Course Outline

The aim of this course is to provide an understanding of the key characteristics and the historical significance of the Soviet Union - one of the most socially and politically remarkable and militarily powerful states of the twentieth century.

The emergence and development of the Soviet Union is traced from the Bolshevik Revolution of October 1917, via the period of Stalin's dictatorship and the leaderships of Khrushchev and Brezhnev, up to the end of the Gorbachev era which culminated in the dissolution of the Union in 1991. The course studies interlinked political, ideological, social, economic and cultural themes. The role of the Soviet Union on the international stage is also examined. [Technically, the Soviet Union was not established until 1922, though the Soviet state, under Lenin's leadership, came into being in 1917.]

Skills Acquisition

In addition to achieving a deeper understanding of the nature of the Soviet Union and of its role and significance in the world of the twentieth-century, the course also aims to develop a range of skills associated with the study of history. These generic skills include:

• The development of independence of mind and originality of insight, together with a respect for the views of others

• The ability to subject historical evidence to robust critical scrutiny

• The ability to gather, organise and deploy historical evidence

• The experience of debate between conflicting ideological viewpoints

• The development of analytical and problem-solving abilities

• The ability to communicate with clarity, coherence and fluency, both orally and in writing

Attention is also given to the following transferable skills:

• Word processing

• E-mail communications

• Electronic discussion-board participation

• Information retrieval from the World Wide Web

• An opportunity is also provided for the creation of World Wide Web pages

Index

Information Tour