Russian and Soviet History: From the Time of Troubles to the Collapse of the Soviet Union

Description

An original and thought-provoking text, Russian and Soviet History uses noteworthy themes and important events from Russian history to spark classroom discussion. Consisting of twenty essays written by experts in each area, the book does not simply repeat the conventional themes found in nearly all Russian history texts, anthologies, and documentary compilations. Rather, it showcases current thinking on Russian cultural, political, economic, and social history from the end of the sixteenth century to the demise of the Soviet "experiment." Informed by archival work in the former Soviet Union and a broad range of published sources, this book is intended to introduce students to Russian history in an accessible and provocative format. Its eclectic essays offer readers an incomparable taste of the complexity and richness of Russia as it has evolved from late Muscovy to the modern era. This text is perfect for undergraduate and graduate students in Russian history and is a great resource for scholars in the field. Contributions by: Sergei Arutiunov, Richard Bidlack, Kees Boterbloem, James Cracraft, Chester S. L. Dunning, Colum Leckey, Alexander M. Martin, Susan P. McCaffray, Martha Merritt, Patrick O'Meara, Scott W. Palmer, Jelena Pogosjan, Thomas E. Porter, Ana Siljak, Douglas Smith, William Taubman, Steven A. Usitalo, Jeffrey Veidlinger, Rex A. Wade, and William Benton Whisenhunt Cover Page Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Contents Preface Introduction: The Seventeenth Century 1 The Disturbing Legacy of the Time of Troubles Chester S. L. Dunning Part I: The Russian Eighteenth Century 2 The Revolution of Peter the Great James Cracraft 3 Masks and Masquerades at the Court of Elizabeth Petrovna (1741–1742) lelena Pogosjan 4 Russia's "First" Scientist: The (Self-)Fashioning of Mikhail Lomonosov Steven A. Usitalo 5 Andrei Bolotov: Portrait of an Enlightened Seigneur Colum Leckey 6 Did Catherine the Great and Grigorii Potemkin Wed? Some Myths, Facts, and Observations on Secret Royal Marriages Douglas Smith Part II: The Russian Nineteenth Century 7 The Invention of "Russianness" in the Late Eighteenth–Early Nineteenth Century AlexanderM. Martin 8 Starts and Stops: The Development of Official Diplomatic Relations between Russia and the United States William Benton Whisenhunt 9 The Decembrist Pavel Pestel and the Roots of Russian Republicanism Patrick O'Meara 10 Economic Backwardness in Geographical Perspective: Russia's Nineteenth Century Susan P. McCaffray 11 The Trial of Vera Zasulich Ana Siljak 12 The Zemstvo in Late Imperial Russia: Social and Political Change in the Countryside Thomas E. Porter Part III: Soviet Russia 13 Popular Aspirations, the New Politics, and the October Revolution Rex A. Wade 14 The Jewish Question in the Soviet Union, 1917–1953 Jeffrey Veidlinger 15 Aviation Cinema in Stalin's Russia: Conformity, Collectivity, and the Conflict with Fascism Scott W. Palmer 16 Political Loyalties in Leningrad during the "Great Patriotic War" Richard Bidlack 17 Empire Besieged: Postwar Politics (1945–1953) Kees Boterbloem 18 Khrushchev: The Impact of Personality on Politics William Taubman 19 Late-Soviet Prerequisites for Post-Soviet Disasters: Reflections Sergei Arutiunov 20 Gorbachev and the Soviet Collapse: Stirrings of Accountable Government? Martha Merritt Index About the Contributors