Women in Russia, 1700–2000

A compelling chronological narrative of women's experiences in Russia, from the seventeenth century to the present, first published in 2003.

Barbara Alpern Engel (Author)

9780521802703, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 13 October 2003

304 pages, 22 b/w illus. 2 maps
23.6 x 15.8 x 2.6 cm, 0.549 kg

"After thirty-five years of scholarly research on women in Russian history, enough work has appeared to justify a preliminary survey of the topic. Even so, it takes courage to accept the assignment. Despite the many excellent studies now available, large gaps in knowledge remain. Barbara Alpern Engel is to be congratulated for taking on the difficult task of surveying the field and giving an assessment of what we currently know about women in the Russian past. And, indeed, no one is better able to do this, as Englel is herself a pioneer who has contributed much to our knowledge." - Julie Hessler, University of Oregon

Original in its range and analysis, Women in Russia, 1700–2000 filled an enormous gap in the field. When published in 2003, it was the first book to provide a lively and compelling chronological narrative of women's experiences from the seventeenth century to the present. Synthesizing recent scholarship with her own work in primary and archival sources, Barbara Alpern Engel skillfully evokes the voices of individuals to enliven the account. The book captures the diversity of women's lives, detailing how women of various social strata were affected by and shaped historical change. Adopting the perspective of women provides fresh interpretations of Russia's past and important insights into the impact of gender on the ways that Russians defined themselves and others, and imagined political change. Designed for a scholarly as well as undergraduate readership, the book integrates women's experience into broader developments in Russia's social, economic, cultural, and political history.

List of illustrations
Acknowledgments
Timeline
Glossary
Introduction
1. The Petrine revolution: new men, new women, new ideas: women in public and the new domesticity
2. The Petrine revolution: noblewomen at home
3. Outside the circle of privilege
4. Reformers as rebels
5. Peasants and proletarians
6. A widening sphere
7. War and revolution
8. Creating the 'new Soviet woman'
9. The second revolution
10. Engendering empire
11. World War II and its aftermath
12. Grappling with the Stalinist legacy
13. New Russians, new women?

Subject Areas: Gender studies: women [JFSJ1], Gender studies, gender groups [JFSJ], Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900 [HBLL], European history [HBJD]