History 622: The French Revolution S2002 Professor Jeremy D. Popkin W 1-3, 210 Kastle Hall Office hrs: Mon., 1-3, Wed. 9:30-10:30 and by appointment (7-1415) Professor’s email address: popkin@uky.edu Professor’s Web site: http://www.uky.edu/~popkin Introduction to the course: More than two centuries after it ended, the French Revolution remains one of the most dramatic and controversial events of world history. Basic to any understanding of the history of France, an understanding of the Revolution is also essential for anyone who wants to comprehend the whole course of modern European history, and indeed of modern world history. Occurring shortly after the American Revolution, the French Revolution offers a vital perspective on the movement that created our own republican and democratic institutions. The French Revolution remains the quintessential example of a great historical event, and attempts to understand and explain it have played a major role in the development of modern historical thought throughout the world. A basic knowledge of the French Revolution and the controversies it has inspired is of value to historians in every field. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to major aspects of the history of the French Revolution, and to some of the issues in the historiography of the Revolution. Readings and discussions will cover a variety of issues, including the origins of the French Revolution, the nature of revolutionary political culture, the role of religion in the Revolution, the social aspects of the Revolution, the impact of the Revolution in France’s colonies and the abolition of slavery, the roots of the Reign of Terror and the way in which it was brought to a close, and the connection between war and revolution. Many of our discussions will be related to themes in my current research project on “The French Revolution and Changing Notions of Identity.” This course is meant to be of use both to graduate students planning to concentrate in French or European history and to students whose main interests are in other fields, particularly American history. It should be of value for anyone who may have to teach courses in Western Civilization or European history. All required readings for this course will be in English. Course Requirements
GradingAttendance and class participation, 33%; papers 67%. Required Readings
There will be some additional xeroxed readings on reserve in 1714 POT. Schedule of Topics Jan. 9 Introduction to the French Revolution Jan. 16 Overview of the Revolution: Popkin, Short History (all); Soboul, “The French Revolution,” in Kates, 23-43; Furet, “French Revolution Revisited,” in Kates, 71-90. Jan. 23 Cultural Origins of the French Revolution: Chartier, Cultural Origins (all); Lucas, “Nobles, Bourgeois,” in Kates, 44-67; Jones, “Bourgeois Revolution Revivified,” in Kates, 157-91. *Jan. 30 Political Origins of the French Revolution: Doyle, Origins, (all); Kwass, “Kingdom of Taxpayers” Journal of Modern History 70 (1998), 295-340 (on reserve). Chartier/Doyle essay due Feb. 6 The new polity and the new citizen: Baker, “Idea of a Declaration,” in Kates, 91-140; Sewell, “Rhetoric of Bourgeois Revolution,” in Kates, 143-56; Popkin, “Revolution and Changing Identities,” (on reserve); Scott, “A Woman Who Has Only Paradoxes,” (on reserve); Sewell, “Le citoyen/la citoyenne,” (on reserve) Feb. 13 Revolutionary political culture: Hunt, Politics, Culture, and Class (all). Feb. 20 The revolutionary politician: Jordan, Revolutionary Career of Maximilien Robespierre (all); Tackett, “Nobles and Third Estate,” in Kates, 192-235. *Feb. 27 Revolution and the peasantry: Palmer, “Georges Lefebvre: The Peasants and the French Revolution,” Journal of Modern History 31 (1959), 329-42 (on reserve and JSTOR); Markoff, “Violence, Emancipation, and Democracy,” in Kates, 236-76; P. Jones, “The Land Settlement,” (on reserve); Crubaugh, “From the Procureur fiscal to the Juge de paix” (on reserve) Second essay assignment due Mar. 6 Revolution and religious belief: Ozouf, “Revolutionary Religion,” in Furet and Ozouf, Critical Dictionary of the French Revolution (on reserve); Hufton, “In Search of Counter-Revolutionary Women,” in Kates, 302-335; selections from Tackett, Religion, Revolution and Regional Culture (on reserve); additional reading selections TBA Mar. 20 Women and the urban revolution: Godineau, Women of Paris (all) *Mar. 27 Reign of Terror and violence: Colin Lucas, “Revolutionary Violence, the People and the Terror” (on reserve); Palmer, “The Culmination,” (ch. 13 of Twelve Who Ruled) (on reserve); Furet, “Terror,” (from Furet and Ozouf, Critical Dictionary of the French Revolution) (on reserve); Cobb, “The Popular Movement in its Prime,” in Police and the People, 172-211 (on reserve); Hunt, “Many Bodies of Marie Antoinette,” in Kates, 236-76. Third essay assignment due, Apr. 3 Revolution in the colonies: C. L. R. James, The Black Jacobins (all); Geggus, “Racial Equality, Slavery, and Colonial Secession during the Constituent Assembly,” AHR 94 (1989) 1290-1308 (on reserve) Apr. 10 Revolutionary war and revolutionary diplomacy: Blanning, “The French Revolution and Europe,” in C. Lucas, ed., Rewriting the French Revolution (on reserve); Forrest, Soldiers of the Revolution (all); Frey and Frey, “The Reign of the Charlatans is Over” Journal of Modern History 65 (1993), 706-44 (on reserve and JSTOR) Apr. 17 Thermidor and afterward: Desan, “Reconstituting the Social,” Past and Present (1999), 81-121 (on reserve); Mason, “The Reactionary Song,” (on reserve); Popkin, “The Right-Wing Journalists’ Social Theory,” in Popkin, Right-Wing Press in France, 100-23 (on reserve); Woloch, “Republican Institutions” (on reserve); selection from Baczko (on reserve); *Apr. 24 Conclusion. Final essay assignment due Course Policies 1. Late
Work and Make‑Up Exams: Late
papers are not accepted and make‑up exams are not administered
unless students requesting them can produce documented evidence
of illness, accident or other cause beyond their control accounting
for absence. Students who will miss an exam or assignment
because of a scheduled university activity must make arrangements to
make up the work before the scheduled due date.
2. Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is defined in the UK Student Handbook. Students submitting work which is not their own will receive an
'E' for that assignment and will not be allowed to make it up. Plagiarism includes not only the copying of
material from printed sources but also copying from sources on the Internet;
it also applies to any work submitted under a student’s name that is
not in fact his or her own writing and for which a source is not acknowledged.
UK History faculty routinely use advanced Internet search engines to
check dubious papers. In other
words: do your own work! You’ll learn more, and you’ll avoid painful grade penalties or worse. 3. Modern
Technology: Recording devices are not permitted during lectures
and discussions, except for students who have a valid physical reason
for needing them (e.g., inability to take written notes).
Students wearing earphones during class will be invited to go
be bored somewhere else. Beepers,
cellular phones and other devices which may cause a distraction must
be turned off during class. 4. Note on textbook: One of the textbooks assigned for this course is one that I have written myself. I assign it because I believe it suits the purpose of providing a short overview of the subject. Since you are required to buy the book for this course, however, I would be guilty of a conflict of interest if I made a profit off your purchase of the book. I will therefore refund to each student remaining in the course after the final day for textbook returns and showing me that they have purchased a new copy of the book, an amount equal to my royalties (approx. $2.00). Alternatively, students may designate their royalty refund as a donation to the UK Library, to be made in the name of the class. Please understand that I do not receive any royalties from the sale of used copies of the textbook. |