AHIS 14A02 - Political History of the 19th Century

This first-year course examines the birth of political modernity in the nineteenth century. Students are encouraged to consider the origins, successive reconfigurations, and limitations of modern political society. The course surveys the main landmarks of this transformation in Europe and its imperial worlds, from the democratic revolutions of the late eighteenth century to the advent of mass politics in the early Twentieth century. Major topics include the rise of new ideologies, such as – among others – liberalism, conservatism, and socialism; changing and novel patterns of engagement, based on violence (wars, revolutionary insurrections) or persuasion (emergence of a civil society, electoral contests); and the reorganization of large political organisations, from the construction of nation-states to the persistence and possibly the extension of empires. Special attention is paid to the claims of women and their role in politics and society, in Europe and more broadly. To facilitate learning and highlight the significance of political modernity, these changes are considered within a broader historical framework. The latter includes economic and environmental change, the transformations of urban and rural societies, the emergence of new intellectual and cultural sensitivities, and the status of the individual within society. Moreover, the course questions Eurocentric accounts of the Nineteenth century, and it discusses the processes of political modernisation and their limits on other continents.

Coursework within the seminars (conférences de méthode) fosters debating skills, the ability to engage with primary sources, and argument-driven writing (50% of the course mark). The final examination is a written document-based essay in relation to the main themes and documents addressed throughout the course (50% of the course mark). A 4h-Mock Written Test (included in coursework assessment) will be taking place in early November.