Programme

RUSSIA, AN EMPIRE
The course will focus on empire as a peculiar element of continuity in contemporary Russian history despite the radical changes that the country has undergone. The unique characteristics of Russia’s imperial model will be analyzed in its various forms and manifestations, along with the diverse political strategies of Russian governors between 1800 and 1900s, from the Russian Empire through the USSR to the Russian Federation. The national question, the broader geographical dimension, the forms of government, foreign policies and international geopolitical visions will be studied in depth. The different imperial ideologies will also be examined.

Core Documentation

1. Andrea Graziosi, L’Unione Sovietica 1914-1991, Bologna, il Mulino, 2011;
2. Andreas Kappeler, La Russia. Storia di un impero multietnico, Roma, Edizioni Lavoro, 2006.
3. Gian Piero Piretto, Gli occhi di Stalin. La cultura visuale sovietica nell'era staliniana, Milano, Raffello Cortina Editore, 2010