CSP 22 Revolutionary Movements and Liberation Struggles

This CSP seminar traces the theory and practice of revolution in modern history. The course begins with a brief overview of revolutionary theories and transformations within a global historical context. We then turn to the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment as the paradigm shifts which brought a revolution in thought and subjectivity in Europe. From there we focus on the French Revolution, following its legacy and impact through the revolutions of the 19th century, the rise of Socialism and Communism, the Russian Revolution, the Chinese revolution, decolonization, and the global revolts of 1968. The course looks closely at how these revolutions in thought and politics changed the way people understood their relationship to state and society. In the search for global connectivity, we review revolutionary movements beyond the western European and United States  to include cultures and civilizations of  Asia, the Middle East and the Americas. We will ask a number of questions, including: what causes revolutions? Who makes a revolution? What is the meaning of success or failure in a revolutionary situation?