About

Blending history with cultural studies, Understanding Russia: A Cultural History brings you closer than ever to the Russian people through the poetry of Pushkin, the comfort of early folk tales, the faith of medieval iconography, the avant-garde films of Eisenstein, and more. These 24 lectures will help you finally understand the complex, thrilling, and undeniably fascinating Russian spirit.

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Episodes

1. A Russian Past, the Putin Future

31m

As you start your journey into the heart of Russian history and culture, consider several themes you'll encounter throughout these lectures. Among them: the enormity of Russia's geography, its desire for power, and its search for an organic cultural identity. Then, explore the beginnings of Russia in the land known as Rus'.

2. Ivan the Terrible's 500-Year Reign

31m

For better and worse, Ivan the Terrible's reign has become a cultural and historical symbol of Russian leadership. Was he really terrible - or just awe-inspiring? How did he use cultural symbols to create a spectacle of autocracy? And to what extent did he set the standard for subsequent centuries of Russian leadership?

3. The Russian Orthodox Church

32m

In this lecture, examine the fascinating relationship between the Russian state and the Russian Orthodox Church. Along the way, you'll assess how religion, as practiced by the Russian masses, changed church institutions (and how the Russian state responded in turn) and the extraordinary influence of the Russian church on state culture.

4. Peter the Great and a European Empire

31m

What makes the Russian ruler Peter deserving of the title "great"? The answer lies in looking at how he transformed a minor power on the periphery of Europe into a formidable empire, how he embraced Western culture, and how he spearheaded transformations (including calendar reforms) to create a new European capital.

5. Russia's Northern Window on Europe

31m

Modern Russian culture was born in the city of St. Petersburg, built on the shores of the Gulf of Finland in the early 18th century. It's here where you'll witness the dawning of the Russian Elizabethan Age: a time of extravagance and cultural energy that produced wonders in everything from architecture to opera.

6. Nobility, the Tsar, and the Peasant

31m

The political alliance the Russian nobility forged with the Romanov regime facilitated Russian expansion - but at tremendous cost to the Russian masses. Here, Professor Hartnett explores some of the many fissures in the tsarist system that led to popular resentment of the Russian nobility and made the country ripe for revolution.

7. The Authentic Russia: Popular Culture

30m

Russian popular culture, produced by the masses of uneducated peasants, can be described as a culture of sentimentality rooted in religious devotion and the agricultural calendar. Here, explore everything from superstitions and folk tales and Stenka Razin's "myth of rebellion" to the popularity of Russian baths (banya), vodka, and nesting dolls (matryoshkas).

8. Catherine the Great and the Enlightenment

32m

In this lecture, explore the powerful legacy of Catherine the Great, who would extend the empire westward and accomplish what even Peter the Great had been unable to do: establish Russian dominance of the southern regions. You'll also learn how Catherine fueled Enlightenment-inspired developments in politics, architecture, and more.

9. Alexander Pushkin's Russia

33m

To understand the poet Alexander Pushkin's literary significance, you must understand the Russia in which he lived. Here, explore how Pushkin (today recognized as Russia's greatest poet) intersected with significant events, trends, and individuals, and how he created works including the novel "Eugene Onegin" and the poem "The Bronze Horseman."

10. Alexander II, Nihilists, and Assassins

31m

Focus on the reign of Alexander II, who ruled Russia from 1855 to 1881. Central to this lecture are three questions: Why did this promising reign end so violently? Did Alexander II shape developments in literature and culture? How could Russia's last great tsar inaugurate a violent confrontation between the state and its people?

Extended Details

SeriesUnderstanding Russia: A Cultural History

Closed CaptionsEnglish

Artists

The Great CoursesDirector

The Great CoursesProducer

Lynne Ann HartnettActor