Rice 313 H. Hogan
Office Phone: 5-8527 Spring 2007
E-mail: Heather.Hogan@oberlin.edu
Office Hours: Mon. 2:30-4:00
Wed. 11:00-12:00, 2:30-4:30
and by appt.
History 296
This course examines the history of Russia from the 9th until the late 17th century, with particular attention to several major historiographical debates concerning medieval and early modern Russia. We will explore the nature of the RusÕ lands as a cultural crossroads and attempt to assess the varying impacts of steppe peoples, Byzantine Christianity, and contacts with Europeans on the social and political life of this vast region. We will study the charged debate concerning the Mongol Empire and its influence on the RusÕ lands. We will examine the nature of political authority in early modern Russian history asking if it is most useful to see the Muscovite tsardom as an unlimited autocracy, as governed by a particular sort of consensual rule, or analyzed in some other way. Historians have long debated the role of Ivan the Terrible and we will look at a variety of interpretations of his era. We will also study in some detail questions of continuity and change in the 17th c. with particular attention to issues of the ÔmodernizationÕ and ÔsecularizationÕ of the polity and popular responses to it.
1) Students are expected to attend all lectures, discussions, and films and stay current with the reading.
2) Papers, Examinations, Class Participation, Grades
Document Analysis due on February 19 10% of grade
Book Review of Halperin due on March 9 20% of grade
Historiographical essay due May 4 25% of grade
Final Exam due no later than 11am May 16 25% of grade
Class Participation 20% of grade
Late paper policy:
á For an extension to be considered, the student must consult with the instructor in advance of the due date.
á If the student presents a valid excuse, an extension of up to one week will be granted.
á No more than one extension will be granted, that is, the other two papers must be turned in on time.
á Unexcused late papers will be penalized a grade step for each day (24 hours) late, that is, A goes to A-, A- goes to B+, etc.
á Credit for the course will not be given if all written work is not turned in.
3) Reading Assignments: All books and articles assigned in this course are available on Regular Reserve or ERes. The following books have been ordered at the bookstore:
Christian, A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia
Dmytryshyn, Medieval Russia; a source book [please order through Amazon or HalfPriceBooks.com]
Halperin, Russia and the Golden Horde
Pavlov and Perrie, Ivan the Terrible, Profiles in Power
4) For those wishing to consult a "standard" textbook, the following are on reserve for History 108:
Freeze, Russia, A History
Evtuhov, et.al. eds, A history of Russia : peoples, legends, events, forces
Riasanovsky, A History of Russia
A final note: Please turn off cell phones, pagers, beeping watches and the like for the entire class period; once class has begun, please refrain from taking breaks and leaving the room.
Lectures and Readings (Approximate Schedule)
Mon., Feb. 5: Introduction
Feb 7-16 : Kievan Rus
Wed., Feb 7: Physical setting; Islamic civilizations of Eurasia
Christian, pp. 3-20; 304-326
Fri., Feb 9: Origins of RusÕ
Christian, pp. 327-346
Dmytryshyn, Medieval Russia; a source book, pp. 2-19, 22-25
Mon., Feb. 12 : Structures of the KievanÕ State
Christian, pp. 353-367
Dmytryshyn, Medieval Russia; a source book, pp. 47-64
Kollmann, ÒCollateral Succession in Kievan RusÕ Harvard Ukrainian Studies, v. 14, no. 3/4
(Dec. 1990)
Wed., Feb. 14: Adoption of Christianity; Culture and Society
Christian, pp. 346-48
Dmytryshyn, Medieval Russia; a source book, pp. 30-35, 41-47, 65-72
Clements, Engel, Worobec, eds. RussiaÕs Women: Accommodation, Resistance,
Transformation, pp. 17-28
Fri., Feb 16: Discussion: Assessing the Kievan period
Document Analysis due on February 19
Mon., Feb. 19: Diversity and Dissolution of RusÕ
Christian, pp. 367-69
Dmytryshyn, Medieval Russia; a source book, pp. 99-105, 119-132.
Wed., Feb. 21: Chingis Khan and the Building of an Empire
Begin reading Christian, pp.385-429
Fri., Feb 23: : Storm from the East [in class video]
Finish reading Christian, pp.385-429
Mon., Feb 26: RusÕ and the Golden Horde
Dmytryshyn, Medieval Russia; a source book, pp. 146-152; 171-179
Begin reading Halperin, Russia and the Golden Horde
*****Please reserve the evening the Wednesday Feb 28 for the viewing of Andrei Rublev. Morning class cancelled.
Fri, March 2: RusÕ and the Golden Horde
Finish reading Halperin, Russia and the Golden Horde
Mon., March 5: Discussion: The Mongols and RusÕ
Wed., March 7: Moscow and Its Rivals
Dmytryshyn, Medieval Russia; a source book, pp. 190-209
Platonov, ÒThe Rise of Muscovy,Ó in Walsh, ed. Readings In Russian History, vol. 1,
pp. 65-73.
Book Review of Halperin due on March 9
March 9 &12: The Dynastic Wars of the mid-15th c.
Crummey, The Formation of Muscovy, 1304-1613, pp. 56-82
Kollmann, ÒMuscovite PatrimonialismÓ [eres]
March 14-19: Building the Muscovite State
Crummey, The Formation of Muscovy, 1304-1613, pp. 84-115
Dmytryshyn, Medieval Russia; a source book, pp. 221-236
Kollmann, ÒRitual and Social Drama at the Muscovite CourtÓ
Slavic Review, Vol. 45, No. 3. (Autumn, 1986), pp. 486-502.
Kollmann ÒThe Seclusion of Elite Muscovite WomenÓ Russian History 10 (1983) 170-187
Wed., March 21 Discussion
Fri., March 23: Church, State and society by the early 16th c.
March 24-April 1: Break Week
April 2-April 11: Muscovy in the Era of Ivan IV (The Terrible, the Awesome)
Mon, April 2: Early Ivan
Pavlov and Perrie, pp. 1-40
*****Please reserve the evening the Wednesday, April 4 for the viewing of Eisenstein, Ivan the Terrible, Part I. Morning class cancelled.
Fri., April 6.: Reform and Empire
Pavlov and Perrie, pp. 41-106
Dmytryshyn, Medieval Russia; a source book, pp. 289-294.
Mon., April 9 : Crazy Ivan? The Oprichnina
Pavlov and Perrie, pp 107-207
Dmytryshyn, Medieval Russia; a source book, pp.305-308
Wed., April 11 : Discussion
April 13-16: Godunov and the beginnings of the Troubles
Crummey, The Formation of Muscovy, 1304-1613, pp. 205-233
Dunning, ÒCrisis, Conjuncture, and the Causes of the Time of TroublesÓ Harvard Ukrainian Studies vol. XIX (1995)
Dmytryshyn, Medieval Russia; a source book, pp. 355-78
Wed., April 18 : Discussion
April 20- May 11: 17th c. Muscovy
April 20-25 : Evolution of the state: politics in the center and the provinces
Kivelson, ÒThe Devil Stole His MindÓ American Historical Review, vol. 98, no. 3 (June 1993)
Rowland, ÒDid Muscovite Literary Ideology Place Limits on the Power of the Tsar (1540s-1662)?Ó Russian Review, April 1990
Dmytryshyn, Medieval Russia; a source book, pp. 425-432.
Begin reading and thinking about the following three essays:
Marshall Poe, ÒThe Truth about MuscovyÓ
Valerie Kivelson, ÒOn Words, Sources, and Historical Method:
Which Truth about Muscovy?Ó
Charles Halperin, ÒMuscovy as a Hypertrophic State: A
CritiqueÓ In Kritika vol 3 (Summer 2002), pp. 473-507.
April 27: Discussion: Politics and the Ulozhenie of 1649
April 30- Muscovite society
Hellie, ÒThe Stratification of Muscovite Society: The TownsmenÓ in Russian History, 5, pt. 2 (1978), pp. 119-75. [skim]
Kollmann, ÒWomenÕs Honor in Early Modern Russia,Ó and Kivelson, ÒThrough the Prism of Witchcraft: Gender and Social change in 17th c. MuscovyÓ both in Clements, Engel, Worobec, eds. RussiaÕs Women: Accommodation, Resistance, Transformation, p.60-73 and 74-94.
May 2 : Alexei, Nikon and the Schism
May 4 : Varieties of protest
Michels, ÒReligion and Revolt in Northern Russia; the Solovki Uprising,Ó Russian Review, vol. 51, no. 1 (Jan 1992): 1-15.
Historiographical essay due May 4
May 7: Discussion
May 9: Wrapping up: Alexei Mikhailovich and his son Peter
May 11: Last Class
Final Exam due no later than 11am May 16