Soviet History - 
            The First Socialist Society: A History of The Soviet Union From Within. By Geoffrey Hosking. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1985. 527 pp. Figures. Maps. Photographs. Tables. $29.50, cloth. - 
            Russia: A History of The Soviet Period. By Woodford McClellan. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1986. xi, 387 pp. Maps. Photographs. Tables. Paper.

The historiography of any historically significant phenomenon goes through several stages in its development. At the beginning − it is the reaction of contemporaries to the event they experienced, which is emotional in nature and is expressed in a journalistic form. The next stage can be called a retrospective understanding of the event by its actual participants or witnesses, and only at the third stage there does appear the objective scientific research bringing value-neutral assessments of the phenomenon under study and belonging to subsequent generations of researchers. The history of The Russian Diaspora and most notably of the Russian post-revolutionary emigration passed to the full through all the stages of the issue historiography. The third stage of its studying dates from the late 1980s and is characterized by a scientific, politically unbiased study of the phenomenon of the Russian emigration community, expanding the source base and scientific research methods. During the Soviet period in Russian historiography, owing to ideological reasons, researchers ‘ access to archival documents was limited, which is why scientific study of the history of the Russian Diaspora was not possible. Western researchers also could not fully develop that issue, since they were deprived of important sources kept in Russian archives. Political changes in the perestroika years and especially in the period after the collapse of the Soviet Union increased attention to the Russian Diaspora, which was facilitated by a change in scientific paradigms, methodological principles, the opening of archives and, as a result, the expansion of the source base necessary for studying that issue. The historiography of the Russian Diaspora, which has been formed for more than thirty years, needs to be understood. The article provides a brief analysis of the historiography, identifies the main directions of its development, the research problematics, and defines shortcomings and prospects.

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Economic History in the Topics of Dissertation Research in Russia (1991–2019)

Economic History ◽

10.15507/2409-630x.052.017.202101.085-094 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 85-94

Author(s):

Sergey A. Bakanov ◽

Ivan A. Medvedev

Keyword(s):

Soviet Union ◽

Economic History ◽

Research Problem ◽

Soviet Period ◽

Historical Period ◽

The Soviet Union ◽

Russian State ◽

The Status ◽

History Of ◽

State Library

Introduction. This article deals with the subject of thesis in the direction of “Economic history”, which were prepared and defended in Russia in the post-Soviet period (1991–2019). The dissolution of the Soviet Union is getting rid of research from ideological clichés, which made the topic of economic history relevant and in demand. Materials and Methods. On the basis of the e-catalog of authors’ abstracts of the Russian State Library, the database “Dissertations on economic history of the late XX – early XXI centuries” was formed. The bibliographic information about the authors’ abstracts became the formal attributes of the described database. The analytical units were the attributes of the “geographical range”, “chronological frame” and “research problem”. Results. The analysis of the database showed that during the entire period were formed stable trends scientific subdirectories within the frame of economic history (history of industry, history of agriculture, history of entrepreneurship, history of banks, etc.), and in maintaining the status of leading research centers. The historical period from the second half of the XIX to the first half of the XX centuries attracts the main attention of the authors of thesis on economic history. Discussion and Conclusion. A quantitative analysis of the dynamic of thesis defenses showed a decline in the interest of authors of thesis in the problems of economic history in the 2010s. The key factors of this decline were changes in the requirements to thesis. Nevertheless, the authors believe that the direction of “economic history” has a potential to overcome designated problems.

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Manoeuvring in Between: Mapping Out the Transnational Identity of Russian-Speaking Latvians in Sweden and Great Britain

IMISCOE Research Series - The Emigrant Communities of Latvia ◽

10.1007/978-3-030-12092-4_8 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 163-182

Author(s):

Iveta Jurkane-Hobein ◽

Evija Kļave

Keyword(s):

Great Britain ◽

Soviet Union ◽

Identity Formation ◽

Life Histories ◽

Soviet Period ◽

Transnational Identity ◽

Transnational Identities ◽

The Soviet Union ◽

Migration History ◽

History Of

Abstract The proportion of the Russian-speaking population in Latvia increased dramatically during the Soviet period from 12% in 1935 to 42% in 1990 due to organised labour migration within the Soviet Union. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, especially since the end of the 1990s, many Russian-speaking Latvians have migrated to Western countries. Very little is known about the national identities of these Russian-speaking Latvians. By analysing 30 life histories of Russian-speaking migrants from Latvia in Sweden and Great Britain, this study aims to analyse the transnational identities of Russian-speaking Latvians abroad. The analysis shows that the migrants’ own migration patterns in addition to the migration history of their families create interlinked and sometimes conflicting layers of transnational identity. Drawing on the interviews, three main processes in the identity formation were distinguished: aspiring to a Latvian identity, claiming an unrecognised Russian-speaking Latvian identity and developing transnational ‘non-belonging’.

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The History of Al-Maturidy Theology In The Volga Region

KALAM ◽

10.24042/klm.v13i1.4076 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 49-60

Author(s):

Ramil Adygamov

Keyword(s):

Soviet Union ◽

Rapid Development ◽

Tenth Century ◽

Development Stage ◽

Volga Region ◽

Soviet Period ◽

The Soviet Union ◽

History Of ◽

Chronological Sequence ◽

Volga Ural Region

Al-Maturidy theology has been considered as a traditional creed for many regions in the world, including Volga region of Russia. Throughout the Soviet period, Muslims in Volga were forced to practice their religion in secretive manner, which eventually caused an interruption in the chain of spiritual continuity. But, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Muslims in Volga started to return to their ethno-confessional tradition. At the same time, the theological tradition had to compete with the Salafi ideology which begun to arrive in the region from abroad. As such has triggered the Muslim proponents of Maturidy traditions to reclaim their heritage. This study aims at tracing the historical process of the origin and development of Maturidy thought in the Volga-Ural region. It uses descriptive and comparative methods and the theory of continuity and changes. Observing the chronological sequence, the study traces the process of the origin and development of Maturidy ideology. The chronological scope of this study is limited by the period from the tenth century until our time. The study reveals that the al-Maturidy's teachings in the region for all periods of historical development have experienced five periods. Three periods show a rapid development stage and two periods experience a decline.

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THE USSR THROUGH THE EYES OF MODERN FINNISH WRITERS

Yearbook of Finno-Ugric Studies ◽

10.35634/2224-9443-2021-15-3-457-466 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. 457-466

Author(s):

Helena Soini ◽

Irina Matashina

Keyword(s):

Soviet Union ◽

Point Of View ◽

Soviet Society ◽

Historical Period ◽

Main Character ◽

Soviet History ◽

World Community ◽

The Soviet Union ◽

Special Value ◽

History Of

The article is devoted to the image of the USSR, which is formed in the fiction of Finland in the XX-XXI centuries. Attention is paid to both prose and poetic works. Each of the selected authors presents the reader a special view of the history of the Soviet Union and adjacent countries, makes an attempt to see well-known events in a new way, show them from the point of view of the Finnish Swedes, Finns, Estonians, pay attention to new details of history. The article compares the positions of writers of different generations: the group of «flame-bearers» of the early XX century («Tulenkantajat»), who reflected the interest of the world community in the emergence of a young Soviet state, and our contemporaries for the same era. The problems that exist in Soviet society are becoming noticeable. Writers try to find a balance between the positive and negative aspects of Soviet history, to show the fate of a particular person. Authors are also interested in outstanding representatives of Russian culture and history (for example, Dostoevsky and Gogol). Memories of writers about their stay in the USSR influence the formation of the figurative system of their works. The object of the image is not only specific people, but also cities: Leningrad, Murmansk, Moscow, the impression of them is extrapolated to the country as a whole. The personality of the writer, reflected in the choice of the historical period, the main character and the point of view on the history of the USSR, gives special value and uniqueness to each of the selected novels and poems.

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Darwin’s On the Origin of Species in Russia and in the USSR: some aspects of translation and publication

Studia Historiae Scientiarum ◽

10.4467/2543702xshs.21.011.14042 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. 285-315

Author(s):

Mikhail B. Konashev

Keyword(s):

Soviet Union ◽

General Circulation ◽

Soviet Period ◽

Russian Society ◽

Russian Orthodox Church ◽

Origin Of Species ◽

The Soviet Union ◽

Russian State ◽

History Of ◽

Soviet Time

The translation of Ch. Darwin’s main and most well-known book, On the Origin of Species, had great significance for the reception and development of his evolution theory in Russia and later in the USSR, and for many reasons. The history of the book’s publication in Russian in tsarist Russia and in the Soviet Union is analyzed in detail. The first Russian translation of On the Origin of Species was made by Sergey A. Rachinsky in 1864. Till 1917 On the Origin of Species had been published more than ten times, including the publication in Darwin’s collected works. The edition of 1907– –1909 with Timiryazev as editor had the best quality of translation and scientific editing. This translation was used in all subsequent Soviet and post-Soviet editions. During Soviet time, On the Origin of Species was published seven times in total, and three times as a part of Darwin’s collected works. From 1940 to 1987, as a result of the domination of Lysenkoism in Soviet biology, On the Origin of Species was not published in the USSR. During the post-Soviet period, the book was published only two times, and it happened already in the 21st century. The small number of editions of Darwin’s main book in post-Soviet time is one of the consequences of the discredit of the evolutionary theory in mass media and by the Russian Orthodox Church as well as the rise of neo-Lysenkoism. The general circulation of nine pre-revolutionary editions of On the Origin of Species was about 30,000–35,000 copies. Only four editions which had been released in the USSR from 1926 to 1937 had the total circulation in 79,200 copies. Two post-Soviet editions published in 2001 and in 2003 had already a circulation of only 1,000 copies. Subsequent editions in each period of Russian history was thus some kind of an answer to the scientific, political and social requirements of the Russian society and the Russian state.

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Kyiv

Urban Studies ◽

10.1093/obo/9780190922481-0044 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Olena Betlii

Keyword(s):

Soviet Union ◽

Soviet Period ◽

Independent Research ◽

Early 21St Century ◽

Late Imperial ◽

The Soviet Union ◽

Time Period ◽

History Of ◽

The Russian Empire ◽

Near Future

Urban studies is still an undeveloped field in Ukraine, partly as a result of a lack of field institutionalization at Ukrainian universities. On the other hand, only in the early 21st century, urban challenges became a subject of interest of urban activists who started raising questions regarding strategic developments of Ukrainian cities. Thanks to that, the urban agenda has become visible and discussible on some independent research institutions or media platforms. Scholarship on Kyiv is a good illustration of this situation. There are not that many scholarly works dedicated exclusively to Kyiv. Ukrainian historians quite often address Kyiv issues in their research on a more general Ukrainian context. Western historians, focusing on the Russian Empire or the Soviet Union, mention Kyiv in their work but rarely choose this city as a main subject of examination. This article will introduce the reader to themes examined by scholars who have studied the history or current development of Kyiv. The majority of these studies are written in Ukrainian and have never been translated into English. Considering the emerging status of Kyiv studies, this article attempts to strike a balance between being inclusive and, at the same time, selective. A number of the sources cited here are the only existing examinations of a certain topic. Most of the citations refer to books, with just a handful of articles listed in this article. Papers written by Ukrainian historians are typically very short and do not analyze their topics deeply enough to be mentioned in a citation. Western scholars usually finalize their research in book-length publications, and their research on Kyiv is cited in this article. This article is divided into several topical sections, within which citations are organized chronologically, covering the time period from the medieval history of Kyiv to the present day. This article demonstrates that the late imperial history of Kyiv has been researched the best. There will likely be even more scholarship on this period due to the fact that Kyiv archives are rich and open to researchers, and their records have even been published online. In contrast, the Soviet period is barely touched by urban scholars. It is still uncertain to what degree the current challenges of Kyiv’s development will be reflected in scholarship in the near future. In order to get any further updates on the topic, one might consult the publisher Varto, which specializes in Kyiv literature.

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The Question of the Perpetrator in Soviet History

Slavic Review ◽

10.5612/slavicreview.72.1.0001 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 72 (1) ◽

pp. 1-23 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Lynne Viola

Keyword(s):

Soviet Union ◽

Soviet History ◽

The Soviet Union ◽

History Of ◽

Violent Acts ◽

Totalitarian Regimes

The question of the perpetrator is largely uncharted territory in the history of the Soviet Union. The term is rarely used in the historiography of the Stalinist Soviet Union. In part, this omission is based upon a reluctance to go beyond Iosif Stalin in assigning agency or responsibility for the immense crimes of his reign. In part, the omission derives from decades-long restrictions on archival access. Lynne Viola begins with an exploration of the postwar trajectories of the historiographies of the mid-twentieth century's classically paired “totalitarian” regimes in order to understand the relative absence of “perpetrator studies” for the Stalinist 1930s. She then examines the question of the Soviet perpetrator, less to demarcate who the perpetrator was than to offer a conceptualization of the range of factors that enabled, conditioned, and shaped their violent acts. Intended to raise questions for further study, Viola's article is complemented by comments from Wendy Goldman and Peter Fritzsche.

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Emancipation Through Communism: The Ideology of A. M. Kollontai

Slavic Review ◽

10.2307/2495966 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 323-338 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Barbara Evans Clements

Keyword(s):

Child Care ◽

Soviet Union ◽

Trade Union ◽

Early Period ◽

Free Love ◽

Soviet History ◽

The Soviet Union ◽

State Welfare ◽

History Of ◽

Soviet Experiment

Traditionally in surveys of Soviet history, if Alexandra Kollontai is mentioned she is presented briefly as the advocate of the “glass of water theory of sex,” a woman who practiced free love as freely as she preached it. The lecturer then moves on to more serious concerns, having ignored the history of a tormented, perceptive woman intimately involved in the early Soviet experiment in female emancipation. Kollontai advocated far more than free love, and the role she played was far greater than that of mistress to Alexander Shliapnikov. From 1917 until her departure from the Soviet Union in 1923 she held positions of major importance in the young government and in the Bolshevik party. Kollontai worked first as an agitator in 1917, then took the post of commissar of state welfare from November 1917 to March 1918, when she resigned in protest against the Brest-Litovsk Treaty. In 1921 she joined the Workers' Opposition, adding to Shliapnikov's proposals for trade-union reform her own call for party and government democratization and giving articulate voice to those demands in an often-cited pamphlet, The Workers' Opposition. Throughout the revolutionary years she was recognized as a major authority on the problems of women and child care. Since Kollontai did play an important role in the early period of Soviet history, her personality and ideology warrant study. That study in turn reveals a woman who perceived the problems of womanhood with clarity and who wrote about and sought a liberation beyond the comprehension of many of her contemporaries.

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