Annotation
The course focuses on the evolution of historical consciousness and national identity in Russia from the early 18th century to the present. At the beginning of the course, we will try to shape major aspects of the Russian national and cultural consciousness and identity. We will also attempt to reveal factors which had an impact on its formation, first of all such as geography, religion, economy, political traditions, social situation and so on. In search of the origin of the Russian identity as well as that of the Russian statehood, we will turn attention to a large historical period that preceded the Russian Empire and is sometimes called Old Russia - in comparison to New
Russia, created by Peter the Great. A particular emphasis will be put on the development of political and historical thought in Muscovite Russia, the relations between the Orthodox Church and the state, the perception of tsar’s power and that of the Russian role in world history. Then we will proceed to the examination of the imperial identity and its transformation by reforms of Peter the Great in the early 18th century up to the reign of Nicholas II and his abdication in 1917. The analysis of the Soviet period will cover the Bolshevik revolution and the subsequent Civil
War, the Stalin’s great terror and the GULAG system, the post-Stalin era and Brezhnev’s stagnation, paying special attention to the influence of identity issues and historical consciousness in Russia. At the final stage, we will focus on the modern Russian identity and especially on symbolic and historical politics of today’s Russian regime, which tries to position itself as an integral part and a logical continuation of a glorious thousand-year history. We will also compare state identity policies and ideological strategies that were practiced during the Soviet era, and to a lesser extent at the imperial stage, with that of the present-day Russia. The purpose of the course is to provide students with general idea of Russian identity, its peculiarities and evolution. This course is designed for all students who are interested in Russian history, its cultural and social development and is suitable for students with little or no previous knowledge of Eastern Europe or Russia.