HIS33070 Russia at War

Academic Year 2024/2025

Wars played a seminal role in Russian history forging the Russian state and building the Russian Empire. They also often became critical turning points in Russian history that transformed relations between the state and society and defined the country’s development. This module offers a broad picture of Russian history in the last 300 years focusing especially on conflicts that profoundly changed Russia. Rather than being a classic ‘military history’ module, it concentrates on the societal and political effects of the wars waged by Russian Empire and Soviet Union in XVIII-XX centuries, providing critical re-examination of Russian history and re-evaluating the role of conflict in Russia’s past.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this course you should be able to:
 understand critical points in modern history of Russia and the role of conflict in Russian history
 have a good awareness of the English-language historiography of modern Russian history
 present various aspects of a historical debate orally and engage in discussion of primary and secondary sources
 write scholarly essays appropriate for a Level Three student of History

Indicative Module Content:

This module will address such topics as:
- How creation of Russian Empire was tied to the wars waged by Peter the Great
- Russian state and society in the war of 1812
- Russian colonial wars of XIX century
- Ties between the First World War and the Russian Revolution in 1917
- How the Civil war forged the Soviet state
- Role of Afghan war in collapse of the Soviet Union

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

95
Autonomous Student Learning

95
Lectures

11
Seminar (or Webinar)

22
Total

223
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This is small group, seminar-based module. It is taught through a one-hour weekly lecture and a two-hour seminar. Weekly lecture provides a broad overview of the topic giving the students necessary factual material to better understand and critically analyse the readings. The seminars are an opportunity to deepen the understanding of the weekly topic and provide a space for a student-led discussion enhanced by analysis of a set of primary sources offered each week. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Participation in Learning Activities: Class participation and engagement Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No

20

 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Literature review: Review of relevant literature in preparation of the final essay Week 7 Graded No

40

 No
Assignment(Including Essay): 3-4,000-word essay Week 14 Graded No

40

 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback on Participation is given to the class throughout the trimester. Written and oral feedback will be provided on an ongoing basis on preparatory plans and primary and secondary source bibliographies for end-of-semester Research Project Assignments. Feedback on the end-of-semester Research Project Assignment will be given by appointment in one-to-one meetings.