Russia: A Multinational Empire, 1801-1917

Catalog description

The Russian Revolution of 1917 brought an end to the world’s largest land empire, and the autocratic rule of the Romanov dynasty over vast territories and diverse peoples. How did the Russian empire manage the many groups within its borders as it expanded its imperial holdings, from the Far East to Central Asia, to the Caucuses, to Ukrainian, Belorussian, Polish, and Baltic lands? This survey course covers the rise and dramatic fall of the Russian empire, from 1801-1917, by looking at the Tsarist state from the perspective of its peripheries and borderlands. We will pay special attention to the makings and workings of empire, and the changing social, political, economic, and cultural life over the long nineteenth century. How did a diverse group of subjects articulate new kinds of identities and forms of belonging, both before and after imperial collapse? We will also consider the relationship between the Russian empire, and the various states which emerged from its borders. Students will have the chance to explore these questions through historiography and primary sources, and by engaging with paintings, photographs, and other cultural artifacts. Paying special attention to the empire’s diversity, we will uncover the long history of the many groups and peoples who lived within Russia’s borders, and the current uses (and misuses) of the Russian imperial past. Satisfies Russian Studies major requirement. Satisfies History major and minor requirement. Satisfies Historical Thought requirement. Satisfies Cultural Diversity requirement.