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Soviet History 1917 - 1991 (MLR2054)

Module aims

To introduce students to major issues in Soviet history from the Revolutions of 1917 to the collapse of the USSR in 1991. The module will examine key stages in the development of what was to become the Stalinist state, examine the attempted reforms of Khrushchev and Gorbachev, and explore the causes of the Soviet Union's decline. This course will cover a period in Russia's history that is framed by two defining moments: the revolutions of 1917 at the beginning and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 at the end. The concept of Soviet experiment' (also the title of the book used throughout this course) will provide us with an angle from which to examine and interpret each era. Furthermore, our analysis of the period will be informed by the theme of a seemingly constant tug of war' between forwardness' and backwardness'. Indeed, throughout the Soviet period, Russians found themselves between two worlds: confronted with and caught between the predicament of social, economic, cultural, and political backwardness on the one hand, and, typically, advanced notions of progress and modernity on the other. We will thus examine how this expresses itself, both from the point of view of the ruling elite and as well as those ruled: the people. What was considered backward', and what was termed progressive'? Just how much influence did the regime have on halting, even eliminating that which was considered backward'? What influence did these developments have over what was to come thereafter? We will aim towards an understanding of the outcome of the Soviet experiment'. What were the results of the Revolution? How did these results match the initial intentions and shape future goals of those instigating change? And why, in the end, did the Soviet experiment' fail? Summary aims:  To give students an understanding of the key issues in Soviet history  To explore the complex interaction of the concepts of 'backwardness' and 'forwardness' in Russian/Soviet history. To help students develop analytical and communication skills, both written and oral

ILO: Module-specific skills

• 1. To be able to identity key issues and events of Soviet history, and demonstrate a sound general understanding of the ways in which these are interconnected.
• 2. To be able to approach the topics and themes studied with enhanced critical and analytical awareness
• 3. To be able to relate knowledge of this period and subject-matter to other aspects of Russian culture.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

• 4. With some guidance from the course tutor, to discuss and evaluate different interpretations of historical events
• 5. To formulate a detailed argument in the appropriate register of English, putting forward a range of evidence in its support
• 6. To use available library and electronic resources in order to investigate topics in an independent fashion
• 7. To reference such material thoroughly and accurately

ILO: Personal and key skills

• 8. To undertake independent learning activities with a measure of autonomy, asking for guidance from the course lecturer where necessary
• 9. To adopt a critical approach to selecting and organising material
• 10. To present competent and sustained argument, in both spoken and written forms
• 11. To organise personal and work commitments in order to meet specified deadlines;
• 12. To make productive contributions to group work
• 13. To demonstrate a general competence in word-processing and use of the Internet

Syllabus plan

Term 1 Week 1: Introduction Week 2: The Russian Revolutions Week 3: The Russian Revolutions (cont.) Week 4: The Civil War Week 5: The Civil War Week 6: Student-centred learning week Week 7: War Communism and Stalin's Rise to Power Week 8: The First Five Year Plan Week 9: The First Five Year Plan/ Stalinism and The Great Terror Week 10: Stalinism and the Great Terror Week 11: The GULag system Term 2 Week 1: The Great Patriotic War 1941 45 Week 2: The Great Patriotic War 1941 45/ Post-war Stalinism Week 3: Post-war Stalinism Week 4: Post-war Stalinism/ Thaw Under Khrushchev Week 5: The Thaw under Khrushchev Week 6: Student-centred learning week Week 7: The Thaw under Khrushchev/ The Brezhnev Era of Stagnation Week 8: The Brezhnev Era of Stagnation Week 9: The Nationalities of the Soviet Empire Week 10: The Gorbachev Era Week 11: The Gorbachev Era/ The Collapse of the USSR

Learning and teaching methods: Weekly lectures, with fortnightly seminars at which students will give presentations.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Recommended text-book for the course: R.G. Suny The Soviet Experiment: Russia, the USSR, and the Successor States Other Recommended Reading: Figes, O. A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution 1891-1924 Fitzpatrick, S. The Russian Revolution (2nd edition) Hosking, G. Russia:People and Empire (final edition) Keenan, E.L. 'Muscovite Political Folkways', The Russian Review, 45 (1986): pp. 115-81 Lewin, M. The Gorbachev Phenomenon: A historical interpretation Basic Reading List: Andrle, Vladimir, A Social History of Twentieth-Century Russia Davies, R.W. (ed.), The Economic Transformation of the Soviet Union, 1913-1945 Figes, Orlando, A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution, 1891-1924 Fitzpatrick, Sheila, The Russian Revolution, 1917-1932 (2nd edn.) Fitzpatrick, Sheila, Everyday Stalinism: Ordinary Life in Extrordinary Times: Soviet Russia in the 1930s Hosking, Geoffrey, A History of the Soviet Union 1917-1991, (final edition) Keep, John L.H., Last of the Empires: a History of the Soviet Union 1945-1991 Kotkin, Stephen, Magnetic Mountain: Stalinism as a civilization Lewin, Moshe, Russia, USSR, Russia: The drive and drift of a superstate Lewin, Moshe, The Making of the Soviet System: Essays on the social history of interwar Russia Mawdsley, E., The Stalin Years: The Soviet Union 1929-1953 McAuley, Mary, Soviet Politics 1917-1991 Nove, Alec, An Economic History of the USSR Rogger, H., Russia in the Age of Modernization and Revolution, 1881-1917 Sakwa, Richard, Soviet Politics: An introduction Service, Robert, A History of Twentieth-Century Russia Stites, Richard, Russian Popular Culture: Entertainment and society since 1900S Suny, R.G., The Soviet Experiment: Russia, the USSR, and the Successor States Smith, S.A., The Russian Revolution: A Very Short Introduction Ward, Chris, Stalin's Russia (2nd edn) Westwood, J.N. Endurance and Endeavour: Russian History 1812-1992

Module has an active ELE page?

Yes

Available as distance learning?

No

Key words search

russian, history

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