HS3T104: Utopia: the Quest for a Perfect World

Module code: HS3T104

Module provider: History; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Jeremy Burchardt, email: j.burchardt@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module explores one of humanity’s most cherished and long-standing dreams: the quest for a perfect world.  After an initial survey of the roots of the utopian tradition, we focus primarily on modern visions and versions of utopia in the period c.1800-c.2000.  An unusual feature of the module is that we look in detail at attempts to put utopia into practice both on a small scale (for example in communes and other ‘intentional communities’) and on a larger scale, taking the examples of Yugoslavia, Cuba and the ‘Nordic model’ of Scandinavian social democracy. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Identify and explain the main issues and events studied;
2. Have a detailed knowledge of the events through extensive reading in specialised literature;
3. Appraise critically the primary sources and historical interpretations of the subject;
4. Organise material and articulate arguments effectively in writing; and have developed their oral communication skills.

Module content

We look at the writings and influence of nineteenth-century utopians such as Robert Owen, William Morris and Leo Tolstoy and then at attempts to put their ideals into practice, including Owenite communities such as Ralahine and Tolstoyan communes like Whiteway.  We follow the development of this tradition through into twentieth century ‘back-to-the-land’ and countercultural communes.  Such small-scale utopian endeavours were often transient but had the advantage of being comparatively easy to establish.  However, in general they were predicated on turning their back on society rather than attempting to transform it (which is why revolutionaries such as Marx were often hostile to utopianism).  In the second half of the course we turn our attention to more ambitious efforts to create utopian societies at the level of the nation state, focusing on Yugoslavia 1945-1980, Cuba 1959-present and the ‘Nordic model’ of Scandinavian social democracy, c.1930-present.  The module ends with an overview of efforts to translate utopian visions into practice, and a brief consideration of the future of utopia, with a focus on what the implications of IT and robotics are for humanity’s enduring quest for a perfect world.  Throughout the module students will be encouraged to ask questions, think for themselves, and make up their own minds about the many fundamental questions the module raises, among them:

• Have attempts to create utopian communities/nations ever actually worked?
• Why have they so rarely lasted?
• Have they had a positive legacy or have they done more harm than good?
• Has utopianism fostered, undermined or simply offered an alternative to revolutionary change?
• Has technological, economic and social change affected the feasibility of utopias?
• Will the quest for a perfect world always be with us?

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching and learning will be by a variety of methods, which may include:

• Lectures;
• Seminars, which Seminars rely on structured group discussion and may also include seminar papers by students, discussion of evidence, team-based exercises, and debates;
• Online exercises, including quizzes and worksheets;
• Discussion boards; and
• Independent study.

Study hours

At least 33 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

1,000 words or 2 pages of A4 maximum to include, at the module convenor's discretion, an essay plan, bibliography, book review or other preparatory work towards each of the summative essays.

Reassessment

Additional costs