Russia's Turn to Persia
Orientalism in Diplomacy and Intelligence

Draws on recently declassified and unpublished sources to provide an original and in-depth analysis of Russian and Soviet Iranian studies.

Denis V. Volkov (Author)

9781108490788, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 16 August 2018

282 pages, 12 b/w illus.
23.4 x 15.6 x 1.7 cm, 0.58 kg

Iran has remained one of the most effective tools in Russia's foreign policy towards the West for more than two hundred years. Drawing on previously unpublished and recently declassified sources which change the established wisdom on many aspects of the history of Russia and Iran, Denis V. Volkov examines this relationship, and situates it within the broader context of Oriental studies. With a particular focus on the activities of scholars-diplomats, as well as scholars involved in academia, missionary activities and the military within their own professional domains, Volkov analyses the interaction of intellectuals with state structures and their participation in the process of shaping and conducting foreign policy towards Iran. This work explores the specific institutional practices of Russia's Oriental studies, including organisation of scholarly intelligence networks, taking advantage of state power for the promotion of institutional and individual interests, and profound engagement with Russia's domestic and foreign policy discourses of its time.

A note of transliteration
Alphabetical list of abbreviations and acronyms
Introduction
1. Foucauldian notions and their applicability to the Russian case
2. Organisational set-up of oriental studies in late Imperial Russia
3. Organisational set-up of early Soviet Oriental studies (1917–41)
4. Between cultures and states: Russian orientologists and Russia's Eastern policy
5. The birth and death of red orientalism (1917–41)
General conclusion
Appendix
Bibliography
List of archives used for research
Index.

Subject Areas: International relations [JPS], Society & social sciences [J], Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL], Asian history [HBJF], Regional & national history [HBJ], History [HB]