HIST 4268 Brave New Worlds: Communist Utopias and Dystopias
Previously titled Socialist Techno-Utopias In the decades following the Russian Revolution, the Soviet state attempted to transform human society and the human species to bring about utopia. Soviet and other socialist scientists carried out numerous experiments in visionary biology, studying reproduction, immunity, and heredity in order to build proletarian new men and women; others sought to breed tame foxes, grow crops in winter, or explore the cosmos. This course explores socialist utopian visions through the social and cultural history of the experiments and their ideological and geopolitical underpinnings. The course focuses especially on their representations in film and fiction.
Course overview
- Department
- History
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 3
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Offered
- Periodically
Catalog details
- Prerequisites
- History Core I or II, or its equivalent in AP credits.
Requirements fulfilled
- History: Free history electives (two courses at the 2000 or 4000 level) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- History: LAMA electives in Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, or Africa (two courses at the 2000 or 4000 level) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- History: U.S. History elective (one course at the 2000 or 4000 level) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- History: Upper-division history electives (three courses at the 4000 level) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 4.77 / 5 · Excellent
- Instructor rating
- 4.92 / 5 · Excellent
- Terms evaluated
- 2
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2024 | Nicole M Eaton | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4–6 hrs/week | 11 of 15 |
| Spring 2023 | Nicole M Eaton | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4–6 hrs/week | 15 of 22 |