| Genres: | Documentary |
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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.
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'.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
