Joan Neuberger

The historiographical purpose of this course is to examine various ways of interpreting the visual-- things we see and the things we make to be seen – in order to develop strategies for using visual documents in historical (or other) research. The explosion of literature about the visual, visuality, visual culture, and visual studies makes it impossible to be comprehensive. So we will tackle a handful of case studies in the theory and practice of visual studies designed to help us think about how we read images, how we know what we know, how we use what we find, how our thinking about the past is shaped by visual evidence and experience.

            The practical purpose of this course is to study the structure and composition of scholarly articles to compose one of our own. Here the literature is almost infinite, so I have chosen readings that offer a variety of strategies, structures, origins, purposes, evidence, and narrative styles.

Course Requirements

            Reading: Weekly theoretical discussions and practical applications.

            Discussion: active participation in course discussions,

oral presentations on reading and writing

            Writing: Weekly short responses.

Periodic assignments leading to publishable article (20-25pp)

Required Reading to Purchase:

Martin Jay, Downcast Eyes

Lilya Kaganovsky, How the Soviet Man Was (Un)Made

Tamara Chaplin, Turning On the Mind: French Philosophers on Television

Gyan Prakash and Kevin M. Kruse, eds.,The Spaces of the Modern City: Imaginaries, Politics, and Everyday Life

Troben Grodal, Embodied Visions: Evolution, Emotion, Culture and Film

Robert Hariman and John Louis Lucaites, No Caption Needed: Iconic Photographs, Public Culture, and Liberal Democracy

In this course we will examine fundamental issues regarding political, social, cultural life in the modern Russian Empire, autocracy as a political system, national identity at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, poverty & modern industry in a predominantly rural society, political opposition and the revolutionary movement.

Readings (Required): available at bookstores 

Nicholas Riasanovsky & Mark Steinberg, A History of Russia

V. Kivelson and J. Neuberger, eds., Picturing Russia:Explorations in Visual Culture

Anna Labzina, Days of a Russian Noblewoman

B. Engel & C. Rosenthal, eds., Five Sisters: Women Against the Tsar

Orlando Figes, A People's Tragedy: A History of the Russian Revolution

Additional required readings will be on-line on our Blackboard site on the "Course Documents" page

Assignments & Grading

Map Exercise - 10% 

Short Essays/Participation: 10%  

Two In-Class Exams, 20% each = 40%

Take-home Final Exam 40%

Attendance in class is required. In case of absence it is your responsibility to find out about scheduling or other changes. Additional information on assignments will be distributed in class. No make-up exams will be allowed without written documentation for a family or medical emergency. Students who will miss class for religious holidays or other University sanctioned events should contact me in advance to make accommodations.

The Russian Empire to 1917

HIS 343L  Unique # 39950 (REE335: U#45635)
T Th 11-12.30 ~ UTC 3.110

Prof. Joan Neuberger
TA: Jessica Werneke

In this course we will examine fundamental issues regarding political, social, cultural
life in the modern Russian Empire.
o        autocracy as a political system
o        national identity at the crossroads of Europe and Asia;
o        poverty & modern industry in a predominantly rural society
o        political opposition and the revolutionary movement

Readings (Required): available at bookstores and on-line bookstores:
Nicholas Riasanovsky & Mark Steinberg, A History of Russia
V. Kivelson and J. Neuberger, eds., Picturing Russia:Explorations in Visual Culture
Anna Labzina, Days of a Russian Noblewoman
B. Engel & C. Rosenthal, eds., Five Sisters: Women Against the Tsar
Orlando Figes, A People's Tragedy: A History of the Russian Revolution

Additional required readings will be on-line on our Blackboard site on the "Course Documents" page

Assignments & Grading
Map Exercise - 10% Due  Sep 10
Short Essays/Participation: 10%  (Sep 1, Sep 17, Oct 8, Nov 19)
Two In-Class Exams, 20% each = 40%
Take-home Final Exam 40%

Attendance in class is required.
In case of absence it is your responsibility to find out about scheduling or other changes. Additional information on assignments will be distributed in class. No make-up exams will be allowed without written documentation for a family or medical emergency. Students with special needs may request appropriate academic accommodations
from the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, Services for Students with Disabilities, 471-6259. Students who will miss class for religious holidays or other University sanctioned events should contact me in advance to make accommodations.

Lectures & Readings

Aug 27 Intro
Geography & Empire

Sep 1 Pre-Petrine Russia
Reading:
Picturing Russia: 1-50

Sep 3 Peter the Great
Reading:
Riasanovsky, 197-222
Picturing Russia, 51-62
*Miliukov on Peter the Great

Sep 8 Peter the Great
Sep 10 Catherine the Great]
Reading:
Riasanovsky, 223-55
Picturing Russia, 63-75
*Radishchev, A Journey from St Petersburg to Moscow, 212-220
*Catherine's "Instruction"

THUR Sep 10
Map Exercise is due in class

Sep 15 Catherine the Great
Sep 17 Nobles, Serfs, Women, Religion: Social Life in the 18th century
Discussion of Labzina
Reading:
Riasanovsky, 256-78
Labzina, Days of a Russian Noblewoman, pp 3-117 (required)
(Intro and Diary: optional)
__________________________________________________
Sep 22. First Midterm Exam
[on material covered through and including Sept 17]
___________________________________________________

Sep 24 Alexander I
Reading:
Riasanovsky, 279-317

Sep 29 Decembrists: What sort of revolution was this?
Oct 1        Nicholas I, Official Nationality, Reform or Reaction?
Reading:
Riasanovsky, 318-40
*The  Decembrist Movement, ed. M. Raeff, (excerpts) 30-57, 100-05, 162-79

Oct 6        Ideologies: Austocracy and Oppositions
Reading:
* Hosking, "The Birth of the Russian Intelligentsia," 263-85.
Picturing Russia,  71-89

Oct 8 "The Parting of the Ways"

Oct 13 Peasants and Serfdom
Oct 15 Alexander II and Emancipation of the Serfs
Reading:
Riasanovsky, 341-61
Picturing Russia, 90-95
*M.E Vasilieva, "Notes of a Serf Woman"
*Peter Kolchin, Unfree Labor (excerpts) 49-78, 98-102, 195-207, 212-217
*Peasants' petitions in response to Emancipation, 170-185

Oct 20 The Great Reforms
Oct 22 Populism
Reading: START Five Sisters:
Intro, xix-xxxiv, 3-201

Oct 27 Terrorism
Reading: FINISH & Discuss Five Sisters
________________________________________________________
Oct 29 Second Midterm Exam
[on material covered up through and including October 28]
________________________________________________________

Nov 3 Alexander III and Nicholas II
Nov 5 Empire in 19thc
Reading:
Riasanovsky, 362-76
Picturing Russia, 100-108
Figes, People's Tragedy, 3-24, 35-83

Nov 10 Post-Reform Village and City      

Nov 12 Post-reform Politics: Left & Right
Reading:
Riasanovsky, 396-414 (optional)
Picturing Russia, 109-38
Figes, People's Tragedy, 84-121, 139-173
*Lenin, What is to be Done?

Nov 17 1905 Revolution
Nov 19 Turn-of-the-century culture and social life
Reading: Riasanovsky, 377-95
Figes, People's Tragedy, 173-212
*Gapon's petition to Nicholas II
*The October Manifesto
Picturing Russia, 133-38

Nov 24  Pseudo-Constitutional rule
Nov 26  THANKSGIVING - NO CLASS
Reading:
Figes, 213-303                                           

Dec 1  1917: From World War to Revolution
Dec 3  1917: From Revolution to Revolution
Reading:
Figes, 307-500
Picturing Russia, 142-47

Th Dec 11, final exam due by 5pm. Jessica's office: BUR 412

Topics in European History.

May be repeated for credit when the topics vary.

Lectures, discussion, reading, and research on selected topics in the field of history.

May be repeated for credit when the topics vary.

Designed for History majors. 

History 350L and 350R may not both be counted unless the topics vary.

Course carries Writing flag. 

May be repeated for credit when the topics vary.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of the graduate adviser.