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