2010/11 Undergraduate Module Catalogue
HIST2306 Civilization of the Tsars: Late Imperial Russia, 1825-1917
20 creditsClass Size: 26
Module manager: Dr Mark Smith
Email: M.B.Smith@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2010/11
This module is approved as an Elective
Module summary
This module explores the transformation late imperial Russia. It charts the change from a society that was characterized by explicit devotion to the Tsar to one that was defined by profound division and uncertainty, and ultimately by revolution. Students will explore conventional historical problems associated with rulership, protest, serfdom, industrialization, empire and war, as well as questions concerning public ceremony, the use of urban space, the mental horizons of workers, peasants and aristocrats, the development of literary culture and the intelligentsia, and the world of Russian art.Objectives
On completion of this module students will have:- a knowledge and understanding of the course of Russian history in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
- a knowledge of the structure of Russian society, and especially the relationship between Tsar and various classes
- an appreciation of how cultural aspects illustrate broader enquiries in the field of Russian history.
Learning outcomes
This module will aid:
- development of skills of historical inquiry, interpretation, analysis and synthesis
- development of skills of locating, selecting and evaluating primary and secondary sources.
Syllabus
Students will be expected to establish their own understanding of the chronology of late Imperial Russia, as lectures will focus primarily on major themes and controversies.
These might include: tsar and aristocracy, serfdom and peasantry, imperial expansion, industrialization, war, the revolutionary intelligentsia, the emergence of a world-leading literary culture, the destabilization of Russian society and culture associated with 'modernity', and the onset of revolution.
Seminars will also deal with broad themes, though students will be required to undertake close readings of some detailed primary sources.
By the end of the course, students will have developed an understanding of how the relationship between people and tsar changed as Russia became a modern society, and of how and why the Tsarist monarchy collapsed.
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Lecture | 11 | 1.00 | 11.00 |
| Seminar | 6 | 1.00 | 6.00 |
| Private study hours | 183.00 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 17.00 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200.00 | ||
Private study
- Students must prepare fully for each seminar- For each seminar, students must write a position paper.
Opportunities for Formative Feedback
Students will be monitored through the position papers they prepare for every class and for the contributions made to class discussions.Methods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| Essay | 1 x 2,000 word assessed essay to be submitted 12 noon, Monday of teaching week 8 | 30.00 |
| In-course Assessment | 3 x short position papers prepared in advance of appropriate seminar | 5.00 |
| Presentation | 1 x oral presentation | 5.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 40.00 | |
Two short papers (500-750 words) addressing the 'core question' of seminars of student's choice, together worth 10% of formal assessment. These will be submitted 48 hours in advance of these seminars and returned at the start of these seminars.
Exams
| Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
| Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc) | 2 hr 00 mins | 60.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 60.00 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Reading list
The reading list is available from the Library websiteLast updated: 20/04/2011
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