This course centers on two case studies of modernization that began during the second half of the 19th century and still continue today: those of Russia and China. The state known until 1917 as the Russian Empire, during most of the 20th century as the Soviet Union, and since 1992 as the Russian Federation is considered an example of a society that underwent rapid social change in part as a result of the challenges posed by the industrialized countries of the West. It serves as a basis for comparison with the process of modernization undertaken by China at approximately the same time. The understanding students acquire regarding the dramatic complexities of social, political, and economic changes enhance their grasp of the problems facing the contemporary world.