Born Under a Red Star: Children of Russia’s Revolution at Home, at School, and at Play

To understand a particular society, consider how it regards its children. In the USSR, children represented more than future guardians of culture and tradition, they were the lifeblood of the revolution. The state's existence depended on how well it imbued its youth with the spirit of socialism. Soviet children were politically privileged, but also constant victims of poverty and political turmoil. In this seminar we will study their experiences at school, at home, and at play. Using schoolbooks, fairytales, diaries, drawings, and the material culture of sports, toys, and fashion, we will explore childhood (Soviet and otherwise) as a historically constructed phenomenon. 3 hrs. sem.