HISTORY
The French Revolution: Citizens and Soldiers from the Bastille to Waterloo (1789-1815)
TERM 3: FOCUS ON HN371
Thursday
Sylvie Kleinman 
Why did the French Revolution happen, why did it end and why did it start? Why do Robespierre and Napoleon matter so much in history? If the Terror was so terrible, and the ‘Total war’ of this era so destructive, why is the Revolution often glorified as the founding moment of nation building and human rights? What did it do for women, slaves, and the Irish for that matter? Reflecting the most recent debates on the Revolution, this course presents an overview of politics, war and society through discussion of a broad range of material. It will guide participantsthrough three distinct phases of this turbulent chapter of European history, focusing more on how people experienced it rather than high politics.
Participants will gain a better understanding of the multiple legacies of this transitional era of democratic revolutions. By examining and discussing key texts but also paintings, cartoons and popular culture, they will debate the duties and obligations of active citizens, the concept of a nation in arms, the origins of patriotic sacrifice and the cult of the popular hero. The course looks at how the first modern nation-state was born out of the fusion of politics and war, and what this meant for the French people. Participants will interrogate history and memory. They will debate how the cultural revolution in language, dress, manners and rituals also democratised daily life. Appropriately in the Irish Centenary decade, the course will relocate the roots of modern republican culture and institutions in its original French context.
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BELFIELD |
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6 Thursdays |
April 18, 25, May 2, 9, 16, 23 |
7.30pm - 9.30pm |
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Fee €115 |
Print Open Learning Application Form 2012.13 or ring (01) 716-7123 for Laser/credit card payment |
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Tutor Bio
Sylvie Kleinman studied History and Translation at the Sorbonne. Her PhD examined the role of the United Irishmen in French military strategy 1792-1805, and she has done extensive research on Theobald Wolfe Tone’s military career and life in France (1796-1798). She has taught history at UCD and Trinity, where she is affiliated to the Centre for War Studies. Sylvie has been a panelist on Talking History, is a member of the Military History Society of Ireland, and academic advisor to the Napoleon Society of Ireland.
Provisional list of key topics to be covered:
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Key dates and events of the French Revolution, 1789-1815.
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Influential actors of history, both famous and obscure
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Female patriots and the early democratisation of political participation
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Making people citizens: institutions, duties and obligations
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Politics and war: a nation in arms and the legacy of conscription
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Abolishing slavery and religious distinctions
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Paris as the crossroads of revolution and change
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The press, public opinion and propaganda
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A cultural revolution in language, art and education
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Ethnosymbols: the national flag, celebration and commemoration
Who is the course for?
This course is for anyone motivated to explore the French Revolution in reality and myth, to revisit any prior knowledge they may have of it, and explore lesser known aspects. A small selection of documents will be presented in both English and French parallel versions, to allow participants with no, or any, knowledge of French to explore key sources of history in their original form.
Reading List:
The following is a selection of recommended texts for those interested in reading further around the course content. We advise that you do not buy books in advance of the course as your tutor will discuss the list and suggest the most relevant reading for particular interests.
Key reading: William Doyle, The French Revolution A Very Short Introduction (Oxford, 2001).
Available onlineon http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=101647802 Gale Cengage Learning
Recommended web source:
http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/Liberty, Equality, Fraternity Exploring the French Revolution
This reliable, scholarly yet user-friendly and appealing website is a data base containing topical essays and several hundred key texts (translated into English) and images. It is an ideal gateway tool to introduce course participants to a complex topic.
Further selections of recommended reading and/or mayterial will be made available to participants.
