The recent 'Arab spring' has demonstrated that revolutionary change is still possible. The normal course of social development is slow and incremental but there are periods when changes would otherwise take years or decades, if they occurred at all, come about much more quickly. This course combines a survey of revolutionary episodes with investigation of different theories about revolutions.  Throughout the course we will consider domestic and international changes brought about by particular revolutions, the local and global circumstances that gave rise to them, international waves of revolutions, and the extent to which participants and opponents consciously shaped the course of events.

By the end of this course, you should be able to

1. demonstrate knowledge of the circumstances, development, outcomes and the tactics employed by different groups in the course of key revolutionary episodes
2. understand distinctions amongst different kinds of revolutions
3. describe, assess and distinguish amongst competing theories that attempt to explain revolutions
4. formulate approaches to researching revolutions
5. analyse revolutions and the tactics of their participants and opponents by applying different theories
6. individually and collectively, present written and oral arguments about revolutions

Short paper on a particular revolution, 1500 words, 30% (assesses learning outcomes 1,2,3,4,5,6)

Analytical essay, 3000 words, 70% (assesses learning outcomes 1,2,3,4,5,6)

Students are expected to spend approximately 120 hours on this course, attending lectures and tutorials, working through the reading program, preparing for tutorials and completing the assessment tasks. There will be two hours of lectures and a one hour of tutorial per week.

12 units of 1000-level POLS, HIST or SOCY courses or by permission of the course convenor

Required skills:

• Ability to use basic research techniques in the social sciences
• Basic academic essay writing skills for social sciences

Barker, Colin (ed.), Revolutionary Rehearsals, Haymarket, Chicago, 2002

readings available on-line from the beginning of the course