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HIS32310

Academic Year 2026/2027

Revolutionary Russia, 1905-1921 (HIS32310)

Subject:
History
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
History
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Jennifer Keating
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

In under twenty years, Russia experienced three revolutions, world war, civil war, the collapse of the three-hundred-year-old Romanov dynasty, and the rise of the Soviet state. This course examines the causes and consequences of these tumultuous years from 1905 to 1921, exploring the rich political, social and cultural world of revolutionary Russia. It looks at the challenges of reform and modernisation in late imperial period, the rise of revolutionary politics, the impact of the First World War and the immediate events of 1917 leading to the establishment of Bolshevik power, before assessing the Red victory in the civil war, utopian culture and the consolidation of the early Soviet state. In doing so, the course focuses on the centres of power in Moscow and Petersburg, but also ventures into provinces and countryside to assess the ways in which political and social change unfolded elsewhere. We will also engage with critical historiographical debates on the ‘inevitable’ fall of the Romanov dynasty, continuities between the late imperial and early Soviet systems, and the relationship between state, society and the individual before and after 1917. Our discussions are rooted in weekly thematic seminars which use a set of primary sources to dig deeper into individuals’ experiences of, and responses to, the arc of revolution from 1905-1921.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module, students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate detailed knowledge of the events, actors and processes in Russia’s revolutionary history.
2. Critically engage with a variety of primary and secondary material.
3. Evaluate conflicting interpretations of the events of 1917, their causes and consequences.
4. Write scholarly essays to the standard of a level 3 student of history.
5. Assess and analyse key themes, readings and debates in class discussions.

Indicative Module Content:

The module will cover the following areas:
Russia in 1900
1905
Constitutional 'democracy', terrorism & the radical underground
Peasants, workers, hooligans & futurists
Russia & the First World War
The February revolution and the emergence of Dual Power
March to October 1917 in city and countryside
The Bolshevik ascendancy
Civil war and imperial disintegration
Revolutionary dreams and cultures of power
Consolidation: Party, state and society to 1921

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Competent

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Competent

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Advanced Beginner

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Advanced Beginner

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Advanced Beginner

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Competent

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Competent

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Advanced Beginner

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Competent

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Advanced Beginner

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Competent

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 1

Reduce inequality within and among countries 1
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

50
Autonomous Student Learning

50
Lectures

11
Seminar (or Webinar)

11
Total

122

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module combines large-group and small-group teaching, via a weekly one-hour lecture and weekly one-hour seminars. The weekly lecture provides an overview of the key events, actors and historiographical debates, while the seminars examine critical themes that span the period. These seminars focus on small-group active/task-based learning using secondary literature and primary sources as the basis for class discussion. Autonomous learning is encouraged through required preparatory reading for each seminar, and two summative written assessments. Key research, writing and citation skills are developed through a combination of the 1000-word source analysis exercise and the 2000-2500-word end of semester essay.

Please note that the use of AI tools (eg Gemini, ChatGPT, Copilot etc) is not permitted in this module. Students are expected to engage directly with module materials and activities without the use of AI tools. Any questions about this should be addressed to the module coordinator.

A proportion of written assignments in each module in the School of History are subject to moderation, meaning they undergo a second layer of review by another grader. This can include oral moderation meetings where the student is invited in for a short meeting with the module coordinator to discuss the assignment. Moderation contributes to better informed marking.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
HIS20980 - The Russian Revolution


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Mid-term document analysis of a primary source (1000 words) Week 8 Graded No
30
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): End of semester essay of 2000-2500 words Week 12 Graded No
50
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Participation during the seminars (based on active discussion, contributions and participation, not attendance) Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11 Graded No
20
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


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, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback on the mid-term primary source analysis assessment is provided in writing via brightspace, and can be discussed further in seminars and office hours. A standalone essay clinic is held prior to the submission of the final essay if students wish to informally discuss their essay as a work-in-progress. Following submission, formal feedback on the end of semester essay assignment is returned in writing via brightspace.

Reading lists will be provided in the module handbook, available via brightspace.

Name Role
Dr Jenna Byers Tutor
Ioannis Lainas Tutor

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 13:00 - 13:50
Spring Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 14:00 - 14:50
Spring Seminar Offering 2 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 14:00 - 14:50
Spring Seminar Offering 3 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 15:00 - 15:50
Spring Seminar Offering 4 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 15:00 - 15:50
Spring Seminar Offering 5 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Fri 11:00 - 11:50
Spring Seminar Offering 6 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Fri 11:00 - 11:50
Spring Seminar Offering 7 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Fri 13:00 - 13:50
Spring Seminar Offering 8 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Fri 11:00 - 11:50
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