Russia's Industrial Revolutions: The Making and Breaking of a Superpower

In the span of a single century, Russia went from unstable empire to revolutionary proving ground, from scene of mass starvation to space pioneer, from the geopolitical sidelines to a seat among superpowers -- all before falling back again. This course foregrounds industrialization, economic development, and (often agonizing) adaptation as engines of these dramatic transformations. Was pre-revolutionary Russia 'backwards' as many suggested? Can state socialism be credited for decades of rapid growth and the landmark achievements of the USSR? Or should it be blamed for economic stagnation, environmental degradation, and the ultimate collapse of an empire? How have the conditions of that late 20th-century collapse impacted the country's prospects and problems into the 21st? Readings and assignments will encourage students to explore various methodological approaches -- social, cultural, economic, urban -- to address long-term themes and sector-specific histories of Russian industrialization. (This course has been submitted for WAY-SI and WAY-EDP certifications, currently pending review.)