LFU:online

Knowledge of socialism as one of the formative ideologies and societal forms of the 20th century and related current academic debates; understanding the possibilities and limits of selected global historical approaches, including entanglements and transfers, actor-centered approaches and global biographies.

The understanding of globalization as an exclusively Western or capitalist process has recently been challenged: rather there was (and still is) a whole range of globalizations, or at least projects of globalization. The alternative project with the greatest reach was socialism: in the second half of the 20th century, more than half the world's population lived – at least temporarily – in socialist states. Contrary to Karl Marx' assumption, however, socialism had not prevailed in the capitalist center but in the periphery: first in Russia and following the Second World War also in the countries of Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. This geographical expansion was accompanied by a diversification of socialist concepts and practices. The lectures discuss the subsequent circulation of ideas, resources and people in the "socialist world system" and the dynamics of transfers, alliances and rivalries with examples from Albania to Zanzibar between 1917 and 1991. Individual lectures will focus on particular themes, including anti/racism, anti/imperialism and decolonization, migration, labour, gender and development.

Lecture and discussion

Written examination in the penultimate working session 

This course is also considered Extra-European History I or II for students of the curriculum BA History (2009). In this case, a reduced workload applies.

The lecture is held in English, discussions, presentations and final papers can be held/written in German as well.