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Soviet Histories. Part of Breaking Free: A Century of Russian Culture

Svetlana Alexievich speaks on oral history told by Russian women in World War Two, and Stephen Kotkin on Stalin. Rana Mitter sees a musical depicting Soviet hipsters and hippies.

Nobel prize winner Svetlana Alexeivich has collected oral histories of Russian people. Stephen Kotkin is publishing a three-volume history of Stalin. Rana Mitter talks to them about top down/bottom up histories and also hears from Juliane FΓΌrst about Soviet hipsters and hippies who challenged the system in ways that required no words.

Svetlana Alexeivich's books include The Unwomanly Face of War, Boys in Zinc and Chernobyl Prayer.

Stalin, Vol 2: Waiting for Hitler, 1928-1941 by Steven Kotkin has just been published. Stalin Paradoxes of Power 1878-1928 is now in paperback. Steven Kotkin is Professor of History and International Affairs at Princeton University.

Juliane FΓΌrst, Reader in Modern History at Bristol, is the co-producer of the documentary Soviet hippies (dir. Terje Toomistu) and the author of Stalin's Last Generation: Soviet Post-War Youth and the Emergence of Mature Socialism.

Part of Radio 3's Breaking Free: A Century of Russian Culture

Producer: Jacqueline Smith.

Available now

45 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Rana Mitter
Interviewed Guest Svetlana Alexievich
Interviewed Guest Stephen Kotkin
Interviewed Guest Juliane Furst
Producer Jacqueline Smith

Broadcast

  • Wed 8 Nov 2017 22:00

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