Author Archives: hallw

I am finally reunited with my old friend Yurchak! Citing Foucault’s concept of ‘discursive formations’, Yurchak describes late Soviet reality as a “particular, deterritorialized space” (Yurchak 2005, 161). It was widely understood that the Soviet socialist system was failing but, … Continue reading →

As we have previously read, Catherine II initially saw herself as the “enlightened despot” and harbinger of Russia’s westernization before doubling back on herself in light of events in France. The Captain’s Daughter, set during Catherine’s reign, describes the experiences of Pyotr (the son of … Continue reading →

Once in power, Khrushchev’s response to Stalin’s death and the subsequent confusion surrounding it was, increasingly, to control the memory of the Soviet Union’s late leader. As Jones details, the years between 1956 and 1961 saw a shift from “‘correcting’ … Continue reading →

Alexander II’s Manifesto Emancipating the Serfs begins “Called by Divine Providence…” (Cracraft, 340), using religion (and the supposed intervention of God) to legitimise his consequent actions. This is a familiar trope among Russian monarchs, as we have seen in Catherine’s Instruction … Continue reading →