Russia, Its Neighbors, and Its Empire

June 27-28, 2014

SOLD OUT*

Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula has pundits making claims about its “imperialist” and “authoritarian” nature–as though these supposedly intrinsic national traits account for all recent developments in the region. This seminar will review Russian history to provide context for those interested in interpreting Russia’s latest foreign policy decisions outside of the antagonistic Cold War perspective that too often dominates discussions of the world’s largest country. Do the latest moves by President Vladimir Putin suggest a return to aggressive Czarist land grabs or an attempt to recreate the Soviet Union; are they harbingers of a new type of nationalist imperialism; or are they indicators of something else going on in that nation and region? Join four experts on Russian and Soviet History as they discuss Russia’s imperial past, the powerful legacy of the Soviet Union, and the implications of Putin’s policies for modern states in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and beyond.

Topics & Speakers

Russian Empires and their Discontents
Martin A. Miller, Professor of Slavic and Eurasian Studies, Duke University

What Kind of Empire Was the Soviet Union?
Donald J. Raleigh, Jay Richard Judson Distinguished Professor of History

Central Asia: The Most Soviet Part of the USSR
Eren Tasar, Assistant Professor of History

Post-Soviet Russia: Its Politics and Place in the World
Graeme Robertson, Associate Professor of Political Science

Russia, the Eurasian Superpower
A panel discussion with our speakers

Time & Cost
4:30 p.m. Friday, June 27 through 1:00 p.m. Saturday, June 28, 2014. The tuition is $125 ($110 by May 21). Tuition for teachers is $62.50 ($55 by May 21). 10 contact hours for 1 unit of renewal credit. The dinner on Friday is $20.00.

For information about lodging click here.

Co-Sponsored by the General Alumni Association.

For information about GAA discounts and other scholarships available to Humanities Program participants, click here.

Register for this seminar. *If a seminar is marked “sold out,” we urge you to sign up for the waiting list as a place may become available. Also, if there is a significant demand, we may repeat the seminar and you will have the opportunity to register first. To be placed on a waiting list for a sold out seminar, please send an email with your name(s), address, and daytime phone number to human@unc.edu or contact us by phone at (919) 962-1544.