Description
This module is a Term 2 area studies module designed for the PSEES degree. The module title is deliberately provocative: ‘communist politics’ is straightforward, but could the societies of the Soviet bloc be described as ‘communist’? 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’s death onwards. From Week 3 the module roughly follows the topics taught in SESS1203 ‘Understanding Society: Introduction to Political Sociology’, 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 19th August 2024.
Ìý