AFR 390
Transforming the New World and the Old: The Haitian and French Revolutions Spring 2019
Division II
Cross-listed AFR 390 / HIST 390
This is not the current course catalog

This course focuses on the radical transformative power of the Haitian and French Revolutions, the ways in which they challenged the hierarchies of the New World–of racism, and slavery–and of the Old World–of monarchy, aristocracy, the Church, and even of the bourgeoisie–with long-lasting effect. It will show how the two revolutions were intricately interrelated–even though historians of the French Revolution have usually neglected the Haitian Revolution and downplayed its centrality–and how they initiated a century of Revolution on both sides of the Atlantic. Given the incomplete and unfinished character of both Revolutions, and the fact that the issues they attempted to address live on today, this class will make a conscious attempt to show the continuing relevance of these Revolutions to 21st century movements for change.