All power to the Soviets! Five episodes from the 1917 Russian Revolution

Learning outcomes:

This course has been designed to enable you to:

• To develop a critical awareness of the main events, actors and groups involved in 1917.
• To be familiar with key debates and interpretations surrounding the Revolution.
• To analyse primary source material from the period in the context of the course framework.

Course sessions:

1. The February revolution
How do we explain the collapse of the 300-year-old Romanov dynasty in February 1917? In this session we explore some of the short-term factors, particularly the impact of the First World War in Russia, alongside a longer view of some of the systemic instabilities in late-imperial politics and society, before tracing the dramatic month of February itself. 

2. The new Republic
The fall of the monarchy ushered in a new era in Russian politics, with the declaration of a democratic republic founded on law and liberty. Yet the new system was contested, as the official government was challenged by the newly formed Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies. This session explores the dynamics of 'Dual Power' and the chaotic roots of the revolutionary summer months that were to come.

3. Shifts of momentum
Between April and September 1917, the balance of power in Russia moved away from the Provisional Government and towards the Soviet – and within the Soviet, towards the Bolsheviks in particular. In this session we'll consider how to explain this shift in momentum, both from the perspective of 'high' politics, and using the experiences of everyday people. 

4. October
October is probably the episode that we instinctively associate most closely with the Russian Revolution. This session explores the run up to, and events of, the evening of 25 October 1917, when a small group of Bolsheviks stormed Petrograd's Winter Palace and deposed the ruling Provisional Government. We'll also consider some of the controversies at the heart of the revolution, and think about how this dramatic event has been interpreted by historians and commentators in the years that followed. 

5. Securing the Revolution
The overthrow of the Provisional Government was arguably the starting point, rather than the end, of revolution in Russia. The days and weeks that followed October were absolutely vital in ensuring that the Bolshevik grip on power would not be lost. This session discusses the various actions to found the world's first socialist state, from the Decrees on Land and on Peace to the founding of the Cheka and the fate of the Russian Constituent Assembly. 

Non-credit bearing

Please note that our Virtual Summer Festival of Learning courses are non-credit bearing.

Certificate of Participation

A certificate of participation will be sent to you electronically within a week of your Summer Festival course(s) finishing.

Welcome week: Before the course starts

Courses are delivered online via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). A week before your course starts you will receive an email from our Teaching & Learning (TEL) team confirming your VLE login details. Once you have logged into the VLE, you should:

• Access the ‘Course Information’ and ‘Welcome to the course’ areas.
• Carry out any technical checks, including video checks.
• View the VLE ’Online course tour’ and familiarise yourself with your learning environment.
• Watch the Course Director’s welcome video.
• Introduce yourself to the Course Director and other students using the general forum.
• Access and carry out any pre-reading or activities for the course provided in the ‘Welcome to the course’ area.

Study week: Course delivery, video content and study time

• You will be taught largely through a series of pre-recorded course videos.
• Course videos will be released on a daily basis, Monday to Friday.
• We suggest that you set aside around 1.5 hours each day to watch the course videos, view course materials and resources and complete any related reading, activities and discussions in the daily forums. This does not need to be done in one sitting, you have the flexibility to access content when and where you want, and to go back and review it as often as you wish.

At the end of the course

• Content for each course will remain available on the VLE for 5 weeks after the course has finished
• Course forums will close for postings on the Monday after the course, but existing messages will still be visible for 5 weeks after the course has finished
• You will receive a certificate of participation via email within a week of your course finishing

Pre-recorded course videos

Courses include one or two videos per day, these are designed by the Course Director to help you address different aspects of the main topic. All of our course videos are subtitled.

Course discussion forums

There will also be the opportunity to engage in written form with other course participants and discuss questions set by the Course Director on the discussion forums. Your Course Director will launch a number of discussions on the daily forums and will generally respond to a selection of key questions and comments on a daily basis. You are encouraged to actively take part in these discussions to get the most out of the course and to add to your overall enjoyment.

Resources, reading lists and activities

During the course and up until 5 weeks after the course has finished you will have access to a number of learning resources which may include links to websites, readings and research papers. These are provided by the Course Director to support the teaching and will be available on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

You may wish to consider these additional related courses on offer in the Festival:

If you are able to study more than one course or for more than one week, you may wish to consider streams of related course subjects.  There will be many other options – this is just an illustration of possible course combinations:

And don’t forget to watch the series of talks included in your course booking (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.

Booking a course

To book a Festival course please click the Book Now button at the top of the course page. You will be taken to our secure bookings portal where you can set up an account using your email address, and pay for your course by credit or debit card.

All of our courses are limited to 50 places, in order to allow students and Course Directors the opportunity for interaction via the discussion forums on the VLE.

Bookings will remain open until midnight the day before the course starts. If your preferred course is full at the time of booking you can add yourself to a waiting list. You will be notified, by email, if a place becomes available. We recommend that you book early to avoid missing out.

Please note that if you book a place the weekend before a course starts, it may take up to 48 hours to process your application and notify you of your VLE log in details. You may therefore not have access until the end of the second day of the course, but can go back and review sessions which have already been released.

‘How to book a course’ video

Our short video below talks you through the necessary steps to register and create an account before booking on to your chosen course(s) via our secure payment portal.

Before booking, please ensure that you have read and understood our Booking terms and conditions

Talks

As part of our Summer Festival we will also be offering a series of talks showcasing the variety of subjects on offer here at the University, as well as research, global current affairs and a range of other topics.

By booking a Summer Festival course, you automatically qualify for free access to these talks (usually charged at £50). Further details and a link to access the talks will be sent to you a week before the Festival starts.