The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union, 1917 – 1992



Overview

In this course we will take a chronological approach to the history of the Soviet Union, from the revolutions during World War I and the victory of Lenin and Bolshevism, to the final collapse of the USSR in 1991 – 2.

Along the way we will consider why Stalin emerged triumphant after Lenin’s death. Why he instituted ‘the revolution from above’ and the ‘Great Terror’ in the 1930s. We will also ask questions of the ‘Great Patriotic War,’ from the early mistakes of Stalin which nearly handed success to the Germans, to eventual victory which saw Soviet troops in Berlin and in occupation of most of eastern Europe.

We will discuss the Cold War, the arms race, the threat of nuclear war and how Soviet control was exercised and maintained in the satellite countries. Finally we will look at the emerging economic crisis in the Soviet Union and eastern Europe, the advent of Mikhail Gorbachev and his vision of reforming Soviet society and ending the Cold War and whether this precipitated the eventual collapse of the system.

This course is part of the Oxford University Summer School for Adults (OUSSA) programme.

Programme details

Seminars

Participants are taught in small seminar groups of up to 10 students, and receive two one-on-one tutorials with their tutor. 

Sunday

Seminar 1

Russia in War and Revolution

Why did the Tsarist system collapse in March 1917?

Why was the Provisional Government of Kerensky overthrown by Lenin in October 1917?

Seminar 2

Revolution and Civil War

How did the Bolsheviks establish a government in 1917 – 18?

What was the role of Trotsky in creating the Red Army?

Why did the ‘Reds’ defeat the ‘Whites’ and foreign intervention in the Civil War of 1918 – 1922?

Monday

Seminar 3

Lenin’s successor, Trotsky of Stalin?

Lenin’s death.

Faction fighting and temporary alliances.

Why did Stalin win?

Seminar 4

Revolution from above in the 1930s.

‘Giddy with success.’ The First Five Year Plan.

Industrialisation and Collectivisation.

Terror and Purges.

Tuesday

Seminar 5

‘The Great Patriotic War.’

The Nazi-Soviet Alliance.

Blitzkrieg

Seminar 6

Art & Architecture in the Soviet Union

The struggle to survive and fight back.

The age of experimentation.

What was ‘Socialist Realism?’

Power and Propaganda.

Wednesday

Seminar 7

Cold War Europe.

Why did Europe split so quickly between ‘East’ and ‘West’ after 1945?

How were Communist regimes established in Poland, the Baltic States, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Bulgaria?

Did the massive expenditure during the Cold War fatally damage the Soviet Union?

Seminar 8

Soviet regimes I – The German Democratic Republic.

The creation of the DDR.

The Berlin Wall.

Honecker, the Stasi and the end of the DDR.

Thursday

Seminar 9

Soviet Regimes II – Poland

How a pro-Soviet regime was installed in Poland.

Economic recline in the 1970s.

The rise of Solidarity.

Seminar 10

The Fall of the Soviet Union

The advent of Gorbachev in 1985.

Perestroika and Glasnost.

How to reform the system without destroying it? 

Friday

Seminar 11

Presentations

Seminar 12

Conclusions

Programme timetable

The daily timetable will normally be as follows:

Saturday

14.00–16.30 - Registration

16.30–17.00 - Orientation meeting

17.00–17.30 - Classroom orientation for tutor and students

17.30–18.00 - Drinks reception

18.00–20.00 - Welcome dinner

Sunday – Friday

09.00–10.30 - Seminar

10.30–11.00 - Tea/coffee break

11.00–12.30 - Seminar

12.30–13.30 - Lunch

13.30–18.00 - Afternoons are free for tutorials, individual study, course-related field trips or exploring the many places of interest in and around Oxford.

18.00–19.00 - Dinner (there is a formal gala dinner every Friday to close each week of the programme).

A range of optional social events will be offered throughout the summer school. These are likely to include: a quiz night, visit to historic pubs in Oxford, visit to Christ Church for Evensong and after-dinner talks and discussions.

Fees

Description Costs
Fee Option 1 (Single en suite - inc. Tuition and Meals) £2050.00
Fee Option 2 (Double en suite - inc. Tuition and Meals) 1 person £2100.00
Fee Option 3 (Twin en suite - inc. Tuition and Meals) per person £1680.00
Fee Option 4 (No Accommodation - inc. Tuition, Lunch & Dinner) £1250.00

Funding

Concessionary rates are available on a non-residential basis for those that qualify, more information can be found here.

Unfortunately we do not offer any specific scholarships or funding opportunities for OUSSA programme, but you can visit our departmental funding webpage, where you may be able to find a particular source of funding that matches your requirements alongside meeting the funding criteria.

Payment

All fees are charged on a per week, per person basis.

Please be aware that all payments made via non-UK credit/debit cards and bank accounts are subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.

Tuition and meals are included in the programme fee, with both residential and non-residential options available.

Course change administration fee: Please note that course transfers may be permitted in exceptional circumstances; however, in accordance with our Terms and Conditions, an administration fee of £50 will be charged.

Payment terms

  • If enrolling online: full payment by credit/debit card at the time of booking
  • If submitting an application form: full payment online by credit/debit card or via bank transfer within 30 days of invoice date

Cancellations and Refunds

1. Cancellation by you

Participants who wish to cancel must inform the Programme Administrator in writing: by email to oussa@conted.ox.ac.uk or by post to OUSSA, OUDCE, 1 Wellington Square, OXFORD, OX1 2JA, UK.

The following cancellation and refund policy applies in all cases:

  • Cancellation within 14 days of online enrolment / payment of fees – full refund of all fees paid.
  • Cancellations received up to and including 30 April 2025 – OUDCE will retain an administration fee of £100 per week booked; all other fees paid will be refunded.
  • Cancellations received between 1-31 May 2025 – OUDCE will retain 60% of the fees paid; the remaining 40% of fees paid will be refunded.
  • Cancellations received on and after 1 June 2025 - no refunds will be made.

2. Cancellation by us

Where there is good reason, OUDCE reserves the right to cancel a course by giving you notice in writing at any time before the course is due to start. In these cases, we will endeavour to offer a transfer to another available course if practical and acceptable to you, subject to payment or refund of any difference in the course fees. Alternatively, we will refund the course fees that you have already paid. If we cancel a course, our liability is limited to the fees that we have received from you; this means that we will not compensate you for any pre-booked travel costs or any other expenses incurred. The status of this course will be reviewed on 1 May 2025. If it is likely that the course may be cancelled, anyone affected will be notified by email within 7 days; if you have not heard from OUDCE by 8 May 2025, you should assume that your course will be running. You may wish to delay finalising your travel arrangements until after this date.

OUDCE reserves the right to cancel a course at short notice in exceptional circumstances that would prevent the course from being delivered e.g. tutor illness. In these rare instances, we will notify you as soon as possible and arrange a transfer to another available Oxford Experience course. If we cancel a course, our liability is limited to the fees that we have received from you; this means that we will not compensate you for any pre-booked travel costs or any other expenses incurred.

Where course fees have been paid in currencies other than pounds sterling, refunds will be subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.

3. Travel insurance 

The Department cannot be held responsible for any costs you may incur in relation to travel or accommodation bookings as a result of a course cancellation, or if you are unable to attend the course for any other reason. You are advised to check cancellation policies carefully and to purchase travel insurance.

Tutor

Dr Andrew Lacey

Tutor

Dr Andrew Lacey has worked for many years as a professional librarian in a variety of Colleges and Universities, including College Librarian at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, Special Collections Librarian at the University of Leicester, and in the University of Cambridge, Faculty of Architecture and History of Art. After a first degree in history, in 1999 he was awarded a Ph.D. for work on King Charles I. He is a Tutor for the Continuing Education departments at both the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge and apart from 16th and 17th century British and European history, has, for many years, been interesting in 19th and 20th century Britain and Europe history, and, in particular, the rise and fall of Fascism and National Socialism and the history of the Soviet Union.

Course aims

This course aims to:

  • Provide participants with an overview of the rise and fall of the Soviet Union.
  • To explore specific aspects of Soviet history and society – industrialisation, terror, the ‘cult of personality’ around Stalin, Soviet art and architecture etc.
  • To understand how Soviet control was maintained in Eastern Europe.
  • To consider some of the reasons why the Soviet Union collapsed and how a post-Soviet system emerged.

Teaching methods

The teaching methods used during this course may include:

  • Short lectures/presentations
  • Physical handouts
  • Seminars/group discussions
  • Student presentations
  • Video recordings

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be expected to understand:

  • The causes of the Russian Revolution and the reasons for the victory of the Bolsheviks.
  • The reasons for Stalin’s victory and the significance of the regime he created and its consequences.
  • The changing nature of the Cold War and its effects on the Soviet Union.
  • The methods of control adopted in Soviet controlled Eastern Europe and challenges to that control in Hungary and Czechoslovakia.
  • The reasons for the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union.

Assessment methods

Participants are required to undertake preparatory reading and complete a pre-course assignment of 1,500 words. Although this does not count towards credit, it is seen as an important way of developing your ideas and is mandatory. The pre-course assignment is typically due in the first week of June.

You will be assessed during the summer school by either a 1,000 word written assignment or a presentation supported by individual documentation. To successfully gain credit (10 CATS points) students should attend all classes and complete the on-course assignment. Participants will attend two one-on-one tutorials with their tutor during the week.

OUSSA is an accredited summer school taught at undergraduate level; each one-week course carries 10 CATS (Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme) points at FHEQ (Framework for Higher Education Qualification) Level 4. Learn more about CATS points.

Certificate of Higher Education

Credit earned from OUSSA can be transferred towards our flexible Certificate of Higher Education.

Study when and where it suits you by gaining credit from short courses, including short online courses, weekly classes and OUSSA, and build your way to an Oxford University award. This part-time undergraduate programme lasts between two and four years depending on how intensively you want to study.  

Find out more about the Certificate of Higher Education.

Application

Most courses fill quickly so early registration is strongly recommended. If your preferred course is fully booked, you may wish to add yourself to the waiting list and the Programme Administrator will contact you should a place become available.

Please note, the programme is only open to those over the age of 18.

Single accommodation, double room for 1 person and non-residential places may be booked online by clicking on the “Book now” button in the “Course details” box at the top right-hand side of the course page.

Those requiring twin, double or accessible accommodation should complete an enrolment form as these rooms cannot be booked online. Please send the completed enrolment form to the email address below. Both the PDF and Word option of the form below are editable, so you can complete them online before saving and sending to us as an email attachment. You do not need to print and scan them. (Please use these forms only if you are making a twin or double booking for two people.)

Online enrolments require payment in full at the time of registering.

Those who do not wish to register online or who have specific requirements (eg an accessible bedroom) should contact the Programme Administrator directly at oussa@conted.ox.ac.uk or OUSSA, OUDCE, 1 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JA, UK.

Accommodation

More information about our accommodation can be found here.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support