1776: The Enlightenment (V1494)
1776: The Enlightenment
Module V1494
Module details for 2026/27.
15 credits
FHEQ Level 5
Module Outline
In 1776, the Enlightenment was in full swing. From Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations to Thomas Paine's Common Sense, the era was one of intellectual ferment that challenged Europe’s existing political and economic systems.
This module studies the Enlightenment historically, exploring key debates around human rights, capital punishment, gender relations, slavery, empire, and the meanings of progress and happiness. At the same time you’ll engage with the Enlightenment’s contested legacy: as the foundation of modern ideals of equality and freedom, or as the source of racism and colonialism. We’ll situate the Enlightenment in a world being transformed by the global trade in luxury goods, and we’ll look forwards towards the late eighteenth-century age of revolution, war and dictatorship. We’ll probe the geographical boundaries of Enlightenment ideas, both within and beyond Europe. Throughout, you’ll be introduced to the key literature and sources of the period, encompassing letters, prints, travel literature, political tracts, and artworks.
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