Reform Movements, 1750-1914 ~ Interesting Suggestions Wanted :D

Started by Caeli, January 22, 2008, 03:43:35 AM

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Caeli

QuoteThis class covers a period in world history (1750‐1917 CE) that reveals growing human interconnectedness and interdependence across the globe. This period, for instance, saw the rise of reform movements all over the world. These movements reflected developments in literacy, technology, and communication that facilitated the emergence of civil society and the phenomenon of a “critical public.” This “critical public” called for measured change to certain aspects of society (this is reform), rather than for fundamental change to (or the outright destruction of) the prevailing order (this is revolution). Although there were many reform movements throughout the world, with varying aims, what they had in common was that the people participating in them joined forces and acted to advance change in ways that were impossible in earlier periods.

The Writing Prompt
Identify a specific reform movement, defined narrowly with respect to time, place, and subject, that took place during the period between 1750-1915 CE. In your essay, develop and present an argument about ONE (and only one) of the following aspects of the reform movement you choose to study:
a. the origin(s) of the reform movement
b. the impact(s) of the reform movement
c. the circumstances or forces that shaped the course of the reform movement or its outcome
d. the historical significance of the reform movement
e. resistance to a particular reform movement

Caution: This prompt asks you to study a reform movement, not idea. The reform movements you study may include, but are not limited to: colonial reform, economic reform, social reforms, labor reform, political reform, educational reform, religious reform, artistic/intellectual reform, indigenous reform, and environmental reform.

This is for my history class - a paper and such. Quite exciting (or not), but I do like the topic... however, I'd like to choose a topic that isn't already taken by the 500 or so other students that are taking this class. I would like suggestions for a reform movement - something unique or interesting that would make a good paper topic (or just interesting), but isn't hideously famous.

Any suggestions? It can be from anywhere around the world, but I'm really interested in something from either Europe, China, or Japan.

I'm thinking about concentrating on an aspect of the 100 Days of Reform in Qing Dynasty China, or on the Self-Strengthening Reform in the same time period. The Meiji Restoration is also a good candidate - I'm just afraid all the resources I want might be checked out, so I want some more options.

I would actually LOVE to do a religious or artistic / intellectual reform of some sort, but I don't know of any, nor how I would begin to search for some. Any ideas? Suggestions? The name of a reform movement would be fine, but if you can give books or resources that might help, that would be GREAT.
ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀғʟɪᴇs ᴀʀᴇ ɢᴏᴅ's ᴘʀᴏᴏғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀᴛ ʟɪғᴇ
ᴠᴇʀʏ sᴇʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇʟʏ ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ ɴᴇᴡ ʀᴏʟᴇᴘʟᴀʏs

ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋ ❋ ғᴏʀ ɪᴅᴇᴀs; 'ø' ғᴏʀ ᴏɴs&ᴏғғs, ᴏʀ ᴘᴍ ᴍᴇ.
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Elvi

How about the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood?

http://www.glily.com/preraphs.htm

They not only changed the way those thought about art, but also about women and society in general.
(Social housing was one of William Morris' pet bug bears and he designed and had built the first housing estates in Tottenham, London)
It's been fun, but Elvi has now left the building

Caeli

Ooh, definitely something to look into - it sounds really interesting, though my unfamiliarity with the time period / history is going to give me serious roadblocks until I research adequately (tomorrow Dx... procrastination is my greatest sin!).

How much do you know about this movement, Elvi? I noticed that the page mentioned rebellion against Victorian art / standards, but I'm a little confused about how the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood is related to it. Was it created as a rebellion against Victorian art and standards, or more as a combination of other forces that included that aspect of English society and art?
ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀғʟɪᴇs ᴀʀᴇ ɢᴏᴅ's ᴘʀᴏᴏғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀᴛ ʟɪғᴇ
ᴠᴇʀʏ sᴇʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇʟʏ ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ ɴᴇᴡ ʀᴏʟᴇᴘʟᴀʏs

ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋ ❋ ғᴏʀ ɪᴅᴇᴀs; 'ø' ғᴏʀ ᴏɴs&ᴏғғs, ᴏʀ ᴘᴍ ᴍᴇ.
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Elvi

They were primerily art students, who in the rebeliousness of youth, decided that Victorian standards were too constricting for their liking.
However, like most in the Victorian era, they used their 'tools of the trade' to paint a broader picture, if you can excuse the pun.

As with many of the middle classes of the time, they began to look at the wider aspects of the Victorian life style.
Industrialisation, the way the working classes were treated, housing, depravation, women's rights, child labour, etc.
The site I linked you to gave a very quick run down of what the movement was about, there is much much more.

It's been fun, but Elvi has now left the building

Caeli

I'll definitely keep that movement in mind - it seems really interesting and is definitely very specific, which will help when I'm looking for resources at the library tomorrow.

Thanks to you, I also stumbled upon impressionism and romanticism, which I will also look into tomorrow when I'm done with classes for the day...

-glomps- Thank you so much for the suggestion xO~! You don't know how much you've helped, and in how many ways your inspiration has flung me. :33
ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀғʟɪᴇs ᴀʀᴇ ɢᴏᴅ's ᴘʀᴏᴏғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀᴛ ʟɪғᴇ
ᴠᴇʀʏ sᴇʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇʟʏ ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ ɴᴇᴡ ʀᴏʟᴇᴘʟᴀʏs

ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋ ❋ ғᴏʀ ɪᴅᴇᴀs; 'ø' ғᴏʀ ᴏɴs&ᴏғғs, ᴏʀ ᴘᴍ ᴍᴇ.
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Elvi

It's been fun, but Elvi has now left the building

Caeli

While that might help, I think our paper is supposed to be about a reform movement, not any one person - and really, I'm a lot more interested in writing about the significance or effects of a reform movement than any single participant (even the person who originated it) in one.
ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀғʟɪᴇs ᴀʀᴇ ɢᴏᴅ's ᴘʀᴏᴏғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀᴛ ʟɪғᴇ
ᴠᴇʀʏ sᴇʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇʟʏ ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ ɴᴇᴡ ʀᴏʟᴇᴘʟᴀʏs

ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋ ❋ ғᴏʀ ɪᴅᴇᴀs; 'ø' ғᴏʀ ᴏɴs&ᴏғғs, ᴏʀ ᴘᴍ ᴍᴇ.
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Elvi

*nods*
What I meant was that there is more information if you look for his name.
It's been fun, but Elvi has now left the building

Caeli

Oh, I see, I see... a good direction to search in then. :]
Thanks so much, Elvi! ^O^
ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀғʟɪᴇs ᴀʀᴇ ɢᴏᴅ's ᴘʀᴏᴏғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀᴛ ʟɪғᴇ
ᴠᴇʀʏ sᴇʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇʟʏ ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ ɴᴇᴡ ʀᴏʟᴇᴘʟᴀʏs

ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋ ❋ ғᴏʀ ɪᴅᴇᴀs; 'ø' ғᴏʀ ᴏɴs&ᴏғғs, ᴏʀ ᴘᴍ ᴍᴇ.
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