History at Queen Mary spans a range of historical approaches and periods. Medievalists may study the Black Death, Women and Gender in Medieval Islam, and the Crusades, while modern historians will look beyond the Twentieth Century dictators to examine the social, technological and cultural forces that shaped our world. Topics might include Building the American Nation, Britain in the Second World War and Europe since 1890. Some modules (for example, Cabinet and Premiership, Anglo-American Relations and The Kennedy Years) are excellent examples of traditional political history. Others are concerned with the history of art and architecture, or combine history with film or literature. You could investigate topics such as the portrayal of the face in Western art and medicine, the representation of war in contemporary British popular culture or the lifestyle and values of Victorian Britain. This degree is jointly taught by the Schools of History and Politics, and reflects the close links between the two Schools and their subject areas. It provides an opportunity to understand the modern world by studying the evolution of political ideas and institutions alongside the historical development of the major powers.