With the start of Perestroika and the policy of Glasnost created by Mikhail Gorbachev during the 1980s, many women in the Soviet Union started to feel open about themselves, more exclusively, their bodies. A sexual revolution was on the rise, women were starting to feel more in control of their bodies, and as such, they … Continue reading We Have No Sex Here →
Soviet Leisure Time
by •
Luzhniki Stadium (1957) During the 1950s and 60s, Soviet society saw a huge increase in urbanization. Nearly half of society was considered urban and universally literate. This expansion of higher education and training created a more complex world. Improvements in transportation, communication, and education helped draw people into these more urban areas and urban-based culture … Continue reading Soviet Leisure Time →
All is Fair in Love and War
by •
“Two Soldiers” During World War II, many things were changing, especially gender roles and the importance of romance in the lives of those on and off the battlefield. Because of the war, people were feeling the stress of not knowing if or when they would next see their loved ones. This desperation to find time … Continue reading All is Fair in Love and War →
The Emancipation of Soviet Citizens from Religion
by •
Religion is the Opiate of the People. After coming to power in 1917, the Bolsheviks made it their duty to “emancipate Soviet citizens from the scourge (or as Karl Marx put it, the “opiate”) of religion” (“Antireligious Propaganda”). Along with the literacy campaign, the attempt to dismantle religion also played a large role in the cultural … Continue reading The Emancipation of Soviet Citizens from Religion →
The Effects of War on Civilians
by •
During World War I in Russia, soldiers and civilians alike, were fighting a battle that they did not understand. Men were being drafted, leaving families at home with little to no help in their survival. Although Russia entered the war with plans for victory, “the multi-lateral conflict soon developed into a protracted war of … Continue reading The Effects of War on Civilians →
A Carpenter Tells All
by •
In this photograph, taken by Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii in 1905, we see a man working as a carpenter in a town known as Samarkand. Samarkand is located in present day Uzbekistan, and was once part of the Russian Empire. Samarkand was likely founded due to its location along the Silk Road. Due to its … Continue reading A Carpenter Tells All →
