The Russian Revolution, part 2

Module overview

This module explores the Russian Revolution, following a chronology from 1914 until 1924. Part two explores the turmoil of the First World War, the Revolutions of 1917 and then the Civil War period (c. 1917-21). It will look closely at the First World War period (1914-17) and integrate recent literature into its study. We will then turn to the Revolutions of 1917 – the role of the opposition, the abdication of the tsar, the uncertain era of Provisional Government and the Bolshevik seizure of power in October 1917. Then we survey developments during the tumultuous Civil War era and consider how this critically impacted upon the development of the Bolshevik party. The chronology ends with an exploration of the political culture of the early Soviet state, concluding with the death of Lenin, and the culture-building around the Bolshevik party. The module will consider a wide variety of different source materials during seminars and focus on the role of culture in the construction of the revolutionary project throughout Russia’s early twentieth century. It will end with consideration of the Revolution’s contested legacy: what has the Russian Revolution done for us?

Linked modules

HIST3234

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

The question of how political, social, cultural, economic and technological developments between 1914 and 1917 led to Revolution in Russia
Major historiographical debates concerning Russia’s ‘era of crisis’ of war, revolution and civil war from c. 1914-21
How changes in political culture reflect wider process of social, political and economic developments in Russia (i.e., the role of culture in politics and society), including study of the early Soviet state

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Engage with specific texts, comment upon them fluently, cogently, and at length; and in so doing demonstrate depth of knowledge, insight, and understanding appropriate to the advanced study of a specialist area;
Gather, assimilate, synthesise, and interpret a wide range of primary and secondary source material as the first stage in writing your essay;

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

adhere to guidelines re referencing/footnotes and demonstrate an adequate prose style.
Work independently and unsupervised for extended periods of time when preparing for class and for assessed coursework;
Display effective time management, not least in adhering to a timetable for the preparation, writing, and submission of a lengthy assignment;
Adapt and apply the skills and knowledge acquired or consolidated during the module to problem-solving and policy-making.

Learning and Teaching

Study time
Type	Hours
Teaching	48
Independent Study	252
Total study time	300

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

S. A. Smith (2017). Russia in Revolution. An Empire in Crisis, 1890-1928. Oxford.

Laura Engelstein (2018). Russia in Flames. Oxford.

Jeffrey Brooks (2000). Thank You, Comrade Stalin! Soviet Public Culture from Revolution to Cold War. Princeton, NJ.

Peter Holquist (2002). Making War, Forging Revolution. Russia's Continuum of Crisis, 1914-21. Cambridge, MA.

Christopher Read (2013). War and Revolution in Russia, 1914-22. Basingstoke.

Mark Steinberg (2017). The Russian Revolution, 1905-21. Oxford.

Nina Tumarkin (1997). Lenin Lives! The Lenin Cult in Soviet Russia. Cambridge, MA.

Assessment

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Essay	50%
Written assignment	50%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Essay	50%
Written assignment	50%

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Written assignment	50%
Essay	50%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External