HIST 783

Introduction to Russian and East European History

Chad Bryant

HIST 783 is the capstone course for those in the Russian/East European Studies program, although the seminar will be of interest to anyone looking for an introduction to the field(s). While designing this syllabus I have kept several goals in mind. One goal is to provide concentrated, in-depth looks at some of the major topics in twentieth-century Russian and East European history. These topics include, but are not limited to, nationalism, the experience of war and revolution, the rise and fall of Communist rule, and the challenges faced by the region in the post-Communist era. We will also ask what is particularly "Russian" or "East European" about the topic/problem/theme at hand. A second goal is to expose graduate students to a variety of methodological and interpretive approaches to research questions and to place our books within the larger context of scholarly writing about our region. Finally, participants will be encouraged to ask new questions inspired by our readings. Russian and East European studies are exciting, fresh, and expanding fields of study. In asking research questions I hope to inform your own research agenda and encourage you to think about the future of the field as a whole.