Europe 1850-1900

In this module, you’ll explore the nature of nation-state Europe in the second half of the nineteenth century, together with the ideologies that defined and influenced the political and social issues of the period. The focus will be on France, Russia, Germany, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

What does the module cover?

You’ll begin by looking at the legacy of Bonapartism, Liberalism and Republicanism in France. You will consider the unification movements in Germany, the corrosive effect of nationalism on the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and autocracy and reform within tsarist Russia. Communism and Socialism will be assessed in the context of responses to industrialisation. The module examines the world of European Jewry, the emergence of the Right in France in the wake of the Dreyfus affair, and the articulation of Zionism as a response to late nineteenth century Social Darwinism and anti-Semitism. The module will conclude by examining militarism and decadence in Fin de Siècle Europe.

Key Topics

• France and the republican legacy
• France and Bonapartism
• Russia in the late nineteenth century
• Socialism and Communism
• Nationalities and the Austro-Hungarian Empire
• The Jews of nineteenth century Europe
• German unification
• The Balance of Power c 1900

Prerequisites

None

Number of credits and study time

15 credits, equivalent to 150 hours of study. 

Assessment

Assessment for this module will comprise one or more tasks, which will take the form of an exam and/ or coursework  (essay, report or presentation).