Short course
Dictatorship in Interwar Europe: Hitler, Stalin, Lenin and Mussolini
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Dates and time:
19/01/2027 - 23/03/202714:00 - 16:00
Study format:
In-person weekly
Fees:
£315.00
In this course we will be exploring the nature of dictatorship in interwar Europe, with special focus on the rise to power of Hitler, Stalin, Lenin and Mussolini. We will explore how and why they were able to take control of their respective states. We will also review the broader context in which all the dictatorships took place, beginning with an exploration of two formative events: the Legacy of the First World War, and the Collapse of Russian Tsardom. And we will consider the immediate consequences for international relations over the period: from the hopes of Locarno to the Munich Agreement.
We will also take a sideways look at the period: through an examination of the brilliant work of David Low, and contemporary political satire.
The course will conclude with a comparative exploration of the nature of the dictatorships as a whole, asking whether there were both key similarities and key differences between them.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Course starts Tuesday 19 January 2027
This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford on Tuesdays, 2.00-4.00pm.
Week 1: Introduction: The Legacy of the First World War. The Collapse of Russian Tsardom
Week 2: October Days: Lenin’s Rise & Takeover
Week 3: Dreams of Rome: The Collapse of Liberalism in Italy. Mussolini’s Takeover
Week 4: Experiment in Democracy: Germany and the Early Years of the Weimar Republic
Week 5: Locarno Spirit! Britain & France in the 1920s. The Evolution of International Relations
Week 6: The Rightful Heir or the Red Tsar? Stalin’s Rise & Takeover
Week 7: Depression and the ‘Drummer Boy’: Hitler’s Rise to Power
Week 8: The Eye of the Satirist: David Low and the potent power of political cartoons
Week 9: The Road to Appeasement: Britain, France and the Democratic Response
Week 10: Conclusion. Ideology, Aims and Methods: A Comparative Exploration.
Course aims
This course aims to enable participants to develop an understanding of the emergence and nature of dictatorship in interwar Europe and to explore its historical development and wider political implications.
Course objectives
By the end of the course, participants will have been given the opportunity to:
- develop an understanding of the historical development of dictatorships in interwar Europe
- explore the impact and legacy of these dictatorships within their contemporary political contexts and beyond
- engage with a range of contemporary source materials and develop skills in critical evalution of the nature and evolution of interwar European dictatorships
Learning outcomes
Level and demands
The Department’s Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, ie first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.
Teaching methods
A range of teaching and learning methods will be used during this course. These will include powerpoint presentation, tutor-led discussion, class discussion, and small group exercises on document analysis. This analysis will be mainly focussed on primary and contemporary sources, and students will be encouraged to approach these sources not as simple illustrations but rather as ‘lived’ records of the topic and themes under discussion. Students will also be encouraged to follow up class discussions in their own time through further analysis of documents and topics under investigation, combined with the reading of a wide range of secondary follow-up texts.
Assessment methods
Only those students who have registered for assessment and accreditation, in advance of the course start date, can submit coursework/assignments for assessment.
Assessment
You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first of 500 words is due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome but preparing for it, and the feedback you are given, will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.
Dr Kate Watson
Kate Watson is a Senior Associate Tutor for Oxford University Department for Continuing Education (OUDCE), and previously an Associate Lecturer and Moderator for the Open University. She is currently researching politics and identity in Georgian England.
Academic credit
Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme (CATS Points)
Please note, students who do not register for assessment and accreditation during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun. If you wish to gain credit from completing this course you must register to do so before the course starts.
Only those who have registered for assessment and accreditation will be awarded CATS points for completing work to the required standard. Please note that assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail.
Learn more about the Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme.
If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education at the Department you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee for assessment and accreditation.
Digital certificate of completion
Students who are registered for assessment and accreditation and pass their final assignment will also be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion. Information on how to access the digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course attended. You will be able to download the certificate and share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course fee (with no assessment) | £315.00 |
| Assessment and Accreditation fee | £60.00 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, or are a care-leaver in the UK, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Concessionary fees for short courses
Recommended reading
Recommended reading is optional and you are not required to purchase these books to study this course.
Library facilities
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Library, part of the Bodleian Libraries, for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are also welcome to use the Library for reference.
- More information about the Library can be found on the Bodleian Libraries website.
- This guide for Weekly Class students also provides further information.
Preparatory reading
- Europe Between the Wars / Kitchen, Martin
- European Dictatorships 1918-1945 / Lee, Stephen J.
- The European Dictatorships: Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini / Todd, A.
Module code: O26P408HIW
How to enrol
Please use the ‘Book now’ button on this page.
How to register for accreditation and assessment
To be able to submit coursework and to earn credit (CATS points) for this course, if you wish to do so, you will need to register and pay an additional £60 fee. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.
Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun.
If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education at the Department you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.