The Right to Overthrow: A Global History of Revolutions

When governments lose the trust of their people, revolutions become the primary engine of political change and remain one of the most powerful forces in modern history. In this course, we follow the evolution of revolution across four centuries. We begin with struggles over monarchy and religion in 17th-century England, move through the explosive birth of mass politics in France, and trace the rise of ideological revolutions in Russia and China. We then examine the resurgence of religion as a revolutionary force in Iran, before turning to the largely peaceful revolutions of 1989, when citizens across Eastern Europe dismantled communist regimes and reclaimed political life. Finally, we turn to the United States—not to revisit the American Revolution, but to explore the enduring tradition of patriotism and activism that grew out of it, and the ways Americans have, from time to time, drawn on that revolutionary inheritance to challenge authority, demand reform, and reshape their government. This course uses the Hybrid format which allows students to participate remotely and/or in the classroom. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.