Module HIST1511: The Soviet Revolution, 1917-1945

Department: History

HIST1511: The Soviet Revolution, 1917-1945

Prerequisites

• • Normally an A or B grade in A-Level History, or an acceptable equivalent (e.g. in terms of Scottish Highers or IB)

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To introduce students to the history of the Communist Revolution and the USSR from 1917-1945

Content

• This module covers the tumultuous and dynamic period of Russian history from the collapse of Tsarism in February and the establishment of the world’s first socialist government under the Bolsheviks in October 1917, to the USSR’s victory in the Second World (or Great Patriotic) War in 1945. The module focuses on many aspects of political, economic, cultural and social life in Soviet Russia and its Empire between 1917 and 1945, but emphasizes in particular the breadth of the Communist experiment as it affected lands that were subsumed into the new USSR. The student will gain a comprehensive knowledge of the USSR up to 1945, discovering how the Bolsheviks tried to transform politics, economy, culture and society during this period, to what extent they were successful, and what impact these changes had both on Russia and the wider world.
• Major topics examined include: how spontaneous were the Revolutions of 1917, and how far were they ‘from below’?; how revolutionary was the October Revolution: what changed, but also what remained the same?; did Leninism inevitably lead to Stalinism? How likely was the Bolsheviks’ notion of the spread of world socialist revolution, and how did other nations relate to their new radical neighbour? Political propaganda will be compared with the realities of life in the new Soviet regime, to assess how far the lives of ordinary people changed for the better or worse. The great shifts which occurred in individual and collective identities following the revolution will also be discussed in this module. <text required>

Learning Outcomes

• An understanding of the dynamic social, political, economic and cultural changes introduced by the Communist Revolution in Russia.
• An understanding of the effects of the Communist Revolution on the wider USSR in this period.

• Subject specific skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/history.internal/local/ModuleProformaMap/

• Key skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/history.internal/local/ModuleProformaMap/

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Student learning is facilitated by a combination of the following teaching methods:
• Lectures to set the foundations for further study and to provide the basis for the acquisition of subject specific knowledge. Lectures provide a broad framework which defines individual module content, introducing students to themes, debates and interpretations. In this environment, students are given the opportunity to develop skills in listening, selective note-taking and reflection;
• Seminars to allow students to present and critically reflect upon the acquired subject-specific knowledge, methodologies and theories, and to identify and debate a range of issues and differing opinions. The seminar is the forum in which students are given the opportunity to communicate ideas, jointly exploring themes and arguments. Seminars are structured to develop understanding and designed to maximise student participation related to prior independent preparation. Seminars give students the opportunity to develop oral communication skills, encourage critical and tolerant approaches to reasoned argument and historical discussion, build the students' ability to marshal historical evidence, and facilitate the development of the ability to summarise historical arguments, think in a rapidly changing environment and communicate in a persuasive and articulate manner, whilst recognising the value of working with others and, occasionally, towards shared goals.
• Assessment:
• Unseen examinations test students' ability to work under pressure under timed conditions, to prepare for examinations and direct their own programme of revision and learning, and develop key time management skills. The unseen examination gives students the opportunity to develop relevant life skills such as the ability to produce coherent, reasoned and supported arguments under pressure. Students will be examined on subject specific knowledge;
• Summative essays remain a central component of assessment in history, due to the integrative high-order skills they develop. Essays allow students the opportunity to recognise, represent and critically reflect upon ideas, concepts and problems; students can demonstrate awareness of, and the ability to use and evaluate, a diverse range of resources and identify, represent and debate a range of subject-specific issues and opinions. Through the essay, students can synthesise information, adopt critical appraisals and develop reasoned argument based on individual research; they should be able to communicate ideas in writing, with clarity and coherence; and to show the ability to integrate and critically assess material from a wide range of sources.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

One or more short assignments submitted in writing or delivered orally and discussed either 1:1 or in a group context.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University