Bachelor
2020/2021
Political Projects in the XX Сentury
Category 'Best Course for Broadening Horizons and Diversity of Knowledge and Skills'
Type:
Compulsory course (History)
Area of studies:
History
Delivered by:
School of History
Where:
Faculty of Humanities
When:
4 year, 1, 2 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
5
Contact hours:
56
Course Syllabus
Abstract
This course studies the political history of twentieth-century Europe, China, Iran, the United States and others and the political systems they represented, such as democracy, Fascism, National Socialism, and Communism. It examines how political ideas and concepts shaped political decisions and realities and how, in turn, the challenges of reality influenced political ideas. In addition to providing an outline of the political history of particular states, this course aims at developing a comparative perspective, determining similarities and differences between various political projects, their successes and failures in achieving their goals. Although the main focus will be on traditional politics, attention will also be paid to how politics were shaped by cultural and social factors and developments. Lectures will provide a survey of the most important political events and concepts, whereas in seminars we will discuss key primary sources and analyze historiographical controversies and debates.
Learning Objectives
- to introduce students to the political history of twentieth-century Europe and the world
- to gain knowledge about important political events, systems and politicians
- to familiarize students with key historiographical debates about twentieth-century history
- to develop skills in close reading, critical evaluation and analysis of political documents and relevant secondary literature
- to enable students to explore the topic of twentieth-century political history further and to relate it to their own field of research interests
- to enhance students’ foreign language skills and apply them to individual research and presentations
Expected Learning Outcomes
- students should be able to identify and explain key events and tendencies in twentieth-century international history
- Students should be familiar with several important political systems and various countries
- Students’ ability to discuss and evaluate historical problems in oral discussions and well as in writing should be enhanced.
Course Contents
- Politics and Society: World War I and the Interwar PeriodCLASS ONE: Politics and Society in Major European Countries [L1] CLASS TWO: The United Kingdom [S1] CLASS THREE: World War I [L2] CLASS FOUR: Irish Republic and Irish Free State [S2] CLASS FIVE: Revolutions and the Emergence of a New Europe [L3] CLASS SIX: The Republic Turkey [S3] CLASS SEVEN: The 1920s [L4] CLASS EIGHT: Italian Fascism [S4] CLASS NINE: The Great Depression [L5] CLASS TEN: The New Deal [S5] CLASS ELEVEN: The 1930s [L6]
- World War II, the Cold War and the Reshaping of Europe in the Late 1980sCLASS TWELVE: National Socialism [S6] CLASS THIRTEEN: World War II and the Foundation of Israel [L7] CLASS FOURTEEN: The State of Israel [S7] CLASS FIFTEEN: The Recovery of Europe and the Early Cold War [L8] CLASS SIXTEEN: Social Market Economies [S8] CLASS SEVENTEEN: Prosperity and Reform in Europe (1960s-1970s) [L9] CLASS EIGHTEEN: “Gaullism” in France [S9] CLASS NINETEEN: Decolonization and the Emergence of the “Third World” [L10] CLASS TWENTY: The Islamic Republic of Iran [S10] CLASS TWENTY-ONE: The Rise of China [L11] CLASS TWENTY-TWO: “Socialism with Chinese Characteristics” [S11] CLASS TWENTY-THREE: Europe and the US in Crisis Again (1980s) [L12] CLASS TWENTY-FOUR: A Neoliberal Response: Thatcherism in Great Britain [S12] CLASS TWENTY-FIVE: “1989” and the Reshaping of Europe [L13] CLASS TWENTY-SIX: Bosnia-Herzegovina [S13] CLASS TWENTY-SEVEN: European Unification and its Consequences [L14] CLASS TWENTY-EIGHT: The European Political Project [S14]
Assessment Elements
- class discussions
- map identification quiz
- book review
- exam
- class discussions
- map identification quiz
- book review
- examСтуденты могут освобождаться от прохождения экзамена, с выставлением им оценки по промежуточной аттестации, соответствующей накопленной оценке 8 баллов и выше без учёта веса экзамена.
Interim Assessment
- Interim assessment (2 module)0.3 * book review + 0.25 * class discussions + 0.4 * exam + 0.05 * map identification quiz
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Axworthy, M. (2013). Revolutionary Iran : A History of the Islamic Republic. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=612463
- Gibney, J. (2017). A Short History of Ireland, 1500-2000. New Haven: Yale University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1673033
- Kershaw, I. (2015). The Nazi Dictatorship : Problems and Perspectives of Interpretation (Vol. Bloomsbury Revelations edition). London: Bloomsbury Academic. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1717406
- Pinder, J., & Usherwood, S. (2013). The European Union: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.b.oxp.obooks.9780199681693
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Alaranta, T. (2008). Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s Six-Day Speech of 1927: Defining the Official Historical View of the Foundation of the Turkish Republic. Turkish Studies, 9(1), 115–129. https://doi.org/10.1080/14683840701814042
- Paxton, R. O. (1998). The five stages of fascism. Journal of Modern History, 70(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1086/235001
- Sarantakes, N. E., & Westad, O. A. (2019). The Cold War: A World History. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.A214A659
- Shindler, C. (DE-588)1089871724, (DE-627)853667837, (DE-576)167955535, aut. (2013). A history of modern Israel Colin Shindler.