History 130

The Fall of Communism (asynchronous web online course)

Catalog Description: Causes and consequences of the dramatic transformations in the political, economic, and cultural life of the Soviet Union, eastern Europe, and China after 1970. Topics include "real-existing" socialism, Gorbachev and the revolutions of 1989, the emergence of China, impact on the non-socialist world, and implications for the future.

Prerequisite and requirements: None.

Number of Units: 3.

GE Category: D (The Individual and Society).

This class is 100% online with no in-person class meetings or examinations. The dissolution of the Soviet Union and the breakup of Soviet civilization had tremendous effects on lives across the world. We cannot underestimate the significance of these changes for modern history and for our own understanding of our place in today’s world. In this course students will examine the dramatic transformations in the Soviet Union, eastern Europe, Yugoslavia, and China in the late twentieth century and the ways that people experienced and still experience the fall of communism. We will view these experiences through the eyes of eyewitnesses as presented in feature films, documentaries, and popular non-fiction.

For more information, please view the syllabus for Summer 2023.