History BA (Hons)

Module HI0517 - Russia and the Modern World 1860-2000

(20.00 Credits)

SYNOPSIS OF MODULE

This module aims to explore Russia in terms of its cultural, political and socio-economic relations with an outer world. It will trace how Russians defined themselves and were defined by others, and how these conflicting identities interacted as Russia emerged into modernity. Students will be expected to undertake essential and recommended reading in preparation for seminars and will engage in small group work and whole-group discussions. The module will also be taught and assessed through a variety of historical sources – newspaper accounts, government documents, oral histories, photographs, memoirs and diaries – but will also use a range of audio-visual materials. At the end of this module, students will have gained a knowledge and understanding of key aspects of Russia’s international history and will have developed their ability to analyse historical sources, presenting their findings in two x 2000 word essays on which they will receive written feedback.




INDICATIVE READING LIST OR OTHER LEARNING RESOURCES

David Caute, The Fellow Travellers (New Haven, 1988)
David Caute, The Dancer Defects: the Struggle for Cultural Supremacy during the Cold War (Oxford, 2003)
Paul Dukes, October and the World: perspectives on the Russian Revolution (London, 1979)
Orlando Figes, Natasha’s Dance: A Cultural History of Russia (London, 2003)
Geoffrey Hosking, Rulers and Victims: the Russians in the Soviet Union (Cambridge, Mass., 2006)
Dominic Lieven, Empire: the Russian Empire and its Rivals (London, 2003)
Stephen Marks, How Russia Shaped the Modern World: from Art to Anti-Semitism, Ballet to Bolshevism (Oxford, 2003)
Bruno Naarden, Socialist Europe and Revolutionary Russia: Perception and Prejudice 1848-1923 (Cambridge, 1992)
Richard Overy, Russia’s War (London, 1999)
Marc Raeff, Russia Abroad: A Cultural History of the Russian Emigration (New York 1990)
Norman Stone, The Eastern Front (London, 1975)





OUTLINE SYLLABUS

Russian Identity at Home and Abroad
Repression and Revolution
Industrialisation
Eastern Fronts
Russian Empire and Soviet Empire
Exporting the Revolution
Combating the Revolution
The Russian Emigration
Cold War Politics and Culture
Science, Technology and the Space Race
The New Russia



AIMS OF MODULE

This module aims to:

- examine Russia’s changing cultural, political, social and economic relations with an outer world

- trace how Russians have defined themselves and been defined by others in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries

- examine key episodes in Russia’s history from the emergence of coherent and international opposition to the tsarist regime to the realignment of Russia’s global position following the break up of the Soviet Union.





LEARNING OUTCOMES

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

- demonstrate knowledge of political, cultural and economic developments in nineteenth and twentieth century Russia and their international context.

- demonstrate a critical understanding of debates about Russian identity, history and politics, both within Russia and in the wider world.

- analyse the major events in Russian nineteenth & twentieth century history covered in the module.







PREREQUISITES

None


COREQUISITE(S)

None


DISTANCE LEARNING DELIVERY




LEARNING AND TEACHING STRATEGY

The module will be delivered in 3 hour blocks involving mini lectures, student-based discussions and examination of primary sources. Lectures will introduce, contextualise and outline the issues to be explored. Group discussions will be carefully organised by the module tutor to enable and stimulate in-depth discussion and debate. To this end, the sessions will involve:

* Clearly identified and focused essential reading to be undertaken by students in preparation for discussions. Students will be encouraged to reflect upon the ways in which the essential reading contributes to their understanding of the themes and questions addressed in the seminar setting.
* Scene setting by the module tutor at the outset in order to outline the themes and questions to be addressed.
* The examination of key primary sources.
Sessions will be supported by materials made available through the e-learning portal.





ASSESSMENT STRATEGY

Assessment is both formative and summative.

Formative assessment comprises a bibliographical exercise to familiarise students with literature searching.

The major summative assessment is one essay of 3000 words. The essay will give students the opportunity to explore a particular subject in depth, and to demonstrate their understanding of key themes covered in the module. Reading for the essay will develop the skills of literature searching used in the formative exercise.

All students will be provided with written feedback on both formative and summative assignments. Informal feedback will be provided on individuals’ contributions to seminar discussions and debates by the tutor and fellow students.




IMPLICATIONS FOR CHOICE

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