Above class open to graduates only
Obtain on-line authorization for above class from instructor
Above class meets with CEUS-U518

This colloquium offers a study of Russia and the Soviet Union as a
multinational empire, stressing the period since the mid-19th
century.  The course will begin with a brief examination of the
nature of Russian imperialism and assess its evolution in the
context of other European imperialisms.  This will be followed by a
comparative evaluation of tsarist and Soviet nationality policies
(the view from the center).  The bulk of the course will offer a
comparative study of the major nationalities of the Russian Empire
and the USSR (the view from the non-Russian borderlands), seeking to
elucidate their political, socioeconomic, and  cultural development
and to provide a meaningful basis for generalization about Russia’s
ethnic diversity.  Weekly meetings will focus on discussion of
common readings.  Written work will consist of two book reviews and
a bibliographical essay.