Rethinking 'Soviet History': Attempts, Compromises, Implications

Does “Soviet history” exist? Is it a temporal category, a geographical area, or a political notion? Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has prompted historians to reconsider the directions of their research and rewrite the curricula of their courses. Historians now face a range of new challenges — ideological, ethical, and logistical. One of the most difficult questions concerns the future of “Soviet studies.” Scholars used to think about the Soviet Union as a single state encompassing a multitude of entities — regions and nationalities, former kingdoms turned colonies and republics, and independent countries that were annexed or conquered. Given the diversity of these historical trajectories and experiences, the concept of “Soviet history” may appear now as a misnomer. This seminar invites scholars to discuss the future of “Soviet studies” and to share thoughts and ideas about research and teaching.

Program in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies | View More Events
Co-hosted with: Princeton Institute for International & Regional Studies, Program in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies (OWNER)

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