What will I learn on this module?
In this module, we will consider how young people have responded to, and in some cases shaped, major episodes and developments in modern and contemporary history. In examining youth action, we will cover a variety of movements and campaigns. For example, we will discuss the role of communist and fascist youth organisations in the 1920s and 1930s as well as the involvement of students in anti-colonial and anti-racist struggles. Moreover, we will investigate youth politics in the Cold War, the impact of student protests in the 1960s as well as young people’s efforts to address issues such as gender equality or the fate of the environment.
The scope of the module is international, with examples that cover cases from Europe (France, Germany, Russia), Africa (Ghana, South Africa), Asia (China, Japan) and the Americas (Brazil, Mexico, the United States). We will pay particular attention to global aspirations and connections, as we will trace how young activists sought to build ties across national borders. Such efforts will also allow us to consider how various movements imagined and pursued the quest for a different world and a better future.
How will I learn on this module?
This module is delivered through two weekly sessions (90 minutes each; totaling 3 hours per week). The activities will be varied, incorporating an interactive lecture, source analysis, group work and seminar discussions. You will be expected to prepare for the weekly seminars by reading two texts, which are made available electronically via our online reading lists. You will build on your independent reading by presenting your ideas and arguments in seminar discussions with your peers. You will be responsible for your own guided and independent learning but will receive feedback and further support from the module tutor. Summative assessment matches your learning against the learning outcomes for the module.
How will I be supported academically on this module?
Your academic development will be supported through the module tutor, engagement with your peers and through your programme leader. Your module tutor will offer tutorials, both for the preparation of your assignments and for feedback. In addition, you will be able to see the module tutor (for instance in the publicised feedback and consultation hours) and to raise questions via email. Your peers will provide you with a collaborative learning environment, and your programme leader will guide you through the requirements and expectations of your course. You will also be supported through individual engagement with the academic literature, lectures, and resources available on the eLearning Portal. Feedback will be ongoing throughout seminar activities and through assessment tasks.
What will I be expected to read on this module?
All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.
What will I be expected to achieve?
Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Display an advanced understanding of research on young people and activism.
2. Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of global transformations in modern and contemporary history.
3. Display an ability to look beyond individual countries by pursuing international, transnational or comparative lines of enquiry.
Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
4. Display mastery of various transferrable skills (e.g. synthesis of current scholarship, analysis and interpretation of evidence, the communication of your findings, research, citation).
Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
5. Demonstrate an awareness of the nature of (and challenges for) activism, including the role of national, cultural and generational factors.
How will I be assessed?
You will write two assignments of 3,000 words each, allowing you to acquire detailed subject knowledge and in-depth understanding of major historical issues (MLOs 1, 4, 5). The essay questions are designed to cover different time periods (MLO 2) and engage you with developments in different countries (MLOs 3, 5).
You will have the opportunity to present your work in our seminars and will receive formative feedback in classroom discussions, debates, and tutorial sessions. Formative assessment through your lecturer will be written and verbal, and you will also receive feedback through engagement with your peers. Feedback on your first summative assessment will allow you to improve on later ones.
Pre-requisite(s)
N/A
Co-requisite(s)
N/A
Module abstract
Can young people change the world? The module will address this question by considering youth involvement in a variety of movements and campaigns. For example, we will discuss the role of communist and fascist youth organisations in the 1920s and 1930s as well as the involvement of students in anti-colonial and anti-racist struggles. Moreover, we will investigate youth politics in the Cold War, the impact of student protests in the 1960s as well as young people’s efforts to address issues such as gender equality or the fate of the environment. The scope of the module is international, as we cover different countries and continents. In particular, we will trace how global aspirations led some young activists to forge ties across national borders.
Course info
UCAS Code T700
Credits 20
Level of Study Undergraduate
Mode of Study 3 years Full Time or 4 years with a placement (sandwich)/study abroad
Department Humanities
Location City Campus, Northumbria University
City Newcastle
Start September 2025
All information is accurate at the time of sharing.
Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.
Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.
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