Revolution, Resistance, Rebellion, Reform! All are paths taken to demonstrate opposition to existing conditions, but revolution is the collective action that aims at the most drastic change. Originally an astronomical term, what does revolution currently mean? What are the motivations for revolutionary political change? What role do ideas and ideology play? What transforms individual anger into revolutionary process? How is it sustained against counter-mobilizing forces? Why do people risk their lives to participate in revolution? What is the measure of a successful revolution? Why do some succeed and others fail? Are revolutions necessarily violent or can there be nonviolent revolutions? In this course, we will begin by examining the classic examples of the American, French, Russian, and Chinese Revolutions (the models that have inspired other revolutions), as well as the Haitian Revolution (the most successful slave revolution). We then move on to consider some major contemporary revolutions in non-western societies. Are their essential features similar or unique? We will analyze theories about causes, events, outcomes and processes. Are there factors and theories that consistently and adequately explain revolutions?

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