In October of 1917, a revolutionary Marxist party seized control of a Russia riven by war and revolution. Against all expectations, the Bolsheviks maintained power and continued to hold it through civil war, rapid industrialization, colossal loss of life to famine and terror, Nazi invasion and the Cold War before the Soviet Empire collapsed in a remarkably bloodless dissolution in 1991. This course traces the rise and fall of the Russian Revolution, from the disintegration of the Tsarist Empire through the revolutionary era and Stalinism to the height of Soviet power after the Second World War and its dissolution in the late twentieth century. What was Communism and how did it triumph in Russia? What was life like before, under and after Stalin, and why did a regime that withstood civil war, invasion and cold war consign itself so meekly to the dustbin of history?
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the history of the Soviet Union and Russian Revolution;
- critically evaluate key interpretations of the social, cultural and political history of Russia in the twentieth century;
- conduct research, analyse and integrate primary and secondary sources and present their research in written form; and
- demonstrate the significance of Soviet history for the contemporary world.
Indicative Assessment
- 1,500 word historiographical review (20) [LO 1,2,4]
- 2,000 word research essay (35) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Final exam, 3 hours (25) [LO 1,2,3,4]
- Lecture Responses (5 x 200 words) (10) [LO 1,2,4]
- Class participation (10) [LO 1,2,4]
In response to COVID-19: Please note that Semester 2 Class Summary information (available under the classes tab) is as up to date as possible. Changes to Class Summaries not captured by this publication will be available to enrolled students via Wattle.
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Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks: 24 hours of lectures and 12 hours of tutorial and tutorial-like activities; and
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Inherent Requirements
Not applicable
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Not required
Preliminary Reading
Ronald Grigor Suny, “Stalin and his Stalinism: Power and Authority in the Soviet Union, 1930-1953,” in Stalinism and Nazism: Dictatorships in Comparison, eds Kershaw and Lewin, pp.26-52.Martin Malia, “The Soviet Tragedy: A History of Socialism in Russia,” in David Hoffmann, ed., Stalinism: The Essential Readings, Blackwell, 2003, pp.65-79.
Stephen Kotkin, “Magnetic Mountain: Stalinism as Civilization,” in Hoffman, Stalinism, pp.111-126.
Majors
Minors
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $3120 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $4800 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
