ATS1320 - Nations at war: Revolution and empire - 2019

This unit explores the process of nation building in the "long nineteenth century" through revolution and war. Stretching from the French Revolution to the First World War, the course examines how three key elements - war, revolution, and empire - interacted in the making of modern nation-states. We will consider this question by looking at a variety of case studies, including the American Civil War, the creation of unified states in Italy and Germany, the struggle for nationhood in the face of Western imperialism in East Asia, and the founding myth of Australian nationalism at Gallipoli. Emphasizing connections and commonalities between societies geographically apart and culturally different, the course seeks to understand the global processes that led to the forging of nations and nationalisms through wars and revolutions.

Students who have successfully completed this unit will be able to demonstrate:

1. an understanding of the major issues in the historiography of modern war and nationalism.
2. Knowledge of the history of major military conflicts during the long nineteenth century.
3. the ability to explain how wars have transformed Western societies.
4. the ability to assess the impact of war on people's understanding of gender, social class, and citizenship.
5. the ability to discuss critically the impact of wars on the creation of national identities and mythologies.
6. the ability to analyse critically different kinds of historical sources.
7. the development of skills for collaborative learning and group work.
8. the acquisition of solid writing and oral presentation skills.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

History