Putin, Stalin and "Friends": Understanding Eurasia Today through its History and Personalities

This course uses the past to understand the present in Russia and its neighboring states. Each week we will use a “friend” (a person drawn from current events) as a window into events past and present. We will read a few contemporary articles about these notables alongside historical works that give us the necessary background to explore key aspects of their story. In the middle of the semester, you will choose an event or theme and execute an independent research project using contemporary and historical sources. Topics explored include gender, political activism, terrorism, immigration and battles to control the past.