HENB01404U English - Elective 3, topic 4: London 1800-2000

‘City of villages’, ‘City of the Dreadful Night’, ‘The Big Smoke’: London’s history is one of uncertain modernity. Paying particular attention to East London (the district long frequented by newly arrived immigrants, by artisan workers and by the ‘criminal classes’), we trace the past of this global city in three themes. Social change: varieties of experience in work and community, with attention to the urban poor and ethnic minorities. Urban development: the expansion of the metropolis, the rise of industry and commerce, changes in housing and living conditions. Popular culture: street life, crime and criminal gangs, bohemianism and mass entertainment.