Sociology of Revolutions

The word "revolution" is often used metaphorically to emphasize the dramatic nature of certain events, as in "the Reagan revolution," or "the Industrial revolution." However, this course will focus on "revolutions" in the literal sense of the term--that is to say, rapid, fundamental, and violent change in a society's political institutions, social structure, leadership, and government policies. The first two-thirds of the class will be devoted to the causes and consequences of revolutions; the final third will be devoted to in-depth case studies of the Cuban and Mexican revolutions, including the legacies of the Cuban and Mexican revolutions today.