Westminster served as the location of the Gordon Riots of 1780.
Penn State Altoona May 2025 London Calling Dashboard
Description
“LONDON CALLING: ORDERING THE WORLD”
BRITISH LITERATURE, HISTORY, & CULTURE
ENGLISH 299 or HISTORY 199, or 499
SPRING & SUMMER 2025
Drs. Laura Rotunno & Douglas Page
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE
"By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show."
—Samuel Johnson
After this immersion in London, you may, very well, echo Johnson's sentiments. This course lets you, at the very least, test his ideas, because this Study Abroad experience will provide you the opportunity to enhance your knowledge and understanding of British literature, history, and culture through visiting key sites in the Greater London area. That is, a goal is to aid in your recognition of and ability to critically discuss the interrelationships between and cultural significance of British historical events, not just for Britain but for the rest of the world.
Designed to supplement and complement the readings and discussions undertaken in English 225N or WMNST 225N OR History 066 or 103, the course will further explore aspects of the British historical and literary culture covered in those courses, ranging from the architectural to the intellectual. During the 1-credit spring course, we will do much in terms of practical preparation for the trip; however, beyond that, we will also challenge you to consider your goals in this travel, lead you to discover the social, cultural, and physical changes undergone at sites we will visit, and prepare you to be travelers who are curious about the sustainability efforts, efficiencies, and inefficiencies of the sites we will visit. While there will be numerous sites that will show us environmental sustainability efforts at work or needed, we’ll also explore sites that will help us think about sustainability in terms of the sustainability of cities and communities (two of the UN Developmental Goals). Further goals for both the spring and summer/trip portions of this course include: 1) Undertaking international travel as a respectable representative of the U.S. and Penn State Altoona as well as a curious student of British history and culture; 2) Engaging elements of a familiar, yet foreign culture in a hands-on fashion; 3) Evaluating materials you have read in your prerequisite course(s) in respect to the sites, pieces of art, etc. that you will see in London; and 4) Exercising your research, presentation, and writing skills.
Galleries, Timelines, and Maps
There is no content in this group.
Individual Entries
On April 24, 1993, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) detonated a massive truck bomb on Bishopsgate, causing widespread devastation London’s financial district. The attack involved a one-ton bomb hidden in a stolen truck, parked near 99 Bishopsgate. Despite a warning call placed about an hour before the explosion, the bomb caused over £350 million ( with estimates reaching one billion) in damages, one of the most costly terrorist attacks in Britain at that time. This wasn't the first time the IRA had utlied bombs against the British Army. In 1972, "Bloody Sunday" led to over 21 IRA bombs detonating in Belfast, earning the title "Bloody Friday". There were other tensions, such as the hunger fasts led by six or so IRA members, lasting over sixty-six days and killing ten. Ed Hentry, a photographer and journalist, ignored the warning and became the sole victim of the bombing after allegedly rushing to the scene. The human impact of the bombing extended beyond physical injury. The...
moreLiverpool Street Station, constructed between 1864 and 1874, marked a turning point in the transformation of Bishopsgate. It was designed to replace the older Bishopsgate terminus of the Great Eastern Railway. Liverpool station was envisioned as a grand, modern hub that could accommodate the increasing demand for rail travel into and out of the City of London. The actual railway itself was built ontop of Bethlem Royal Hospital, which focused on care for mentally "ill" patients. Currently, it projects to see about 80 million passengers annually. Its construction required the demolition of numerous streets and buildings, displacing approximately 7,000 working-class residents, an increasing theme throughout all of Bishopsgate. The clearing of housing and other residential areas allowed for the railway, in it's grandness, to be constructed. This showcased London's disregard for the working class residents of the area, an overarching theme central to Bishopsgate. This forced many long-...
moreOriginally built by the Romans, Bishopsgate stood as oney northern gates into the city of London( of which there were seven), named for its historical association with the Bishop of London, who traditionally held jurisdiction over the area. The area was originally named after the 7th-century Bishop of London, or Bishop's Gate. It is additionally estimated to be the first, by some historians, of the seven. The actual structure of the gate was built at least three times, and despite being built by the Romans, is true to the 1700s. This is evident in the depictions of the gate. The removal of Bishopsgate was not merely an act of civic development; it marked a symbolic departure from medieval urban design and the rigid, walled, and controlled structure, and area, that had long defined London’s population and architecture. An ulterior motive was the beginning of displacement for poorer and working class citizens, a theme central to Bishopsgate. Before destruction, Bishopgate stood as a...
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