HIST 191 Comparative Revolutions
This course traces the theory and practice of revolution in modern history. The course begins with a brief overview of revolutionary theories and transformations within a global historical context. We then turn to the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment as the paradigm shifts which brought a revolution in thought and subjectivity in Europe. From there we focus on the French Revolution, following its legacy and impact through the revolutions of the 19th century, the rise of Socialism and Communism, the Russian Revolution, the Chinese Revolution, decolonization and revolutions in Africa, and the Cuban Revolution. The course looks closely at how these revolutions in thought and politics changed the way people understood their relationship to state and society. In the search for global connectivity, we review revolutionary movements beyond the western European and United States to include cultures and civilizations of Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas. We will ask a number of questions related to revolutionary change, including: what causes revolutions? Who makes a revolution? What leads to success or failure in a revolutionary situation?