World Order and Revolution: The Global Challenges of Communism, Fascism and Radical Salvationism
This course is one on modern world history taught by a political sociologist. As such its purposes are twofold. One is to introduce new perspectives into global history by focusing on order, revolution and change (from pre-to postmodernity). The other is to revisit existing bodies of theory pertaining to these concepts, to hold them up to historical experience. This means that the narratives of order (the European "concert" before 1914, or the bipolar " balance of theory" of the cold war) and revolution ( see above) will also serve as instruments of testing and rethinking theory. The exercises of the course (lectures,discussion sections, and exams) will all be addressing this interplay of history and social theory.
Recommended for students with background in Comparative Politics and International Relations with at least one course in modern European or world history required.
A collection of readings (Reader) will be available with one or two additional readings to be announced later.