Independent Readings in the French Revolution

Students work independently, studying the social, political, gender and intellectual trajectories of the French Revolution from 1789 through the Terror and the Napoleonic Empire.  To understand the origins of the Revolution, students will read philosophy and political theory from Enlightenment authors like Voltaire, Rousseau and Montesquieu.  Students will share a reading list in common and have the option to participate in asynchronous book chats via Canvas as a group and with the faculty member.  This class does not require any synchronous (zoom) meetings - students complete the material at their own pace. Since this is an independent readings class, students enrolled at different credit levels will read different texts and write different numbers of essays.  Students enrolled for more than 8 credits will complete a research paper on one aspect of the Enlightenment or the French Revolution, using available on-line scholarly sources. Credits are awarded in history, political philosophy and/or gender studies, depending on each student's specific interests and focus.

Our work will be conducted remotely, using Canvas. The faculty will offer alternative assignments if conditions or illness prevent students from accessing our synchronous meetings, which will allow students to earn comparable credit.