Russian Jewish History

The course focuses on Jewish history in imperial Russia, from the end of the 18th to the beginning of the 20th centuries. It also contains overview lectures covering the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. The topics discuss the government’s politics towards Jews, attempts to integrate them into larger society, establishment and development of Russian Jewish civil society, Jewish participation in the revolutionary movement, and aspects of Jewish social, economic, and cultural life in villages, towns, and cities. Other topics analyze the role of women in family and communal life, military service, anti-Jewish violence, and emigration.