“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.
There is no content in this group.
: London Astoria was situated at 157 Charing Cross Rd, London, which was and is a busier city area of London. The venue would see 2,000 spill out onto the streets after a show had finished, flooding the already bustling city with people.
Astoria was originally a Crosse and Blackwell Warehouse for their food products, and was rebuilt as a movie theater in the 1920’s.
Astoria 2, which was smaller, was practically next door to Astoria at ...
moreThe London Beer Flood occurred in St. Giles rookery, a poor neighborhood that is now part of the Borough of Camden. This part of St. Giles was a particularly poor area of Camden, where the effects of this event would have a grave financial impact. It was described as being on the verge of collapse, socially and economically, so the flood had a great impact on the people living here.
The Brewery itself, which covered around 103,000 square feet, stood at the intersection of Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street. Today there is a London Underground Tube Station at this junction (one which is close to our hotel and will be taking!).
Despite this event having a grave financial impact on the company, it continued to be one of the largest producers of beer in London during the nineteenth...
moreThe Kenwood house sits in Hampstead, London north of the Hampstead Heath, an area of park land. Due to its stately nature, it sits in a more rural part of London, which was likely the appeal to the Earl of Mansfeild, who bought the estate.
While it was built before the 1700’s, it was acquired by the Earl of Mansfieldin 1754, not before going through several other owners. The house would be passed down to the 6th Earl of Mansfieldbefore being donated to the public and opened as an Art Center.
Its location made it possible for the estates' orangery, which would need a large and rural space to accommodate its gardens. The whole estate, including the house itself, and the surrounding land accommodates 112 acres, all which can be explored today through the English Heritage Center. This includes the house itself, but also its extensive art collection and the...
moreThe British Museum, founded in 1753 and opened in 1759, is the world's first public national museum. The current collection of artifacts in the British Museum consists of around 8 million items that span across 2 million years of human history. Some of the museums most famous and historic pieces include: The Rosetta Stone from 196 BCE Egypt, The Parthenon Sculptures from 438-432 Athens Greece, The Bust of Ramesses the Great from Egypt’s 19...
more
