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HIST349: Film Propaganda in Nazi Germany and Wartime Britain

Special Subject (60 credits)

The aim of the module is to study the nature and meaning of film propaganda and the use made of it to influence opinion and attitudes in both a totalitarian state (Nazi Germany, 1933-45) and a democratic state at war (Britain, 1939-45). The first term will concentrate on Nazi Germany and the second term on Wartime Britain with a comparative perspective maintained throughout the second term. The module will begin with a discussion in general terms of the nature and operation of propaganda. Then in each term it will move on to a discussion of the machinery of propaganda, the structure of the film industries and the aims and objectives of propaganda. In the first term, the specific themes to be examined will be Nazi party heroes, the cult of the leader, anti-Semitism, anti-British propaganda, and the use of history, and in the second term, allied war aims, service propaganda, anti-German propaganda, the use of history and the home front. In both terms different kinds of film will be examined, newsreel, documentary and feature film. Each seminar will include the showing of visual material and students will be required to view visual material in advance of seminars. The continuing, underlying theme of the module will be to examine the use and efficacy of film for propaganda purposes and to assess the strengths, weaknesses and ambiguities involved in the use of film for propaganda.

N.B. The quota for this module is regularly exceeded. Enrolment cannot be guaranteed.

Teaching Arrangements: All Special Subjects in the History department operate on the basis of 66 hours of official teaching contact, equivalent to 3 hours per week over a period spanning 22 weeks (10 weeks in Michaelmas Term of year 3, 10 weeks in Lent Term of year 3, and 2 weeks [revision seminars] in Summer Term of year 3), plus individual consultations. Working within the 66-hour overall figure, teaching approaches will vary due to the specialist nature of the courses.

For further information on HIST349 visit the Lancaster University Online Courses Handbook.

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