Frenemies, or History of Russian-American Relations

For over two centuries, Russia and the United States have often served as mirror images of each other — alternating between friendship and enmity, and frequently using the image of the other for domestic political purposes. This course explores the complex relationship between these two nations beyond traditional diplomatic relations, exploring political imagination, technological exchanges, ideological rivalries, and military alliances. We will examine key themes such as slavery and serfdom and their abolitions, continental expansions, Russian emigration, and the influence of American technologies on Russia. The course will trace the cyclical nature of their relationship — from wartime alliances to Cold War hostilities — and conclude with an analysis of post-Cold War dynamics and current interactions between the two societies. Counts as a course in culture and civilization.