Aspects of Stalinism

This subject is not offered in 2012.

10 hours per week: total time commitment 120 hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This advanced seminar examines key aspects of the nature of the Soviet political system under Stalin, especially as we now understand them in the light of new archival materials. It also considers the way in which these problems have been viewed by historians in the past. The problem of labelling certain aspects and excluding them from further critical discussion is a key element both of Stalinism and of studies of this phenomena.

• should gain an improved understanding of how the political system under Stalin worked and of how historians have analysed this system.
• should be able to appreciate the way in which labels have been applied to the policies of the time, but should also be able to penetrate below the labelling to appreciate the nature of the political problems studied.

An essay of 5000 words 100% (due at the end of semester).

A subject reader will be available

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• show an advanced understanding of the changing knowledge base in the specialist area.
• be able to evaluate and synthesise the research and professional literature in the discipline.
• have an appreciation of the design, conduct and reporting of original research.