http://citoyenneclark.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] citoyenneclark.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] revolution_fr2010-05-25 08:19 pm

Independent Study...

So I just found out that I can do an an independent study on something French Rev. related for school next year. Instead of taking a history class, (ie: Anatomy of Revolutions) I'd work for a semester on some sort of large paper. Here are some of my ideas, what do you guys think? Any other ideas? I've got 2 options for a faculty advisors each one is interested in different aspects.

Option 1) Professor one is more interested in cultural trends, and stuff like symbolism in the french revolution, and social aspects. (eh.....not my favorite area) She's interested in me writing my paper on the historiography of the French Rev, or how the French Rev is viewed through popular culture, compared through history. (ie: How was it viewed during the 3rd Republic, vs. Vichy France?) However, she's easy to work with, downside, likes Simon Schama.

Option 2) Professor two is more interested in political, economic and military history. Ideas for paper are: The CPS and planned economies, or how it operated as the world's first war bureau. Or the French-east India trading scandal (helped the downfall of the dantonists/hebertists.) and trade during the era. These topics seem a little more academic than say writing about pop culture. However he's rather hard to work with, (Socialist, and not in a good way, more the totalitarian type, and runs things according to such)

So...what do you guys think? any other paper ideas?

[identity profile] lacommunarde.livejournal.com 2010-05-29 10:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Sounds awesome! I'd probably go with the second option. It sounds like you'll end up hating the first teacher by the end of it (or as soon as you begin to get onto the subject of Schama). Besides, if the type of history being asked for is not really your area, it's going to involve a few, large, headache-inducing misunderstandings between the teacher and yourself. But either way, it's your choice.

And btw, I want to have gone to your school *runs off with it*