Brexit

Of course, everyone  in France who feels close to Britain was surprised by the Brexit, and probably most of them were disappointed.

In Britain, dissatisfaction with the European Union goes back many years, far further than the referendum campaign. The most audible parts of the referendum campaign underlined the "problem" of immigration from EU countries, and expressions of racism were not rare. There was also a separate, Left Exit campaign, which emphasized the neoliberal constitution of the EU and how badly the Greek people had been treated.

Since the result there have been a large number of analytical articles ranging from the serious to the superficial, with more of the latter.

I was interviewed in French on Radio Bleu Normandie here  .   I only had five minutes to explain my opinion.

There is much more to say about it: Cameron has resigned and Corbyn is faced with a major revolt of Labour MPs. Watch this space.

Préparation agrégation d'anglais, civilisation britannique 3

How can you keep with current affairs as well as beginning your preparation for the agrégation on "Le Royaume Uni à l'épreuve de la crise, 1970-79"?

Well , you could listen to this lecture about the British referendum on Europe ... in 1975.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BijWSNYPSn8


 If like me you are very busy, convert the videos  to Mp3 withwww.clipconverter.cc/fr so you can listen to them while doing your washing up.

Préparation agrégation d’anglais civilisation britannique 2

Préparation agrégation d’anglais civilisation britannique 2

This is the second in a long series of posts on this subject.

The first few months of preparation is about becoming very familiar  with the most important trends in British history in the 1970s : later there will be time to concentrate on competing analyses, and on methodology. In the first months, quantity is what counts :  I will be recommending videos and reading.

From a historical point of view as well as a humanist one, one of the most important changes in the last few decades has been that in attitudes towards homosexuality. In 1967 when male homosexuality became legal, absolutely nobody imagined that less than 50 years later, a Conservative government would introduce gay marriage. The changes were very slow, though. This documentary from 1979 shows what happened in the 1970s. Try to read between the lines, to understand the unspoken attitudes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV_h2FoQJxs

The visuals help you to memorize. If like me you are very busy, convert the videos  to Mp3 with www.clipconverter.cc/fr so you can listen to them while doing your supermarket shopping.

Réunion Rouen pour futurs agrégatifs

Si vous pensez préparer l'agrégation (externe ou interne) d'anglais à l'Université de Rouen, il y aura une courte réunion le 30 juin à 16h30 en salle L 316.

Venez nombreux.

Préparation agrégation civilisation britannique 1

This is the first in a long series of posts on preparing the British Civilisation question for the agrégation exam 2017.

As you know the subject is Le Royaume Uni à l'épreuve de la crise 1970-1979

It is certainly not too early to start preparing the subject. You should read several times the description of the subject on official websites.  And then...

Il faut commencer en lisant les chapitres sur 1960-1980 dans des histoires générales du Royaume Uni par Roland Marx, Kenneth Morgan et Peter Clark.  Ensuite c’est l’ouvrage de Andy Becket  “When the lights went out: Britain in the Seventies” auquel il faut s'attaquer. Il y a peu de livres sur la période spécifiquement. Chez Ellipses, à la rentrée, nous en sortirons un.

There are quite a number of documentaries on YouTube which will be useful, if examined intelligently, especially in the first part of the preparation ( before Christmas) when the main thing is to become very familiar indeed with the principal issues.

In these posts I will be recommending quite a number videos. 

Here is the first one : Wilson vs Heath, the ten-year duel.

What governments and politicians decide to do is  governed by a web of forces : economic, ideological, party political, and personal feelings and ambitions. Since one of their aims is to make "good television" , documentaries will generally over emphasize the importance of  personal motivations and ambitions. Nevertheless, you will learn a lot. Make sure you look up on the internet questions and events which are mentioned which you do not know about.

The visuals are useful for helping to memorize. However, if, like me, you are very  busy, you can easily convert YouTube videos to Mp3 files, and listen to them in the bus or in the car. Use an online tool like this one http://www.clipconverter.cc/fr/ 

Consultation de copie

L3 civilisation : Culture populaire.
Consultation de copie lundi 13 à 17h

I know this is short notice so if you want to see your work and can't make it, send me an email.

Anti-Black Racism in British Popular Music (1880-1920)

From a few years back, but now online at revues.org



Anti-Black Racism in British Popular Music (1880-1920)

[MP3] Why Singalong? The uses and meanings of the chorus in First World War Music Hall | John Mullen - Academia.edu

My talk last month in Canterbury.



[MP3] Why Singalong? The uses and meanings of the chorus in First World War Music Hall | John Mullen - Academia.edu

[mp3] Book launch: The Show Must Go On : Popular Song in Britain during the First World War | John Mullen - Academia.edu

You can listen here to the book launch talk I gave in Nottingham.





(1) [mp3] Book launch: The Show Must Go On : Popular Song in Britain during the First World War | John Mullen - Academia.edu

(1) [PDF full text] Review of Berny Sebe HEROIC IMPERIALISTS IN AFRICA : THE PROMOTION OF BRITISH AND FRENCH COLONIAL HEROES 1870-1939, | John Mullen - Academia.edu

Here is a book review I just had published.



(1) [PDF full text] Review of Berny Sebe HEROIC IMPERIALISTS IN AFRICA : THE PROMOTION OF BRITISH AND FRENCH COLONIAL HEROES 1870-1939, | John Mullen - Academia.edu

‘BoatyMcBoatface’ to live on as yellow submarine, science minister Jo Johnson announces

‘BoatyMcBoatface’ to live on as yellow submarine, science minister Jo Johnson announces

L3 classroom test popular culture mardi

Si vous prenez un train pour venir à l'université mardi, partez deux heures plus tôt de chez vous que d'habitude. Car il y a grève des trains.

Conférence: La longue marche vers l'abolition de l'esclavage au sein de l'empire britannique, 1780-1833

Vous trouverez ici la conférence de John Mullen en français, en format MP3 (1h40)

L'abolition de l'esclavage au sein de l'empire britannique 1780-1833

 

Mots clé: podcast, mp3, histoire britannique, empire britannique, esclavage, commerce des esclaves, Wilbeforce, Equiano, Sam Sharpe, Bussa

Lecture: introduction to cultural studies

You will find here a recording in MP3 format of the class I gave introducing cultural studies:

Here is part one

Here is part two

Keywords: podcast, mp3, university lecture, introduction to cultural studies, popular culture, University of Rouen

Powerpoint and recording : Introduction to cultural studies

The last class, on cultural studies, will not be covered in the classroom test, but may be in the final exam if it turns out to be on a British subject.


Here is the powerpoint I used.

L3 Popular Culture for the classroom test

Here are some more resources to help you revise for the classroom test.

This is the powerpoint which accompanied the class on British TV and radio.

This is the powerpoint which accompanied the class on British cinema.

Remember this classroom test is worth 12% of the total mark

Another 12% is the classroom test you did in US civilization.

36% is the final written exam you will have in either US or British civilization.

And 40% is the oral on the book list (US or GB). I am just re-reading these books, and you should be too ! you will have to comment on an extract *in the context of the book* The Engels and the Orwell, are, incidentally, available free online.

L3 Popular Culture

The Classroom test next Tuesday will be two hours long. It will consist of a short commentary and a short essay. This is a rather British way of doing things (a two hour exam often contains three forty minute essays!) and I know that in France essays are usually much longer. But if you show that you have good information and are opening up good questions, you should have no problem.

The last class and the article on cultural studies, I have decided, will not figure in this classroom test, though it may figure in the four hour exam in May, if British civilization is chosen as the subject for this exam (as you know, British or US civilization is selected at random for this exam).

Remember that in the May session you also have the orals concerning the book lists. If you have not opened these books, do it now.

The exam in May, which will either be on British or US civilisation, might be easier if you revise this page https://www.lettres-et-arts.net/notions-techniques-definitions/methode-dissertation+51

Economic changes in Britain

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/nov/16/why-britain-doesnt-make-things-manufacturing

True story: British humour

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/18/boaty-mcboatface-may-not-be-name-of-new-polar-research-vessel

Examen anglais pour master histoire

Demain à 10h, F507