The environment we live in and the way we think about our relationship to it is a result of colonialism and decolonisation. This module explores the history of imperialism and its aftermath through the lens of environmental history. It traces the ecological impacts of imperialism, how our environmental imaginaries have been shaped by colonialism, ideas about human and non-human interaction, the relationship between globalisation and colonialism, contests over land and sovereignty, and the collision of anticolonial and environmental protest and activism. 

Traditionally the Pacific has been conceptualised as an empty space, a region without history or culture. This module flips this traditional narrative to reveal the Pacific as a vibrant region of mobility, exchange, networks, protest, and activism. Taking the islands of the Pacific as its foci this module centres primarily on the 20th century. Students study Pacific histories of migration and colonisation, movements for decolonisation, indigenous rights, and environmental justice. This module examines how Pacific peoples have engaged in regional and international forums of governance and engaged with global environmental politics.

This module explores a range of social, cultural, economic and political themes in modern Global History. Particularly focusing on the twentieth century it covers topics such as imperialism and decolonisation, war and resistance, economics and globalisation, rights and sovereignty, and the emergence of institutions of global governance. This module introduces key debates within the field of Global History. Students use a mixture of primary and secondary sources to engage with other historians’ arguments while developing your own perspectives.