Russia

This article examines one version of national self-identification against the background of the “Other”. In 1758, Horace Walpole published the notes of the English ambassador Charles Whitworth on his stay in Russia from 1704 to 1710 at his publishing house, Strawberry Hill. The publisher included his comments in the “Introduction,” placed immediately before the text. The “Introduction” contains an extensive panegyric on Whitworth as a model representative of English diplomacy. At the same time, very little is said about the content of the text written by Whitworth.

Based on the original sources, the article considers the life and activities of Patrick Gordon, a Scottish officer who served in the Russian Tsarist army in the second half of the 17th century. While Gordon’s biography has been extensively studied by historians, his “secret” activities have not beenthe subject of scholarly research.

The article presents a discussion on the article by Evgeny Vladimirovich Voyeykov, Doctor of Historical Sciences, on the issue of the influence of the degree of unity of Russian society on the course of military conflicts and the integrity of the country in crisis situations, organized by the editorial board of the journal. The focus is on the author’s idea of “split” as a systemic factor in Russian history. The issues discussed are highly relevant for both historical research and understanding contemporary social processes.

The article examines the activities of the American Relief Administration (ARA), a US charitable organization in Russia, during the mass famine of 1921–1923, and shows its specific role in eliminating hunger in the Saratov Volga region. 300 employees who came from America and about 10,000 Soviet citizens were involved in providing assistance. The humanitarian mission helped starving children and the sick with food, clothing, and meditsines, primarily in the most famine-stricken provinces of the Volga region.

The article is devoted to the rivalry between France and Russia in North Africa in the 2010s, when the spread of the Arab Spring in the region distorted the existing political landscape. France’s policy in North Africa, as well as Russia’s interests and objectives in the region are considered. The author notes the changing political and economic ties between the North African states and global actors in the context of the increasing frequency of crises in the global energy sphere and the gradual deterioration of the political situation between the EU and Russia. 

The article examines the foundations of bilateral relations between Moldova and Romania since the collapse of the USSR. The author analyzes the phenomenon of Moldovan unionism and its influence on the foreign policy of Chisinau in the Romanian direction. Individual stages of Moldovan-Romanian relations are highlighted in the context of regular transformations of the internal political situation in Moldova.

The article examines the formation and activities of the British intelligence officer S. Hoare in Russia. His memories as a witness of the last days of the Russian Empire are very useful for researchers. Relations with representatives of the Russian liberal opposition allowed S. Hoare to gather important information about the Russian economy. The author concludes that Samuel Hoare significantly influenced Russia’s strengthening of the continental blockade.

The article is devoted to the history of formation of medical microbiology in Tsarist Russia. Since 1885 the first enthusiasts of «germ theory» in Russia with supporting of science patrons began to develop it in Odessa and St. Petersburg. The particular international type of scientific culture, which was embodied in the activity of bacteriological laboratories, is formed, but it had the local peculiarities. The microorganisms’ investigations in Russia at the end of 1880s were far from the interests of physicians.

In the article the life of the Saratov University during the First World War (before 1917) is examined. The changes in the activity of professorial and students’ corporations connected with the war’s tasks are analyzed. The special emphasis is made on indices of growth and development of this higher school.

The article is devoted to the study of the role and place of Harvard Institute for International Development in the Russian reforms during 1990s and peculiarities of the Institute’s functioning within Harvard University. Besides, the influence of the institute leading persons on the development of the American aid program to Russia and the circumstances of the institute’s liquidation are also studied.