6 Resources For Anyone Interested In Russian Culture
From its agrarian, Imperial, and Soviet pasts to the present day, Russia has provided the world a rich and storied legacy of cultural contributions. If you're a Russophile seeking deeper knowledge of the nation's history and culture, check out the resources listed here, which range from unique institutions of higher learning to scholarly works and immersive curated tours. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.
6 Great Resources For Russophiles
| Name | About |
|---|---|
| Pushkin House | The oldest independently funded, non-governmental UK charity specializing in Russian culture |
| Russian State University for the Humanities | Leading Russian academic and educational center in the field of liberal arts and social and information sciences, carrying out fundamental and applied research on the international level |
| Katherine Pickering Antonova | Associate Professor of Russian history at Queens College, City University of New York, focusing on the cultural and intellectual history of Russia in the nineteenth century, especially gender and conservatism |
| MIR | Tour company providing flexible and customized itinerary designs for travel to Russia, Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Ukraine |
| Marian Schwartz | Translator of classic and contemporary Russian fiction, history, biography, criticism, and fine art |
| Trinity College | Hartford, Connecticut liberal arts college founded in the Episcopal tradition, offering a robust Russian program |
Travel to Moscow, the Golden Ring, and St. Petersburg With MIR
9 Great Russian Films
- Battleship Potemkin (1925)
- Earth (1930)
- Alexander Nevsky (1938)
- The Cranes Are Flying (1957)
- Ivan's Childhood (1962)
- Stalker (1979)
- Mother and Son (1997)
- Russian Ark (2002)
- The Return (2003)
Where Did Russia Come From?
In Depth
Russia's extensive cultural heritage continues to fascinate Western observers to this day. Its intellectual legacy includes revolutionary political ideas, soul-searching fiction, and artwork infused with the luminous mysticism of the Orthodox Church. The people and organizations we've highlighted here, in no particular order, offer valuable insights for English-speakers seeking to learn more about Russia's art, literature, and history.
We'll open at #1 with Pushkin House, an independent UK charity founded in 1904 by a group of emigres, dedicated to celebrating the intellectual and artistic creations of the Russian people. Its exhibitions host works from contemporary creators, and display artifacts of the nation's history; past examples have ranged from modern illustrations of classic Soviet satire, to examinations of Russia's relationship with its sprawling geography.
To promote understanding and discussion of Russia in the world at large, Pushkin House awards an annual Book Prize to the author of a notable non-fiction work about the country's history, politics, or culture. The organization also publishes blog articles discussing art, literature, and daily life in Russia's past and present, and its bookshop offers a curated selection of relevant works.
The organization also publishes blog articles discussing art, literature, and daily life in Russia's past and present, and its bookshop offers a curated selection of relevant works.
Next up at #2 is the Russian State University for the Humanities. This institution was founded in 1991 to advance the nation's liberal arts tradition, building on the work of the Moscow State Institute for History and Archives. Its academic programs include interdisciplinary and comparative research in the humanities, as well as explorations into topics like new educational technologies or the development of mass media.
A major component of RSUH's mission is international engagement. The school partners with universities around the world, and hosts a variety of exchange programs welcoming foreign students. The International Center of Russian as a Foreign Language aims to help non-native speakers gain proficiency in the language of Dostoevsky and Chekhov, and includes an intensive cultural program involving excursions to artistic venues throughout the region.
#3 on our list is Katherine Pickering Antonova, an Associate Professor of Russian history at City University of New York, whose writings discuss contemporary academia and Eurasian history. She is the author of An Ordinary Marriage, an in-depth examination of gender roles in eighteenth-century agrarian Russia, told through the lens of a single family.
She is the author of An Ordinary Marriage, an in-depth examination of gender roles in eighteenth-century agrarian Russia, told through the lens of a single family.
Antonova's blog offers perspectives on Russian history and post-Soviet culture, as well as reflections on life in academia, and recommendations for aspiring researchers. She gives talks discussing her own investigations into Russia's past, and recommends other online resources for those interested in the subject. Antonova has also authored A Consumer's Guide to Information, explaining how to use critical thinking to parse news online.
At #4 we have MIR Corporation, a tour company specializing in culturally enriching journeys in the places where Europe and Asia intersect. Originally formed to promote openness between the West and the Soviet Union, MIR has expanded to offer experiences like attending traditional festivals from Mongolia's nomadic past, or journeying to the holy city of Lhasa in Tibet.
Many of MIR's tours showcase the immense diversity of landscapes and cultural groups within Russia and the former USSR. The company offers trips to cosmopolitan centers like Moscow, or into the nation's Eastern expanse, including several routes that follow the famed Trans-Siberian Railway. Specialized experiences include culinary tours, dog sledding excursions, and shamanic ceremonies near the shores of the world's largest freshwater lake.
Many of MIR's tours showcase the immense diversity of landscapes and cultural groups within Russia and the former USSR.
#5 in our review is Marian Schwartz, a prolific translator of Russian literature, who has produced English versions of works by celebrated authors like Leo Tolstoy and Mikhail Bulgakov. Notable titles she has adapted for Anglophone audiences include multiple volumes of The Red Wheel, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's novel about the Russian Revolution, and Playing a Part, a coming-of-age novel published in defiance of anti-gay censorship laws.
Schwartz's main focus is on contemporary fiction, such as Olga Slavnikova's dark comedy The Man Who Couldn't Die, or Madness Treads Lightly, a murder mystery stretching from Moscow to Siberia. She has also translated numerous works by the emigre author Nina Berberova, including a biography of the Baroness Moura Budberg and several short story collections.
We'll conclude with #6, Trinity College, a liberal arts institution located in Hartford, Connecticut and dating back to 1823. Trinity offers an extensive Russian program, dedicated to familiarizing participants with both the language and the civilization behind it. Students can pursue majors or minors focusing on building fluency in Russian speech, writing, and culture.
Trinity offers an extensive Russian program, dedicated to familiarizing participants with both the language and the civilization behind it.
One important advantage for Trinity students pursuing Russian degrees is the extensive expatriate community in Hartford; to encourage cultural engagement, the school offers information about important local destinations, like the historic St. Panteleimon Orthodox parish. The Office of Study Away also offers opportunities to learn in Russia itself, in locations ranging from Moscow to Irkutsk.
