HST3107/3108: The Paris Commune
40 credits (semesters 1 and 2)
Module Leader: Dr. Timothy Baycroft
| Pre-requisites |
A pass in at least two history modules at level two.
| Module Summary |
This module evaluates the origins, achievements and significance of the Paris Commune, examining its context in the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War, the objectives of the communard revolutionaries, the structure of the government they created, the legislation they passed, and their defeat by the French army, culminating in the `bloody week´ in May 1871. Although short-lived, the Commune became an important symbol for the French (and European) Left, and consideration will be given to the lessons drawn from it by various groups within France, and the ways in which these were expressed in art, journalism and in political writing.
| Teaching |
Seminar discussion of primary and secondary sources will help students to acquire an in-depth knowledge of the historiography of this period and of the principal varieties of primary source material available to historians. Through discussion of these primary and secondary materials students will develop their understanding of The Paris Commune.
| Assessment |
The word limit for essays includes footnotes, but excludes the bibliography.
| Selected Reading |
To follow.
| Intended Learning Outcomes |
By the end of the module, a candidate will be able to demonstrate:
- Broad knowledge of the distinctive features of French political life in the late nineteenth century.
- An ability to analyse the relationships between the various elements of Parisian society, French national institutions, and diverse political ideologies (originating both inside and outside of France), and to assess the short and longer-term impact of the Commune upon French politics and society.
- The ability to critically evaluate historians’ arguments about the causes and significance of these developments by comparing the primary evidence with the secondary literature.
- An advanced ability to evaluate, manipulate and compare a wide range of primary material, including written and visual sources.
- The ability to formulate logical and persuasive historical arguments independently, both in oral and written form.
- An understanding of the complexities of historical study and the validity of different historical interpretations.