Honors College Professor David Rainbow Launches Lecture Series on Vladimir Putin
By Mallory Chesser (鈥�08)
Jan. 31, 2019
These days, Russia is big news. And Honors College Professor David Rainbow, a historian
of modern Europe and Russia, is in a unique position to offer insight on our sometimes-friend. Rainbow,
together with Dr. Alexey Golubev in the History Department, is leading an at UH and in the city of Houston.
Commissioned by The Houston Seminar, Rainbow has just launched the first of a four-part lecture series, 鈥淧ick Your Putin: Russia Today in the Shadows of the Past,鈥� in which he explores Russian and Soviet history as well as the myths Americans use to understand contemporary Russia and its infamous leader, Vladimir Putin.
鈥淲hen he became president in 2000,鈥� says Rainbow, 鈥淧utin was a virtually unknown figure, even in Russia. This proved to be very useful. He has been able to refashion himself鈥攁nd Russia鈥攂y drawing on various aspects of Russia鈥檚 centuries-long history.鈥�
These lectures, which take place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays from Jan. 31 through the end of Feb. are free to students and $10 for faculty and staff. Participants must register. to learn more and to register.
Professor Rainbow offers courses in modern Russian and Eurasian history and teaches in the Human Situation, a two-semester great books course taken by all Honors College freshmen. He is the editor of a book, 鈥淚deologies of Race: Imperial Russia and the Soviet Union in Global Context,鈥� forthcoming from McGill-Queens University Press and supported by several grants.
He is currently writing a book on the history of Russian and Soviet imperial power in Siberia from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. Before becoming a historian, he worked as an engineer aboard a merchant ship on the Pacific, a rancher in western North Dakota, and lived in Russia and Siberia several times.
Jan. 31 鈥� 鈥淎utocracy and its Limits: Putin the Tsar Is there truth to the clich茅 that Russians have always had strong rulers?鈥�
Feb. 7 鈥� 鈥淐old War Intelligence: Putin the Spy What were the particularities of the Soviet police state? How have its legacies impacted Russia under Putin, a veteran of the KGB?鈥�
Feb. 21 鈥� 鈥淧roperty and Power: Putin the Boss How has the Russian economy developed historically? What does the relationship between property and power look like in Russia?鈥�
Feb. 28 鈥� 鈥淓mpire or Nation? Putin the Patriot What is patriotism in Russia built upon today? How is it related to the country鈥檚 complicated imperial and Soviet past?鈥�
was founded in 1977 to stimulate learning and cultural awareness by sponsoring courses on political and social issues and the arts. The non-profit organization typically offers six to eight lecture series and tours each spring and fall on topics in art, music, literature, dance, theater, architecture, psychology, history, politics, the environment, or current trends and events.
The Honors College at the 威尼斯人娛樂城 is a nationally recognized learning community. As a vibrant, leading presence within the University, the Honors College attracts highly talented and motivated students and educators to a collegial environment where tradition is honored and possibilities are both created and realized.