Inhalt

British History between the end of World War II and the turn to the 21st century can be roughly divided into three periods:
The post-war period until the end of 1960s characterised by

- the cold war, the arms race, the introduction of nuclear weapons as well as nuclear power, and the consequences for the people,
- the introduction of the welfare state and growing prosperity with hopes for a “New Elizabethan Age”,
- the decline of the British Empire, decolonization and mass immigration,
- the rise of youth cultures.
The period of the 1970s and 1980s that saw
- Britain as the “sick man of Europe“ (70s),
- the fight against the economic decline under Margaret Thatcher and the rise of neo-liberal principles with far-reaching social, political and cultural implications (e.g. martial adventures like the Falklands War (80s),
- splendid occasions for Royal pageantry (Silver Jubilee and the wedding between Prince Charles and Princess Diana).
The 1990s with
- the fall of the Iron Curtain and the demise of a bi-polar global political and military system,
- the consolidation of Britain with a neo-liberal, globalised agenda no matter which party lead the country, and the road to devolution,
- the monarchy in deep crisis and low reputation (the Queen’s annus horribilis and the death of Princess Diana)

Voraussetzungen

Kenntnisse der englischen Sprache