HIST 395 - Advanced Seminar

FDR: HU
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: Junior standing, 15 credits in history, and permission of the instructor.A seminar offered from time to time depending on student interest and staff availability, in a selected topic or problem in history. May be repeated for degree credit with permission and if the topics are different.

Topic for Winter 2011:

HIST 395: Advanced Seminar: French Revolution (3). The French Revolution is one of the most fascinating and momentous events in European history. At once “the best of times” and “the worst of times,” this event was both the origin of modern democracy and a period of tremendous political violence – indeed, some say it is the origins of Western totalitarianism. Some of the questions we ask are: what are the origins of the Revolution? How did a revolution that began with proclamations of human rights turn into one of mass bloodshed in just a few short years? How did a desire for democracy lead to political violence? What was the nature of the Terror, and how can we understand it? Students write a number of short papers, as well as a 20-25 page research paper on a topic of their choice. (HU) Horowitz.Staff.