HIST4200: Politics and Social Movements Since 1945: Home

The H-Net discussion network is a consortium of scholars and teachers organized around various topics in the humanities. Each network typically provides a discussion list, book reviews, and links to resources relevant to the topic area.

This Guide is intended to help students in HIST 4200: Politics and Social Movements Since 1945 design and carry out a successful research paper, focusing on case studies of civic engagement and social protest from the 1980s to the early 1990s.

The 1980s witnessed large-scale social movements across the globe, including (but not limited to) the following:

• a major upsurge in anti-Apartheid activism in South Africa and elsewhere
• revolutionary movements and movements against dictatorships in Central America
• the overthrow of Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier
• successful movements to end military dictatorships in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay
• the founding and growth of the Solidarity movement in Poland
• the rise of popular movements against Communist governments in Eastern Europe, culminating in the fall of the governments in Poland, Hungary, East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, and Romania
• the rise of popular opposition to the dictatorial government of the Philippines, resulting in the end of the Marcos presidency
• the rise of the First Intifada by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in 1987
• the emergence of a popular movement for increased political freedom in China, culminating in major demonstrations in Tienanmen Square in 1989

Each page in this Guide covers finding tools for identifying and using both secondary and primary sources in history, with an emphasis on materials useful for topics in the course. It is expected, however, that student information needs for the course will be driven primarily by the approved topic, and I will be happy to work with individual students to identify resources most useful and accessible for your topic.

If you have any questions moving forward, please feel free to contact me using the information on the right. I am happy to assist you with any aspect of your research.