CORE 187C A: Russia at the Crossroads of East and West

This course examines Russian society, culture, and identity through eras of Tsarism, revolution, social engineering, war, and societal transformations. It explores Russia’s distinctiveness - its place in the world, struggles, and successes - looking at how Russians themselves understand and contest this heritage. Examining the roots of Russian identity, it considers the images of leaders from Peter the Great to Stalin and Vladimir Putin, as well as the work and legacies of artists, writers, and composers. Another major focus is peoples’ everyday lives during political and social upheavals. The course examines what life was like during the Stalinist 1930s, through the traumas of World War II (“The Great Patriotic War”), Perestroika in the 1980s, and the post-Soviet present. Students learn about the dynamic ways that culture, history, politics and identity intertwine in any society.