Module overview
In this module, you will explore some of the social, cultural and political forces that transformed the medieval and early modern worlds. This was a period of momentous change characterised by invasion, political upheaval, religious conflict and a rapidly globalising world. International developments like the Renaissance, the Reformation and the Enlightenment shaped the way individuals and societies engaged with each other and the wider world. Our focus is on the transformations that took place in the British Isles and the emerging overseas empire. But there are opportunities to range further afield and consider this period of transformation from other European or global perspectives. You will explore themes such as: political upheaval; kingship and diplomacy; exploration, commerce and empire; religion and reform; violence, warfare and conflict; art, architecture and literature. In doing so, you will consider to what extent developments in this period laid the foundations for the world we live in today.