Russian and Soviet History Since 1917

Catalog description

This course will examine the history of late Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and the Russian Federation. The turbulence that this part of the world has seen during the past century is staggering: the implosion of the world's largest state in the revolutions of 1917; the creation of the world's first communist state, which sought to spread its revolution across the world; the wrenching years of civil war, Stalinism, and WWII; the paranoia of the Cold War; the collapse of Communist regimes across Eurasia; and the formation of new states and societies in their wake. In exploring these pivotal topics, students will be exposed to a wide variety of materials, from literary classics to contemporary films, and will have abundant opportunity to sharpen their reading, writing, speaking, and critical thinking skills in the process.