Courses

Joseph Stalin reshaped the Soviet Union—and the world—through relentless ambition and sweeping transformation. Stalin’s policies and propaganda defined an era and left a legacy that still stirs debate. This course traces his rise in three key phases: his early years as a Marxist revolutionary in Imperial Russia (1899–1917), his ascent within the Soviet leadership after the Bolshevik Revolution (1917–24), and his three-decade rule over the USSR (1924–53). We will examine Stalin’s “second revolution” of forced industrialization and collectivization, the Gulag system that instilled a culture of fear, and his World War II leadership, which propelled the Soviet Union to superpower status. We will also explore his impact on Soviet culture, from promoting loyal artists (Sergei Eisenstein) to persecuting dissenting voices (Dmitri Shostakovich). Using Robert Service’s acclaimed biography, along with films, music, and Stalin’s own speeches, we will explore his contradictions: How did he justify terror alongside progress? Why does he remain admired by some, including Vladimir Putin, despite his atrocities? Together, we will explore the paradoxes of a leader who shaped a global power yet cast a long shadow over history.