Close
Description
This module is a Term 2 area studies module designed for the PSEES degree. The module title is deliberately provocative: 鈥榗ommunist politics鈥� is straightforward, but could the societies of the Soviet bloc be described as 鈥榗ommunist鈥�? The module investigates how, and how much they differed from other European societies during the years 1945-91. It begins with introductory sessions on matters such as how (far) Western sociological approaches can be applied to communist-era Central and Eastern Europe, including the USSR; the Cold War context; and the increasing diversity across countries in the region from Stalin鈥檚 death onwards. From Week 3 the module roughly follows the topics taught in SESS1203 鈥楿nderstanding Society: Introduction to Political Sociology鈥�, with empirical data from Soviet bloc countries. Topics will include some or all of the following: workplace socialisation and class identities; religion, atheism and secularisation; education and generational change; the nature of ethnic identification; the gender order; the sociology of opposition movements; migration; and urbanisation.
Module deliveries for 2024/25 academic year
Last updated
This module description was last updated on 8th April 2024.
听