Europe's Russian Colonies: Tsarist Subjects Abroad and the Quest for Freedom in the 19th Century

FAIN: FEL-257017-18

Faith C. Hillis
University of Chicago (Chicago, IL 60637-5418)

A book and digital project about Russian émigré settlements in western Europe and their impact on western European and Russian political movements (1860-1917).

Between 1860 and 1917, hundreds of thousands of tsarist subjects left the Russian empire for Europe’s large urban centers and university towns. The travelers came from every corner of the empire and from many walks of life, yet they gravitated toward one another in exile, creating close-knit and intellectually vibrant communities that they referred to as “Russian colonies.” This project provides the first synthetic treatment of pre-1917 traffic between Russia and the west, reconstructing the unique cultures that coalesced in émigré settlements. In addition, it traces how the colonies informed the world that lay beyond their borders. Treating these spaces as laboratories of liberation, it shows how the ideologies and practices forged in the colonies traveled back to Russia, catalyzing revolutionary movements. It also argues that the colonies had a profound effect on European understandings of freedom, shaping political movements on both the left and right.

Associated Products

“The Party of Extreme Opposition: The Émigré Origins of Bolshevik Culture.” (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: “The Party of Extreme Opposition: The Émigré Origins of Bolshevik Culture.”
Author: Faith Hillis
Abstract: talk at American university about the emigre origins of the Bolshevik party.
Date: 04/30/2019

"Utopia’s Discontents: Russian Exiles and the Quest for Freedom, 1830s-1930s.” (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: "Utopia’s Discontents: Russian Exiles and the Quest for Freedom, 1830s-1930s.”
Author: Faith Hillis
Abstract: overview talk of my project at a talk in Toronto
Date: 02/28/19

“Utopia’s Discontents: Russian Exiles and the Quest for Freedom, 1830s-1930s.” (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: “Utopia’s Discontents: Russian Exiles and the Quest for Freedom, 1830s-1930s.”
Author: Faith Hillis
Abstract: public talk at the NY Public library
Date: 01/23/2019

“Strangers and Residents: Emigres and the Origins of Russian-Jewish Politics.” (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: “Strangers and Residents: Emigres and the Origins of Russian-Jewish Politics.”
Author: Columbia University, European Politics Workshop.
Abstract: talk about Jewish emigre politics
Date: 11/12/2018

“From Refugees to Terrorists: Russian Emigres and the Decline of European Liberalism.” (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: “From Refugees to Terrorists: Russian Emigres and the Decline of European Liberalism.”
Author: Faith Hillis
Abstract: talk at Columbia university
Date: 10/31/2018

Utopia's Discontents Websitew (Exhibition)
Title: Utopia's Discontents Websitew
Curator: Faith Hillis
Abstract: companion website for my project. It is not yet live, but will be by late 2019.
Year: 2019
Primary URL: http://utopiasdiscontents.com

Utopia's Discontents: Russian Émigrés and the Quest for Freedom, 1830s-1930s (Book)
Title: Utopia's Discontents: Russian Émigrés and the Quest for Freedom, 1830s-1930s
Author: Faith Hillis
Year: 2021
Primary URL: https://academic.oup.com/book/39937
Primary URL Description: Publisher website
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Type: Single author monograph
ISBN: 9780190066369

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