HIS4354 – The History of Consumption

Schedule, syllabus and examination date

Course content

The history of consumerism in the twentieth century has become a vital and vibrant area of academic research. This module offers insights into this relatively new field of work taking a broad transnational perspective. The aim is to show that the history of consumption is a promising alternative approach to the historical analysis of society. The module combines traditional political history with recent research topics, such as environment, generation and gender relations. Strong emphasis will be laid on the interaction of consumption, politics, society and economy within different European political systems. Throughout the seminars there will be made use of different kinds of primary material, ranging from more traditional written sources to visual materials such as posters and adverts.

Learning outcome

After you have taken this course you are expected to be able to:

  • Understand and discuss the dynamics of consumption societies, situated in the wider context of European and American modern history
  • Explore the ways consumption has become an topic of interest to historians and historical research
  • Critically read and discuss case studies on relevant aspects of consumer cultures
  • Develop your skills in reading critically, thinking independently, and writing clearly, especially through the writing of your own essay on a topic related to the course

Admission to the course

The course is available to students admitted to Historie (master).

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

Formal prerequisite knowledge

No obligatory prerequisites beyond the minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway.

Overlapping courses

Teaching

The course will be taught in the form of seminars via discussion of assigned readings (24 h.).

Students are expected to be present in class and engage in discussions and group work.

Resources and information in this course will be given in Canvas.

Compulsory assignment:

Participants shall write an obligatory exposé (1.5 to 2 pages) on a topic of their choosing but within the framework of the course. If accepted - subject to possible revision - this will qualify for the final examination. More information will be given in class.

Access to teaching

A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.

Examination

The final examination will take the form of a term paper:

  • 4,000-5,000 words (approx. 8-10 pages).
  • based on the exposé, students will choose their topic and research question with the help of the lecturer.
  • the term paper is to be handed in Inspera.
  • the file must be submitted in pdf-format and we stress that the student is responsible for making sure that the files are readable. If you need assistance in converting your file into pdf, we recommend that you follow these instructions.
  • The file must be named with your candidate number (not your name) and the course code (HIS2354/4354)
  • The assignment should be complete with a front page containing the following information:
    • candidate number (4 digit code, not name or studentnumber)
    • subject code
    • the title of the assignment
    • name of department (IAKH)
    • semester (spring/fall and year)
    • number of words

Submission of assignment:

  • The home exam is to be submitted electronically via Inspera, not in paper format.
  • The file must be submitted in the format of a pdf. If you need assistance in converting your file into a pdf, we recommend that you follow these instructions.
  • The students are responsible to make sure that the documents are complete upon submitting them. The submissions will be assessed in the form by which they are uploaded by the students. Unreadable or incomplete documents are assessed as they are.

Language of examination

You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

More about examinations at UiO