Key research themes
1. How did different ideological and intellectual currents contest and shape revolutionary politics and visions of post-revolutionary society during the Russian Revolution?
This theme investigates the diverse ideological debates, political epistemologies, and visions for the future that shaped revolutionary movements in Russia around 1917 and after. It explores how Marxist theorists like Lenin, Rosa Luxemburg, and Bogdanov articulated differing analyses of the revolutionary process, national questions, and socialist construction while highlighting tensions between universalism and particularism, centralization and autonomy. This theme matters because it reveals the complex and contested intellectual terrain that defined revolutionary strategy and praxis with lasting effects for Soviet and global socialism.
2. How did Russian revolutionary and imperial dynamics influence neighboring regions, social groups, and political repression during and after the Revolution?
This theme examines the interconnectedness of the Russian Revolution with surrounding geopolitical, ethnic, and social contexts, including imperial borderlands and minority nationalities. It also addresses the responses of state and counter-revolutionary actors, the experiences of emigres and refugees, and the mechanisms of repression and legal reordering in post-revolutionary regimes. Understanding these dynamics is vital for grasping the broader regional effects, contested sovereignties, and ideological conflicts beyond central Russia.
3. What are the historical narratives, controversies, and genealogical investigations surrounding the Romanov family and their legacy after the Revolution?
This theme addresses the enduring mysteries, historical debates, and modern scientific inquiries about the fate, lineage, and representations of the Romanov family following the Bolshevik Revolution. It includes analyzes of media narratives, conspiracies, genetic research, and the role of émigré and official discourses in shaping collective memory and identity. This matters for understanding the ongoing cultural, political, and historiographical significance of the Romanovs in post-revolutionary and contemporary contexts.