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, and study 18th-century French culture and society.  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. Students enrolled at different credit levels will read different texts and write different numbers of essays.  Students enrolled for 8 credits will complete a research paper on one aspect of the Enlightenment, French Revolution, or Haitian Revolution, using available on-line scholarly sources. Credits are awarded in history, political theory, gender studies, and/or art history depending on each student's specific interests and focus.

This class does not require any synchronous (zoom) meetings - students complete the material at their own pace. To complete the work, students will need to access the program Canvas site via their computer, tablet or phone.