduct a simple literature search and be familiar with resources such as JSTOR, Project Muse and SciELO
• Select the most relevant sources from a wide selection available
• Summarise and evaluate secondary academic literature with particular attention to whether it is useful in addressing a particular question
• At an advanced level students should be able to point out problems or gaps in scholarly literature and analysis
• Begin to formulate research question(s) based on reading primary and secondary literature.
• Construct an argument based around a research question
• Use evidence from primary and secondary literature to construct an argument
• Be able to acknowledge differing opinions found in secondary sources
• Interpret a literary text recognising nuance and ambiguity
Afterlives of the Empire: Decolonisation in the Portuguese-speaking World
Overview
This module aims at discussing decolonisation (from political and military to cultural; from the 1970s to present day), and its effects in contemporary Portugal and in the former Portuguese colonies in Africa through a critical study of the end of the empire and its aftermath. Focusing on specific
themes and case studies, the module will enable students to become familiar with relevant postcolonial and decolonial theoretical approaches and use them in the in-depth study of different types of primary sources (e.g. film, biography, speeches, literary text, photography, posters, music). Although the detail of the programme may be subject to variation, the topics for discussion are likely to include the following: representation, self-representation, race, gender, identity, heroic reputations, citizenship and nationalism.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students should be able to: - Demonstrate a deep knowledge and understanding of the specific topics studied; - Employ relevant theoretical and analytical approaches to the reading of primary sources; - Demonstrate the ability to analyse primary source materials; - Discuss key topics in a critical and analytical way, and build a coherent argument, both orally and in written form; - Demonstrate the ability to work efficiently in collaboration with colleagues; - Demonstrate an ability to summarise and critically engage with scholarship on the area of study; - Identify and develop relevant topics for independent research and study, with the support of the tutor.
Skills
On successful completion of this module students should have demonstrated: - Interpretive and analytical skills through the study of postcoloniality and decoloniality in Portugal and Portuguese-speaking Africa; - Organisational skills through their use of non-contact time to effectively prepare for classes and assessment; - Oral and written communication skills through class discussion and presentations; - Independent study skills through identifying and using relevant secondary reading material; - The ability to formulate independent views and their effective expression and deployment in verbal and written form.
This course will explore the development of the amorous lyric in Golden Age Spain through the study both of major and minor writers of that period. Close readings of these poets will raise questions about poetic canons, intertextuality and the practice of imitation in the Renaissance, relations between poetry and nationality. Emphasis will be placed upon the function of classical mythology both as allusive reference highlighting individual poetic concerns and as social indicator reflecting Spain's changing perception of its place in the World.
Learning Outcomes
To familiarise students with a crucial period of Spain's cultural history, a detailed critical understanding of the work of representative poets.
Skills
Enhanced appreciation of an important literary genre of Golden Age Spain, close reading skills; the ability to relate poetic texts to a cultural context and developing tradition.
The aim of this course is to offer students a comprehensive introduction to key themes and issues emerging from the anthropological study of Roma, Gypsies and Traveller communities.
We will start by critically examining some of the main ideas through which Roma communities have been imagined and represented in popular discourse and academia.
We will do this by engaging with key anthropological studies of Roma, highlighting the connection between the study of Roma and central anthropological themes: such as kinship, exchange, personhood and cosmology.
We will then look at what happens when broader processes of globalisation and Europeanisation take place, with a focus placed on migration and political mobilisation.
Finally, we will engage with new approaches to the anthropological study of Roma, with a focus placed on the analysis of representation, misrepresentation and collaboration between anthropologists and Roma communities.
Some of the key themes the course will explore are: cosmology and personhood, marginality and identity, migration and borders, politicisation of Roma issues and religious mobilisation, hybridity and collaboration.
Learning Outcomes
The main objectives of this course are to:
- Enable students to familiarise themselves with ethnographic studies of Roma communities
- Enable students to engage with some of the main anthropological themes in the study of Roma and other minority groups
- Help students draw on different ethnographically informed studies in order to critically challenge homogenising representations
- Use ethnographic studies on Roma in order to engage with anthropological theory and debates in the discipline
- Consolidate students’ knowledge of anthropological methodology with a focus on minority groups
- Familiarise students with the socio-political changes brought about by the process of Europeanisation in relation to minority groups in Europe
- Enable students’ comparative analysis of anthropological themes in relation to marginalised communities
- Develop basic conceptual tools for approaching the subject and analysis of the assigned texts
Skills
Transferable skills:
- Ability to critically engage with ethnographic texts
- Develop basic conceptual tools for approaching the subject and analysis of the assigned texts
- Develop presentation skills
- Ability to research critically and analyse material from multiple disciplines
- Ability to debate and construct arguments
- Ability to present ideas clearly in both oral and written formats
On this module students will examine the formation and reception of poetic voice across the Hispanic world, beginning in the Early modern period. The title is drawn from the Spanish description (‘muy versada,’) of an anonymous early seventeenth-century Peruvian poet, known only as ‘Clarinda’(1608). The poets we study, whether historical, anonymous, or even fictional, all question and redefine poetry's role (in both secular and sacred mode) within the early modern and contemporary Hispanic world. Students will survey striking examples of poetic representations of spiritual experience (Leonor de Ovando: Santo Domingo,1548-1612 & Luisa de Carvajal y Mendoza, Spain & England, 1566-1614), as well as narrative mythological poems. Closer to our own time, students will also consider the techniques of twentieth-century and contemporary writers to seize and subvert poetic traditions to find a voice for their own day.
Learning Outcomes
1. To establish a familiarity with a representative selection of poetic texts from Early modern Spain and Spanish America, to encourage sensitivity to the ways in which later poets and artists reproduce, rework, or contest these discourses and paradigms.
2. To examine critically the rich flowering of literature in Spain and Spanish America during the Early Modern period, through the study of a representative selection of literary texts by major and minor writers.
3. To consider the continued relevance of Early Modern literature and culture to later, and especially modern, cultural and intellectual concerns.
4. To promote students’ acquisition of generic skills in textual analysis as a means to support progression in Hispanic Studies at Level 3, and beyond.
Skills
By the end of this course students will be equipped to:
1. Analyse a representative selection of texts in Spanish, summarising their significance in the broader historical, literary and cultural context in which they were produced.
2. Appropriately use the necessary critical apparatus to make a discriminating response to a range of texts from Spain and Spanish America (demonstrating an appreciation of the interdependency of the centre and the periphery during this historical moment).
3. Apply and evaluate appropriate critical approaches to the material under analysis independently, and present the results orally / in writing.
4. Argue at length and in detail about a major aspect of this cultural epoch, supporting the argument with evidence from primary sources and with opinions from secondary literature.
In Gods We Trust: The New Anthropology of Religion
Overview
Drawing on new scientific advances, this religion course examines foundational questions about the nature of religious belief and practice.
The course is based on the idea that religion is a naturalistic phenomenon — meaning it can be studied and better understood using the tools of science. Religious belief and practice emerge naturally from the structure of human psychology, and have an important impact on the structure of societies, the way groups relate to each other, and the ability of human beings to cooperate effectively.
Topics to be covered will include traditional and contemporary theories of religion, with a special emphasis on cultural evolutionary models, as well as how scientific and humanistic scholarship can benefit from mutual engagement.
The module will have an emphasis on contemporary issues in the study and practice of religion (e.g. new scientific theories of religion, the current debates between atheists and theists, and the role of religion in violent conflicts).
Learning Outcomes
Be able to describe and consider the implications of:
1) Evolutionary and cognitive scientific approaches to the study of religion
2) The origins of religion, and its role in human life
3) How religion relates to morality, spirituality and atheism
4) The role of religion in current events and conflict hotspots around the world
5) The role religion may have played in the origin of civilization
Skills
The module will help foster the students’:
(1) Ability to consider the findings of multiple disciplines in addressing questions of human thought and behaviour.
(2) Ability to present ideas clearly in both oral and written formats
(3) Ability to research and critically analyse material from multiple disciplines
(4) Ability to debate and defend arguments
(5) Ability to engage in civil discourse about strongly held convictions
(6) Ability to prepare concise and focused presentations
The Politics of Performance: From Negotiation to Display
Overview
This module brings together the ecological, sensorial and political relations of performance in comparative analyses of intercultural practices from around the globe. We will explore how human and other-than-human aspects of sound, image and movement generate various modalities of ‘attunement’ between oneself and one’s environment to inform a politics of performance. By attending to the particularities of sound, voice, affect, reaction and resonance, we will analyse differentiated ‘atmospherics’ (Eisenlohr 2011) of negotiation, display and contestation. We will then examine how the politics of sound, image and movement give rise to expressions of resistance, resilience and reconciliation. Central to critically engaged performativity is a diversity of environments, environmental change and the ecological relations that they entail. Taking space, place and the effects of climate change seriously, we will further examine how the politics of being and belonging stem from different ways of knowing, sensing and performing self, other and the ‘other-than-human’ in these environments. Using a series of key settings, the module will reveal the political effects of sound, language, voice, positionality and performativity.
Some case studies that will exemplify this environmental and performative politics include i). an analysis of indigenous protest and resistance in song, theatre and public display, focusing on processes of fragmentation, recombination and reclamation; ii). art as a process of reconciliation, negotiation and spectacle, foregrounding identities, rights and policy agendas; iii). political imagery e.g. street art and graffiti; and iv). improvisatory music-making in refugee camps and conflict zones, addressing tension, liminality and resilience. Finally, the module will take into account the ongoing effects of Covid19 as artists and performers reposition their voices in a digitally interconnected world. We will examine how expanding technologies are transforming the power of performance and reshaping how processes of creativity are politically motivated and communicated.
Learning Outcomes
We will be using informal self and group assessment methods during the module to monitor learning outcomes and to reflect on the development of conceptual skills of the following:
• Knowledge of key approaches to the anthropology of the senses, the anthropology of music, arts and performance and music in peacebuilding.
• Ability to discuss critically the importance of multi-sensoriality and performativity in case studies from different cultural contexts.
• Knowledge of the role of performance, poetics in protest, politics, nationalism and expressions of Indigenous rights.
• Ability to work critically with central concepts in the politics of performance.
• Ability to analyse the relationship between different arts/performance genres across distinct performative arenas, e.g. parliamentary, theatrical, ritual and staged events.
• Competence in dealing with issues of cultural diversity in academia.
Skills
• Ability to analyse performative issues and their political implications through relevant anthropological and ethnomusicological frameworks.
• Ability to research and critically analyse a range of information sources effectively.
• Demonstrate skills development in conducting music and arts research online.
• Ability to express anthropological ideas clearly and logically.
• Ability to debate and defend arguments.
• Ability to work with other students in groups.
• Experience in musical participation and reflection.
Remembering the Future: Violent Pasts, Loss and the Politics of Hope
Overview
The module will draw on social theory and ethnographic case studies to examine the role of memory in conflict and post-conflict contexts. Most inter-group conflicts involve contestation over competing pasts and losses. Such contestation plays an important role in how and whether societies can move forward, recover from violence, and deal with reparations. Memory therefore is instrumental not only in how the past is mobilized but also how the future is imagined and constructed -as equal or unequal, shared or divided. By looking at relevant concepts such as loss, nostalgia, remembering, forgetting, expectation, and hope, the module will investigate on one hand how memory politics operate in our post-truth era and in phenomena of nationalism, populism, racism, and exclusion. On the other hand, we will look at how social movements, groups, and communities use memory across the world to build sustainable and inclusive futures.
Topics covered in the module will include: The politics of memory and forgetting: ‘Official’ Histories and ‘Voices from the Edge’; Transnational Narratives of Violence and Justice; Nostalgia, Competing Losses, and the Rise of Populism on both sides of the Atlantic; Displacement as Space and Time; On ‘Speaking Out’: Truth Recovery, Transitional Justice and Human Rights; Social Movements, Alternative Futures, and the Politics of Hope.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module, students will:
• be familiar with social theory on memory, violence, loss, and futuricity.
• be able to describe and critically engage with ethnographic examples from across the world in relation to these themes.
• understand the role of memory in the construction and mobilization of contested pasts and futures.
• be able to explain some current debates on the role of nostalgia, longing, loss and hope in the construction of collective identities, contestation, and social justice agendas.
Skills
By the end of the module, students should have developed the following key skills:
Generic
• Effective presentation of written work at a level appropriate to the year of studies.
• Competency in presenting orally findings from readings and primary research.
• The ability to research both independently and as part of groups.
Module-Specific
• produce written work engaging critically with academic and popular debates on the issues of violence and memory.
• have demonstrated presentational skills both in online and offline learning environments, and learnt how to address different audiences .
• be able to employ fieldwork skills in working in memory sites locally
• have written public engagement pieces for the module’s blog.
From national anthems to Hip-Hop, and from K-Pop to the Proms, music is a means of performing and contesting power. Drawing on perspectives from ethnomusicology, sound studies, and the anthropology of music, this module provides students with the opportunity to work intensively on a series of topics related to music, power, and conflict in both historical and contemporary contexts. We will explore a range of key themes, including sounds of protest and resistance; music, conflict, and reconciliation; and the performance of race and gender. This will be carried out through interactive class sessions and innovative assignments, as well as listening to and reflecting upon music itself. As anthropologists, we are less concerned about the ‘notes on the page’. Instead, we will focus on music as a social and cultural practice, as a site of contestation, and a source for ways of (re)imagining, (re)conceptualising and (re)organising society.
In this module, we will use music as a window into the lives of others (and ourselves), which will help us understand different social, cultural, and political agendas and the issues that matter most to people in society. In so doing, we will grapple with a range of questions, including: how does music reflect the cultures that produce it? How is music used to represent a nation or group of people? Can music play a role in conflict transformation? How does musical performance intersect with identity? Can music be used as a tool for social justice? Should some music be banned? Does music need to be decolonised? Our classes will engage with diverse case studies such as: western classical music and the legacy of white supremacy; musical populism in Latin America; nationalism and identity politics in the Eurovision song contest; soundscapes of torture and detainment; and rap, drill, and moral panic.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this module, students will:
• understand anthropological and ethnomusicological theory associated with the study of music and humanly organised sound(s)
• be able to identify and critically assess a variety of music and sound cultures
• understand how performance and aesthetics impacts the construction of sociocultural identities and political circumstances
• have written critical texts engaging with academic and popular debates about diverse music and sound scenes
present work in a variety of formats, including a synthesis of class readings and discussions, oral presentations, and a well-crafted research paper that demonstrates a firm understanding of the connections between music, power, and conflict.
Skills
By the end of the module, students should have developed the following key skills:
Generic
• Effective presentation of written work at a level appropriate to the year of studies.
• Competency in presenting orally findings from readings and primary research.
• The ability to research both independently and as part of groups.
Module-Specific
• have created and curated a digital playlist on a topic related to music, power, and conflict
• have written an ethnographic vignette on the use of sound as a creative practice
• have written critical texts engaging with academic and popular debates about diverse music and sound scenes
The writing and presentation of a dissertation normally based on first-hand field research.
Learning Outcomes
To organise and analyse research data and to be self-reflexive.
Skills
Students should develop skills in the following areas:
- bibliographical research and documentary analysis;
- organising and retrieving information;
- writing a long piece of work;
- time management
Post A-level Spanish
ABB including A-level Spanish.
Note: for applicants who have not studied A-level Spanish then AS-level Spanish grade B would be acceptable in lieu of A-level Spanish.
Beginners Spanish
ABB + GCSE Spanish grade B or evidence of linguistic ability in another language.
Note: the Beginners' option is not available to those who have studied A-level or AS-level Spanish.
A maximum of one BTEC/OCR Single Award or AQA Extended Certificate will be accepted as part of an applicant's portfolio of qualifications with a Distinction* being equated to a grade A at A-level and a Distinction being equated to a grade B at A-level.
Irish leaving certificate requirements
H3H3H3H3H3H3/H2H3H3H3H3 including Higher Level grade H3 in Spanish
International Baccalaureate Diploma
33 points overall, including 6(Spanish),5,5 at Higher Level
Graduate
A minimum of a 2:2 Honours Degree, provided any subject requirement is also met
Note
All applicants must have GCSE English Language grade C/4 or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University.
How we choose our students
Applications are dealt with centrally by the Admissions and Access Service rather than by individual University Schools. Once your on-line form has been processed by UCAS and forwarded to Queen's, an acknowledgement is normally sent within two weeks of its receipt at the University.
Selection is on the basis of the information provided on your UCAS form, which is considered by the Selector for that particular subject or degree programme along with a member of administrative staff from the Admissions Service. Decisions are made on an ongoing basis and will be notified to you via UCAS.
For entry last year, applicants for this BA programme must have had, or been able to achieve, a minimum of 5 GCSE passes at grade C/4 or better (to include English Language). Normally A-level Spanish is required for the Spanish option. A beginners Spanish option is also available to applicants who have not studied the subject to any level but who show evidence of linguistic ability, normally GCSE grade B/6 or higher in another language.
Offers are normally made on the basis of 3 A-levels. Two subjects at A-level plus two at AS would also be considered. The offer for repeat applicants is set in terms of 3 A-levels and may be one grade higher than that asked from first time applicants. Grades may be held from the previous year.
Applicants offering two A-levels and one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent qualification), or one A-level and a BTEC Diploma/National Diploma (or equivalent qualification) will also be considered. Offers will be made in terms of the overall BTEC grade(s) awarded. Please note that a maximum of one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma/National Extended Certificate (or equivalent) will be counted as part of an applicant’s portfolio of qualifications. The normal GCSE profile will be expected.
For applicants offering the Irish Leaving Certificate, please note that performance at Junior Certificate is taken into account and applicants must hold a minimum of 5 IJC grades C/Merit. The Selector also checks that any specific entry requirements in terms of Leaving Certificate subjects can be satisfied.
Applicants offering Access/Certificate in Foundation Studies courses will be considered individually on their own merits and the standard required is an overall average of 70% in Level 3 modules. Applicants must also have the appropriate qualification to fulfil the entry requirements for Spanish.
The information provided in the personal statement section and the academic reference together with predicted grades are noted but, in the case of BA degrees, these are not the final deciding factors in whether or not a conditional offer can be made. However, they may be reconsidered in a tie break situation in August.
A-level General Studies and A-level Critical Thinking would not normally be considered as part of a three A-level offer and, although they may be excluded where an applicant is taking 4 A-level subjects, the grade achieved could be taken into account if necessary in August/September.
Applicants are not normally asked to attend for interview, though there are some exceptions and specific information is provided with the relevant subject areas.
If you are made an offer then you may be invited to an Open Day, which is usually held in the second semester. This will allow you the opportunity to visit the University and to find out more about the degree programme of your choice and the facilities on offer. It also gives you a flavour of the academic and social life at Queen's.
If you cannot find the information you need here, please contact the University Admissions Service (admissions@qub.ac.uk), giving full details of your qualifications and educational background.
International Students
Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.
English Language Requirements
An IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in each test component or an equivalent acceptable qualification, details of which are available at: go.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.
International Students - Foundation and International Year One Programmes
INTO Queen's offers a range of academic and English language programmes to help prepare international students for undergraduate study at Queen's University. You will learn from experienced teachers in a dedicated international study centre on campus, and will have full access to the University's world-class facilities.
These programmes are designed for international students who do not meet the required academic and English language requirements for direct entry.
Studying for a degree in Anthropology and Spanish at Queen’s will assist students in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions. Graduates from this degree at Queen’s are well regarded by many employers (local, national and international) and over half of all graduate jobs are now open to graduates of any discipline.
The First Destination Survey showed that none of our language graduates were unemployed six months after graduating in 2010. A Higher Education Funding Council report for 2008 also showed that 3.5 years after graduation, languages students have the fourth highest mean salary (after graduates in Medicine, Pharmacy and Architecture).
Although the majority of our graduates are interested in pursuing careers in law, business, banking and translation, significant numbers develop careers in a wide range of other sectors. Typical careers pursued by graduates in Spanish can include publishing, education/teaching, translation/interpreting, PR, fast stream Civil Service, and banking.
http://www.prospects.ac.uk
Studying Anthropology at Queen‘s will assist you in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are increasingly valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions. Through classroom modules, optional placements and your own anthropological fieldwork, you will gain valuable skills in critical thinking, cross-cultural understanding, researching, interviewing, writing, and presenting.
Employment after the Course
Graduates go on to work in a very wide range of sectors, they are particularly in demand in careers requiring a high level of communication and presentation skills, as well as strong critical and analytical thinking.
Career pathways typically lead to employment in:
• User Experience
• Consultancy
• Civil Service
• Development, NGO work, International Policy, Public Sector
• Journalism, Human Rights, Conflict Resolution, Community Work
• Arts Administration, Creative Industries, Media, Performance, Heritage, Museums, Tourism
• Market Research
• Public and Private Sector related to: Religious Negotiation, Multiculturalism/Diversity
• Teaching in schools
• Academic Teaching and Research
• Human Rights, Conflict Resolution, Community Work, Journalism
Employment Links
Consultations
We regularly consult and develop links with a large number of employers including, for example, Santander and the British Council who provide sponsorship for our year abroad placements as well as Rolls Royce, Price Waterhouse Coopers and Moy Park / MARFRIG who are members of the employer liaison panel for the course.
A growing number of Internship opportunities will match dissertation students with organisations and institutions relevant to their career paths by building on local and international staff networks and professional connections.
Current placement partners include:
• Operation Wallacea, which works with teams of ecologists, scientists and academics on a variety of bio-geographical projects around the globe.
• Belfast Migration Centre offers students of the module ‘Migration, Displacement and Diasporas’ internship opportunities in their ‘Belonging Project’.
Professional Opportunities
International Travel
As part of undergraduate training, students have the opportunity to use practice-based research skills during eight weeks of ethnographic fieldwork in areas of their specialisation, which can entail working with organisations around the globe.
What employers say
'We are looking for graduates who can be our future leaders who demonstrate qualities of courage, judgement and breadth. Where do we find such qualities? Linguists or arts graduates.'
Miles Cowdry, Director of Global Corporate Development, Rolls Royce PLC
Prizes and Awards
A number of prizes and Awards are available during the programme of study.
Certificates of Distinction in Spoken Spanish: A certificate of Distinction in spoken Spanish is awarded to students whose performance is 1st class in their final year oral examination.
Queen’s Foundation Scholarship: Awarded by the School for the best overall performance in Spanish at Level 1.
The O’Rawe Prize for Academic Progress: This award recognises the achievements of the student or students at Level 2 who have demonstrated the most significant academic improvement.
The prize of £500 will be awarded to the student who, according to the established criteria, shows the most academic improvement between their first year and their second year of study on the BA Spanish programme at joint honours level or above.
Xavier Giralt Prize: This prize, which is derived from funds bequeathed by the late Xavier Giralt, will be awarded each year to one or more Final Year candidates in Spanish language, whose exceptional academic performance merits recognition.
Degree Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills
In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Degree Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.
1EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.
2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.
3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.
The tuition fees quoted above for NI and ROI are the 2024/25 fees and will be updated when the new fees are known. In addition, all tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase in each year of the course. Fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Tuition fee rates are calculated based on a student’s tuition fee status and generally increase annually by inflation. How tuition fees are determined is set out in the Student Finance Framework.
Additional course costs
Students have the option to take the Social Anthropology dissertation module. This will involve undertaking fieldwork in the summer vacation period between years 2 and 3. The cost will vary depending on the location of the fieldwork, ranging from £100-£500. The School will provide financial support up to a maximum of £300.
All Students
Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.
Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.
Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.
If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.
Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.
There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
How do I fund my study?
There are different tuition fee and student financial support arrangements for students from Northern Ireland, those from England, Scotland and Wales (Great Britain), and those from the rest of the European Union.
Application for admission to full-time undergraduate and sandwich courses at the University should normally be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Full information can be obtained from the UCAS website at: www.ucas.com/students.
When to Apply
UCAS will start processing applications for entry in autumn 2025 from early September 2024.
The advisory closing date for the receipt of applications for entry in 2025 is still to be confirmed by UCAS but is normally in late January (18:00). This is the 'equal consideration' deadline for this course.
Applications from UK and EU (Republic of Ireland) students after this date are, in practice, considered by Queen’s for entry to this course throughout the remainder of the application cycle (30 June 2025) subject to the availability of places. If you apply for 2025 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.
Applications from International and EU (Other) students are normally considered by Queen's for entry to this course until 30 June 2025. If you apply for 2025 entry after this deadline, you will automatically be entered into Clearing.
Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as is consistent with having made a careful and considered choice of institutions and courses.
The Institution code name for Queen's is QBELF and the institution code is Q75.
Additional Information for International (non-EU) Students
Applying through UCAS
Most students make their applications through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) for full-time undergraduate degree programmes at Queen's. The UCAS application deadline for international students is 30 June 2025.
Applying direct
The Direct Entry Application form is to be used by international applicants who wish to apply directly, and only, to Queen's or who have been asked to provide information in advance of submitting a formal UCAS application. Find out more.
Applying through agents and partners
The University’s in-country representatives can assist you to submit a UCAS application or a direct application. Please consult the Agent List to find an agent in your country who will help you with your application to Queen’s University.
