Syllabus for Optional Mains
| Topic | Sub topics |
|---|---|
| Enlightenment and Modern ideas | (i) Major ideas of Enlightenment: Kant, Rousseau, Bacon, Luther jr, Voltaire; (ii) Spread of Enlightenment in the colonies (iii) Rise of socialist ideas (up to Marx); Spread of Marxian Socialism |
| Modern Revolutions | (i) European States System; (ii) American Revolution and the Constitution, (iii) French Revolution (iv) American Civil War with reference to Abraham Lincoln and the abolition of slavery (v) British Democratic Politics, 1815- 1850; Parliamentary Reformers, Free Traders, Chartists |
| Industrialization | (i) English Industrial Revolution: Causes and Impact on Society (ii) Industrialization in other countries: USA, Germany, Russia, Japan (iii) Industrialization and Globalization |
| Rise of Nationalism in Europe | (i) Rise of Nationalism in 19th century (ii) Nationalism: Italy; State-building in Germany (iii) Comparison of Unification in Italy and Germany (iv) 19th Century European revolutions |
| Revolution and Counter Revolution | (i) The Russian Revolution of 1917-1921 (ii) CHINA – [Colonialism] (iii) The Chinese Revolution of 1949 |
| World Wars | (i) 1st and 2nd World Wars as Total Wars: Societal implications (ii) World War II: Causes and consequence; (iii) Fascist Counter-Revolution, Italy and Germany; Hitler, Foreign Policy; Mussolini, Fascism; |
| UN and Third World | (i) Emergence of Third World and Non-alignment (ii) UNO and the global disputes |
| Neo Imperialism, Arab World | (i) Imperialism and free trade: Rise of neo-imperialism; (ii) Arab World – Egypt, Arab Nationalism, Oil Imperialism (iii) Africa – Colonization , Partition, (iv) Turkey – Disintegration of Empires [emergence of nationalities across the world -Nation State Systems] |
| Decolonization, Apartheid | (i) Latin America – Bolivar (ii) Australia (iii) Africa – Apartheid to Democracy [Liberation from Colonial Rule] (iv) Factors constraining development (v) South-East Asia – Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia – Decolonization |
| Union of Europe | (i) Post War Foundations: NATO and European Community (ii) Political Changes in Eastern Europe 1989-2001. |
| End of Cold War | (i) Emergence of two power blocs – COLD WAR (ii) End of the cold war and US ascendancy in the World as the lone superpower; (iii) Post truth World |
