Fall 2002 H.Hogan
Office Hours: Mon. 11-12, 1:30-3; Wed. 11-12; Rice 317
Fri. 11-12 , 1-2:30 and by appt.
E-mail: Heather.Hogan@oberlin.edu
History 107
Beginning with an overview of Kievan Rus and the period of Mongol overlordship, we will then explore the rise of the Muscovite state; the establishment of serfdom; the consolidation of a centralized, absolutist state; secularization and the nature of Westernization in the 17th and 18th centuries; and the problem of reform under Alexander I and Nicholas I. Throughout, we will explore the nature of social, economic, and cultural change within the parameters of a multi-ethnic, absolutist state. We will also explore the vexed question of Russian national identity – Russia as part of European civlization? Russia as Asiatic? Russia as uniquely Eurasian?
1) Students are expected to attend all lectures and stay current with the reading. Active and regular participation is an essential part of the course.
2) Papers and Examinations
A) Students may pick one of the following options:
i) Three short essays:
· Assignment #1 (approx. 3-4 pages) will be due on Sept. 25 [10% of grade]
· Assignment #2 (approx. 5-7 pages) will be due on Oct. 16 [25% of grade]
· Assignment #3 (approx. 5-7 pages) will be due on Dec. 6 [25% of grade]
ii) One long (approx. 20 typed, double-spaced pages) research paper on a topic of the student's choice but approved by the instructor in advance. Each student must observe the following schedule for the research paper to be accepted:
· conference with the instructor on possible topic no later than Sept. 20.
· preliminary draft of questions to be explored and follow-up conference by Oct. 4
· formulation of research question(s) and annotated bibliography due by Oct. 18
· conference on progress and/or problems no later than Nov. 8
· submission of draft by Dec. 6
· paper due Dec. 13
The student will be expected to keep in touch with the instructor on the progress of research and writing. The research paper will constitute 60% of the grade.
You may wish to consult my web page: Resource page for research in Russian/Soviet and Post-Soviet History
B) All students will be required
to take a final examination covering the work of the entire semester. The final
will constitute 40% of the grade.
The final is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 19 at 2 pm. (note:
this final exam time was corrected on line 12/5/02. It formerly read 9am.)
C) Late paper policy:
· For an extension to be considered, the student must consult with the instructor in advance of the due date.
· If the student presents a valid excuse, an extension of up to one week will be granted.
· No more than one extension will be granted, that is, the other two papers must be turned in on time.
· Unexcused late papers will be penalized a grade step for each day late, that is, A goes to A-, A- goes to B+, etc.
· Credit for the course will not be given if all written work is not turned in.
3) Reading Assignments: All books
and articles assigned in this course are available on Reserve; some of the
materials will be available on ERes. The following books have been ordered at the
bookstore:
Cracraft, Major Problems in
the History of Imperial Russia
Kappeler, The Russian Empire
Channon, Penguin Historical Atlas of Russia (recommended purchase)
Nikitenko, Up From Serfdom
4) For those wishing to consult a "standard" textbook, the following have been placed on Reserve: N. Riasanovsky, A History of Russia provides a general interpretive overview, while B. Dmytryshyn, A History of Russia is a substantially more detailed text. These "standard" texts tend to focus on political history. G. Freeze, Russia, A History offers a series of essays on the major periods in Russian history with greater attention to social and cultural developments.
5) Students may also wish to explore some sites on the World Wide Web relevant to Russian history. The following are a few places to begin:
Check out Oberlin's History Department Internet Resource Page - http://www.oberlin.edu/history/links/links.html --lots of useful information is to be found here; see the section on Russia which contains a variety of links to Russian-related material and well as my site: Resource page for research in Russian/Soviet and Post-Soviet History.
OCreecas - http://www.oberlin.edu/~creecas/
-Oberlin’s Center for Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies Home Page contains a variety of links, including information on jobs and internships, contemporary art and culture, language and literature
A final note:
Please turn off cell phones, pagers, beeping watches and the like for
the entire class period; once class has begun, please refrain from taking
breaks and leaving the room.
Lectures and Readings (Approximate Schedule)
Sept. 4: Introduction
Sept. 6-18: Kievan Rus
-Channon, Historical Atlas, p.14-27
-Cracraft, Major Problems pp. 3-21
-Dmytryshyn, Medieval Russia; a source book, pp. 26-35, 47-64 (Hard copies on reserve; documents also available on ERes)
Sept. 16: Yom Kippur/No Class
Sept. 20-23: Appanage Russia, The Mongol Overlordship
-Channon, Historical Atlas, p.28-35
-Kappeler, The Russian Empire , pp.14-19
-Cracraft, Major Problems , pp. 21-34
-Morgan, The Mongols, pp. 136-145. (Available on ERes)
Sept. 25: First essay due
Sept. 25-Oct. 11: Muscovy
-Channon, Historical Atlas, p.36-46
-Cracraft, Major Problems pp. 36-78
-Kappeler, The Russian
Empire , pp. 21-59.
-Marshall Poe, “What Did Russians Mean When They Called Themselves ‘Slaves of the Tsar’"?, Slavic Review (Fall 1998): pp. 585-608
-Valerie A. Kivelson, “The Devil Stole His Mind: The Tsar and the 1648 Moscow Uprising”, American Historical Review, v.98 (June 1993): pp. 733-756 (These two essays are on ERes)
Oct. 4: Film – Storm From the East
Oct. 16: Second Essay due
Oct. 19-27: Break Week
Oct. 14-Nov 1: Peter and His Legacy
-Channon, Historical Atlas, pp.45-60
-Cracraft, Major Problems, pp. 81-165, 224-234 243-249
-Kappeler, The Russian Empire , pp. 60-113
-Pushkin, The Bronze Horseman (Handout)
Nov.4- Nov. 11 : Catherine and Russian society in the late 18th century
-Cracraft, Major Problems, pp. 166-221, 234-243, 249-251
-Begin reading Nikitenko, Up From Serfdom (including Kolchin forward)
Nov 13-Nov. 22. Alexander I and the Decembrist Response
-Channon, Historical Atlas, p.60-75
-Cracraft, Major Problems, pp. 255-268, 282-291
-Kappeler, The Russian Empire , pp. 114-167
-Finish reading Nikitenko, Up From Serfdom (entire)
Nov. 28-Dec. 1: Thanksgiving Break
Nov. 25-Dec. 6: Nicholean Russia
-Cracraft, Major Problems, pp. 268-282, 292-312
-Kappeler, The Russian Empire , pp.168-190
-Kireevski, “On the Nature of European Culture and Its Relation to the Culture of Russia” and Aksakov, “On the Internal State of Russia” in Raeff, ed. Russian Intellectual History: An Anthology (3 copies of this book are on reserve; also available on ERes)
Recommended optional reading on Reserve:
Saunders, Russia in the Age of Reaction and Reform, Ch 6.
Dec. 6 : Third Essay Due
Dec. 9-11: Mid-Century Crisis: Ends and Beginnings
-Channon, Historical Atlas, p.75-77
-Kappeler, The Russian Empire , pp. 213-216, 247-252.
-Cracraft, Major Problems, 327-340
Dec. 13: Research Paper due
Dec. 13: Last Class