Revolutionary
Russia
July 4, 1917: Nevsky
Prospect, Petrograd
HIS 242.01
Spring
2005
D. H. Kaiser
Mears 216
TELEPHONE: 3088
E-MAIL: kaiser@grinnell.edu
OFFICE
HOURS:
MWF 3:15-4:15 PM; other times by appointment.
WWW: http://web.grinnell.edu/individuals/kaiser
COURSE
DESCRIPTION:
This course examines twentieth-century Russia, emphasizing revolutionary
ideology, the industrialization of agrarian society, the emergence of Soviet
institutions and culture, and their demise late in the twentieth century. New definitions of gender, national and
class identity, and the interaction between elite and popular culture receive
special treatment. Lectures
are intended not only to relay basic information about Russia's past, but also
to model the work of historians, who must identify problems, study the pertinent
sources, and develop coherent and graceful interpretations. But students are not expected to accept
unquestioningly the interpretations advanced in lectures; rather, they should
view the lectures as hypotheses that they should test against their
reading. Essay examinations and
course papers represent opportunities for students to develop their own
abilities to identify, state, investigate and solve problems, and to communicate
the results skillfully.
Classroom discussion serves many of the same purposes, but
presents the process and results in oral, rather than written, form. Readers of Russian have the option of doing
some course reading in Russian, either as a +2 or as a substitute for regular
reading in English. Students
interested in this option should discuss the matter with the instructor early in
the semester.
REQUIRED TEXTS
AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT COLLEGE BOOKSTORE:
Fitzpatrick,
Sheila. Everyday
Stalinism. NY: Oxford University Press,
1999.
Ginzburg, Eugenia. Journey Into the
Whirlwind. Trans. Paul Stevenson, Max Hayward. NY: Harcourt,
1975.
Gladkov, Fedor. Cement. Trans. A. S. Arthur, C. Ashleigh. Evanston: Northwestern University Press,
1994.
Kaiser, Daniel H., ed.
The Workers’ Revolution in Russia, 1917: The View From Below. NY: Cambridge University Press,
1987.
Scott, John. Behind the Urals: An American Worker
in Stalin’s Russia. Rev. ed. Bloomington: Indiana University Press,
1989.
The Structure of
Soviet History: Essays and
Documents. Ed. Ronald Grigor Suny. NY: Oxford University Press,
2003.
Suny, Ronald
Grigor. The Soviet
Experiment: Russia, the USSR and
the Successor States. NY: Oxford University
Press, 1997.
COURSE TEXTS
AVAILABLE ON RESERVE AT BURLING LIBRARY:
Ginzburg, Eugenia. Journey Into the
Whirlwind. Trans. Paul Stevenson, Max Hayward. NY: Harbrace,
1967.
Kaiser, Daniel H.,
ed. The Workers' Revolution in
Russia, 1917: The View From
Below. NY: Cambridge University Press,
1987.
Scott, John. Behind the Urals: An American Worker
in Stalin’s Russia. Rev. ed. Bloomington: Indiana University Press,
1989.
The Structure of
Soviet History: Essays and Documents. Ed. Ronald Grigor Suny. NY: Oxford University Press,
2003.
Suny, Ronald
Grigor. The Soviet
Experiment: Russia, the USSR and
the Successor States. NY: Oxford University Press,
1997.
COURSE
REQUIREMENTS:
1. Examinations:
2
a. Take-home exam due at
Mears 115, Friday February 25, 5 PM.
b. Final
Examination: as assigned by the
Registrar, Thursday, May 19, 2 PM.
2. Papers: Two short (5-6 pp.)
papers are required (see last page of the syllabus. Papers may be submitted early, but
late papers can be accepted only with a full-grade penalty for each day (or
part-day) late.
3. Videos: The viewing and discussion of
twentieth-century Russian film, a genre to which Russian directors brought the
enthusiasm and innovation of the Russian Revolution, will constitute an
important element in the course.
There will be public showings for most films, and a schedule of
screenings is attached to this syllabus; however, if the public showing proves
inconvenient, the student must make arrangements to view these videos
independently. All films are held
on reserve for this course (indicated by # in the course syllabus) either in the
ARH AV Center or in Burling Library, and private viewings can be arranged
there.
4. Attendance: Regular attendance will increase the
value of the course to the student, and frequent absences will adversely affect
the student's final grade.
5. Discussion: Students should come to class prepared
for all lectures and discussions; that means that all assignments for a given
day should be prepared prior to that class. Students will also be responsible for
preparing the class for and actually conducting at least one class discussion
during the course. Details will
follow.
6. Grading (105%
total):
a. Take-Home Examination: 20%
b. Discussion Contribution: 10%
c. Directing Discussion: 10%
d. First Paper: 20%
e. Second Paper:20%
f. Final Examination: 25%
COURSE
SCHEDULE:
1/24 LECTURE: The Emergence of Modern Russian Imperial
Society
Suny, Soviet Experiment (hereafter S)
3-33
For some on-line images of turn-of-the-century Russia click
on
1/26 LECTURE: The Economy of the Russian
Empire
Visit “documents” on course website on Pioneer
web and click on “Economy of Late Imperial Russia”
1/28 DISCUSSION: Factory Life in Late Imperial
Russia
Kanatchikov, “From the Story of My Life” (available on
PioneerWeb)
1/31 LECTURE: The Russian Revolutionary Tradition:
Populist Terrorism
Ivan Turgenev’s Fathers and Sons (extract available on
PioneerWeb)
1868 Catechism of a Revolutionary (available on
Pioneerweb)
Kazimir Malevich, “Head
of a Peasant,” 1928-32
2/1 7:30 PM Screening of "Kazimir Malevich" in ARH
224 (55 mins.)
2/2 LECTURE: The Avant-Garde in Turn-of-the-Century
Russia
#"Kazimir Malevich"
(RUS-VHS-VT-155)
WebMuseum, Paris: short essay on Malevich,
and examples of his paintings (be sure to click on "suprematism"
link)
Webmuseum, Paris: short essay on Kandinsky
and examples of his paintings
Works of prominent
women avant-garde artists ("Amazons of the
Avant-garde")
2/4 DISCUSSION: Revolution in the
Arts
#Kazimir Malevich (RUS-VHS-VT-155)
2/7 LECTURE: Preconditions to
Revolution
Kaiser 1-58
2/9 LECTURE: Marxism in Russia
Lenin, “Marxism and
Revisionism” (1908)
Skim chapter
4 of Lenin, What Is To Be Done?
2/9 7:30 PM Screening of "Strike" (Eisenstein, 1924,
75 mins.) in ARH 224
2/11 DISCUSSION: Origins of the
Russian Revolution
#"Strike" (Eisenstein, 1924) (RUS-VHS-VT-065)
2/14 LECTURE: The Revolutions of 1917: February
S 35-54
Structure
32-45
2/16 LECTURE: The Revolutions of
1917: October
Structure
45-47
Kaiser 59-97, 132-41
Graphic representations of election results of 1917
in
2/16 7:30 PM Screening of "End
of St. Petersburg" (Pudovkin, 1927) in ARH 224
2/18 DISCUSSION: Interpreting the Russian
Revolution
#”End of St. Petersburg” (Pudovkin, 1927)
(RUS-VHS-VT-141)
V. I..
Lenin, October 1918
2/21 LECTURE: Who Was V. I.
Lenin?
View a timeline of
Lenin’s life and a series of
photographs of Lenin
Listen to a RealAudio file (2.5 minutes) of Lenin
speaking (in Russian) in 1918
2/23 LECTURE: The Revolution in
1918
Kaiser 98-131
Structure 62-83
Graphic representations of returns from 1917 elections to the Constituent
Assembly
from whole country
by region
from Western Front
from Kursk
Province (rural)
from Vladimir
Province (industrial)
from Petrograd
Province
from
Moscow Province
2/25 NO CLASS; TAKE-HOME
EXAMINATION DUE AT MEARS 103, 5 PM
2/28 LECTURE: War Communism and Civil
War
S 56-94
Structure
103-117
Chapter 1 from Lenin's State
and Revolution
Chapters 1-5 and 13 from 1918 RSFSR
constitution
3/2 LECTURE: Civil War and the
Nations
S 96-120
Structure 83-86,
93-102
Chapter 7 of Stalin's 1913 work, The
National Question
3/4 DISCUSSION: Politics, Gender and Economy in a
Revolutionary World
Cement
(all)
Joseph
Stalin, 1936
3/7 LECTURE: The Rise of Stalin
S 123-68
Structure 117-30,
137-47
At this site you can view the history of Lenin's death and
"immortalization"
At this site you can view several images of Stalin
(scroll down to “Images”)
Read Stalin’s January 26, 1924 speech On the Death of
Lenin
3/9 LECTURE: New Economic Policy and NEP
Society
S 170-93
3/9 7:30 PM
Screening of "Bed and Sofa" (Room, 1927, 75 mins.) in ARH
224
3/11 DISCUSSION: Gender and NEP
Society
#"Bed and Sofa" (Room, 1927) (RUS-VHS-VT-115)
Structure
130-37
Viktor
Govorkov, “Stalin in the Kremlin Cares About Each One of Us,”
1940
3/14 LECTURE: Primer on the Soviet
1930s
Fitzpatrick, Everyday Stalinism
1-66
Stalin’s short summary of Socialism in One
Country
Stalin in 1929 laying out the “Great Turn”: A Year of Great
Change
3/16 LECTURE: Gender, Family and
State in the Soviet 1930s
Fitzpatrick, Everyday Stalinism
114-63
3/18 LECTURE: Collectivization of Agriculture, Famine
of 1932-33
S 217-31
Structure 209-22,
229-31
Stalin, January, 1930, “Concerning the Policy
of Eliminating the Kulaks as a Class”
View photo of
parade under banners “We will liquidate the kulaks as a class”, a poster
calling all “Off to Collective Work,” and a photo of
collective farmers at work
Letter
to Stalin and Kalinin from workers, March, 1930
Letter
to Pravda, 1930
Letter
on extra-hard assignments, 1932
Letter
to Pravda on collectivization, 1930
Letter
from Kovalchuk on flight, 1932
Letter
of complaint, 1932
Letter
on starvation, 1932
3/18 4 PM 1st Paper Due in Mears
103
* * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * S P R I N G
B R E A K * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
4/4 NO
CLASS
Vera
Mukhina, “Worker and Woman Collective Farm Worker,” 1937
4/6 LECTURE:
Stalinist Industrialization
S 233-51
Structure
222-28
Begin reading Scott, Behind the Urals (ix-xxv,
1-92)
View poster of
shock brigade striking blows against “antedeluvian way of life of
laziness”
View photos of young
worker at Magnitogorsk and a worker
eating at Magnitka
View photo of Stakhanovites
with motorcycle awarded as prize
Read a personal
letter from Magnitogorsk, June, 1931
4/8 DISCUSSION:
Symphony of Labor?
Scott, Behind the Urals
(all)
4/11 LECTURE: Politics and
Purges
S 252-68
1936 USSR
Constitution (especially Chapters I, IX, X, and XI)
View images of open-air
meeting to discuss constitution and of a Moscow demonstration
celebrating adoption of new constitution
Read “Letter
from kolkhoznik on Constitution,” A
rural correspondent on the Constitution,” “Kolkhoz
farmer on the Constitution,” and “Letter
praising Constitution”
1936 Trial of "Trotskyite-Zinovievite Terrorist
Centre"—sample the testimony of at least one defendant, such as Kamenev or Zinoviev; then read the “Speech for the Prosecution by
Comrade A. Y. Vyshinsky” the last plea of whatever defendant you follow, and
then the verdict
4/13 LECTURE: The Stalinist
Terror
Getty et al., "Victims of the
Soviet Penal System," American Historical Review
98(1993):1017-49
Letters
to Editor, American Historical Review, June,
1994
Letters
to Editor, American Historical Review, December,
1994
Read “Letter
on the NKVD,” “Letter
to Supreme Soviet,” “Letter
on arrests in Tula,” and “Letter
on the Removal of Yezhov”
4/15 DISCUSSION: Experiencing the Terror: Arrest,
Interrogation, Trial
Ginzburg, Journey Into the Whirlwind
3-187
Iu.
Kagach, et al., “Great Glory to Stalin,” 1948
4/18 LECTURE: Heroic Decade?
Fitzpatrick, Everyday Stalinism
67-114
4/20 LECTURE: Stalin and the
Terror
Structure
232-50
Read “Letter
Denouncing Narkomfin employees” and “Letter
denouncing peasant promotees”
Fitzpatrick, Everyday
Stalinism
164-217
4/22 DISCUSSION: Experiencing the
Terror: Transport and Gulag
Ginzburg, Journey Into the Whirlwind
188-418
4/25 LECTURE: The Great Fatherland
War
S 291-335
Read Stalin’s radio
address on outbreak of war with Germany (July 3, 1941)
Structure 264-73,
294-313
View at least ONE of following three videos (each about 50 mins.
long):
#World at War, vol. 5, "Barbarossa" Burling Listen Rm Video W8919 v. 5
#World at War, vol. 9, "Stalingrad" Burling Listen Rm Video W8919 v. 9
#World at War, vol. 11, "Red Star" Burling Listen Rm Video W8919 v. 11
4/27 LECTURE: Stalinist Culture and Post-War
Stalinism
S 269-90, 363-75
Structure 251-63,
275-85
Listen to RealAudio file (1.5 mins.) of Stalin
speaking (in Russian) after WWII
4/27 7:30 PM Screening of "The Cranes Are Flying"
(Kalatozov, 1957, 95 mins.) in ARH 224
4/29 DISCUSSION: Remembering the
War
#”The Cranes Are Flying” (Kalatozov, 1957)
(RUS-VHS-VT-119)
5/2 LECTURE: Khrushchev and
Destalinization
S 375-420
Structure 330-58
Read account of Stalin’s
death and placement of his
body in the Lenin Mausoleum
5/4 LECTURE: USSR After Stalin, After
Khrushchev
S 421-51
Structure 359-85,
397-99
5/4 7:30 PM Screening of "Burnt By the Sun "
(Mikhalkov, 1994, 134 mins.) in ARH 224
5/6 DISCUSSION: Remembering Stalin
#”Burnt By the Sun” (Mikhalkov, 1994)
RUS-VHS-VT-257
5/6 4 PM 2nd Paper Due in
Mears 103
5/9 LECTURE: The End of the Soviet
Union
S 451-84
Structure 403-475,
505-516
Listen to a RealAudio file (1 min., 5 secs) of
Gorbachev
(in Russian) announcing his resignation
5/11 DISCUSSION: Summing
Up
Structure,
533-64
5/13 DISCUSSION: Nations in the Supranational
State
Structure 313-15, 385-88,
492-505
#"Soviets," vol. 5: "Face-to-Face" (*Burling Listen Rm Video So86 v. 5 or
DVD So86a, v. 5)
PAPERS:
Each
student must complete two papers, each approximately 5-6 pages long. Because this course is basically a
survey, the papers are not meant to depend upon original research, but rather to
allow the student to synthesize course reading on selected issues of modern
Russian history. For that reason,
the instructor has identified two general topics, from which the student must
develop an interpretive point of view around which to organize the essays.
1. The New Socialist Man
and Woman: select one of the main characters of
Gladkov’s Cement, and, with the help of
other materials we have considered about the impact of the Revolution, determine
how this character reflects the changes brought about by the 1917 Revolution.
DUE FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 4 PM in Mears 103.
2. Stalinism: An Interpretation: you will receive a small set of original
sources that come from the years when Josef Stalin headed the Soviet Union. With specific reference to these
materials and using other course resources available to you, write a paper that
offers an interpretation of what Stalin and his era meant. DUE FRIDAY, MAY 6, 4 PM in Mears 103.
Videos to be shown
spring semester 2005
for HIS
242.01
*All
screenings at 7:30 PM in ARH 224*
All
titles are also on reserve for this course in the AV Center in
ARH.
Tues.,
2/1
#”Kazimir Malevich” (RUS-VHS-VT-155) 54 mins.
Wed.
2/9
#”Strike” (Eisenstein, 1924) (RUS-VHS-VT-065) 75
mins.
Wed.
2/16
#”End of St. Petersburg” (Pudovkin, 1927) (RUS-VHS-VT-141)
Mon.
3/9
#”Bed and Sofa” (Room, 1927) (RUS-VHS-VT-115) 75
mins.
Wed.
4/27
#”The Cranes Are Flying” (Kalatozov, 1957) (RUS-VHS-VT-119) 95
mins.
Wed.
5/4
#”Burnt By the Sun” (Mikhalkov, 1994) (RUS-VHS-VT-257) 134
mins.