Russian Studies

Imperial Russia provides an accessible reference tool for Russian history enthusiasts. It covers the period from Ivan IV to the death of Nicholas II. There are chronologies for each of the reigns and the handbook covers important political and administrative changes, the influence of the West, religion, serfdom, and economic progress. Wars and international relations are explained as is the rise of radicalism and the revolutions of 1905 and 1917. Other sections deal with education, the arts, law, press and censorship. It is essential reading for anyone interested in Soviet and East European history.

This introduction to Russia's history follows the development of local tribes into a federation of principalities centered at Kiev, the shift of power to Moscow and the centralization of the state, and Russia's pursuit of imperial ambitions. It examines the circumstances that led to the foundation of the world's first communist society in 1917, and traces the global consequences of Russia's extensive confrontation with the United States. Peoples of many ethnicities became part of the Russian empire and suffered or benefitted from its leaders' efforts to meld a multiethnic polity into a coherent political entity.

This companion comprises 28 essays offering an analytical overview of the development of Russian history from the earliest Slavs through to the present day. It analyzes the entire sweep of Russian history from debates over how to identify the earliest Slavs, through the Yeltsin Era, and future prospects for post-Soviet Russia It offers an extensive review of the medieval period, religion, culture, and the experiences of ordinary people.

Straddling Europe and Asia, the Russian Federation is the largest country in the world and home to a panoply of religious and ethnic groups from the Muslim Tatars to the Buddhist Buryats. Over the past 30 years, Russia has experienced the most dramatic transformation of any modern state. The volume includes coverage of pivotal movements, events, and persons in the late Soviet Union (1985-1991) and contemporary Russia (1991-present), as well as detailed entries covering the country's expansive geography, unique culture, diverse ethnic groups, and complex political and social environment.