Professor Janet Hartley, London School of Economics, presented her research in Russian history

She spoke about the Volga river’s role in the development of Russia on 26th March.

Dr. Hartley has authored 6 books and numerous papers on Russian history. Among her major works are Siberia: a History of the People; Russia: 1762-1815: Military Power, the State and the People; and A Social History of the Russian Empire 1650-1825.

She has focused her optics on the similarities and differences between Russian and the Western world. According to Professor Hartley, Russia is unique in its social structure, political traditions spiritual development, but it still shares much of the European cultural and intellectual tradition.

Currently, she is employed as a consultant by the Higher School of Economics (Moscow).

In her public lecture at KFU yesterday, Ms. Hartley shared why she has chosen Volga as a research subject. The river, as she said, has always been the center of Russian life and the country’s political and economic development. She is working on a new book about this matter.

After the lecture, students asked many questions, including those about Brexit and the European Union. Hartley said that she personally is against Brexit, as is the majority of the academia. However, she expressed doubt that the process can be reversed.

As for migration, the guest reminded that the UK has always been an open and multiethnic country. People of Iranian, Iraqi, Dutch, American, and Pakistani heritage can be found among her closest colleagues. And that’s how it should be, concluded Dr. Hartley.

Source text: Alina Iskanderova

Translation: Yury Nurmeev