Alexander Semyonov
- Head, Professor:HSE Campus in St. Petersburg / School of Arts and Humanities / Department of History
- Director:HSE Campus in St. Petersburg / School of Arts and Humanities / Centre for Historical Research
- Alexander Semyonov has been at HSE University since 2011.
Education and Degrees
- 2006
PhD in History
Central European University - 1998
Master's in History
Central European University, History - 1997
Degree in History
Ivanovo State University
Member of the executive committee of the joint international doctoral program “Global History of Empires” between the University of Turin and the Higher School of Economics, 2018 - to the present
Member of the Academic council of the Doctoral School of History of HSE, 2018 - to the present
Appointed as Honorary Research Fellow at the Graduate School for East and Southeast European Studies of the Ludwig Maximilian University and the University of Regensburg, 2016 - to the present
Research projects, awards, and visiting professorships
2019-2022, coordinator together with Prof. Dominic Lieven of the workshop series "Russia in the World of the Imperial Era (1650-1917)" of the Frederick Paulsen Programme for support of young Russian historians
2017-2020 -- co-director of the international research project "Post-imperial diversities: Majority-minority relations in the transition from empires to nation-states" in the ERA.Net RUS Plus framework and in consortium with the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity (University of Göttingen, Germany) and University of Eastern Finland
2019 - to the present, visiting professor at the Department of History, Central-European University (Vienna, Austria)
2019 - visiting professor at the Department of History, University of Turin (Turin, Italy)
2016 - to the present, Visiting Research Fellow and Honorary Research Associate, the Graduate School for East and Southeast European Studies, the University of Regensburg
2016-2017 - Project “Living together. Questions of diversity and unity in contemporary Russia: historical legacy, modern state, and society” (supported by the Foundation for Support of Liberal Arts)
2014-2016 - Co-director, international project “Comparative Historical Studies of Empire and Nationalism”
2015-2016 - Project “History of the End of the Cold War, the Diaries of Teymuraz Stepanov-Mamaladze” (supported by the Yeltsin Center Foundation)
2009-2014 Member of the Editorial Board of the international project "Russia’s Great War and Revolution, 1914-1922: A Centennial Reappraisal," Co-editor of the volume "Empire and Nationalism at War"
2010, Mellon Foundation European Scholar Fellow and Associate Visiting Professor, University of Chicago (USA)
2009, Associate Visiting Professor, History Department, University of Michigan (USA)
2008-2009, Methodology and curriculum expert (based in Smolny Institute) for the Russian Ministry of Education's project "The Program for the Advancement of Religious (Muslim) Education"
2006-2008, Research fellow of the collaborative project "Languages of Self-Description and Representation in the Russian Empire" Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
2006-2007, Methodology and curriculum expert (based in Smolny Institute) for the Russian Ministry of Education's project "Innovative Educational Ecology in a Classical University"
2007, Research fellow at the Center forEuropean Studies, Rutgers University (USA)
2004-2005, Academic director of the “Building Democracy in Multi-Ethnic Societies” Project of the US Department of State’s Freedom Support Educational Partnerships Program, Rutgers University (US), Kazan State University (Russia), on a rotating basis.
2001-2003, Bibliography expert, History of the Russian Empire in Comparative PerspectiveProject (The Central European University, the Open Society Institute)
1999-2000, Visiting Scholar at the W. Averell Harriman Institute, Columbia University (USA)
Student Term / Thesis Papers
- Bachelor
A. Kanaev, Ernst Niekisch National Bolshevism and the Soviet Union. School of Arts and Humanities, 2020
N. Fomin, The Debate on Political Autonomy in the State Duma of the Russian Empire and the Trial of Jan Baudouin de Courtenay in 1914.. Saint-Petersburg School of Social Sciences and Area Studies, 2018
Y. Kitaeva, The Perception of Soviet Foreign Policy During the Perestroika Period on the Materials of T. G. Stepanov-Mamaladze Diaries. Saint-Petersburg School of Social Sciences and Area Studies, 2017
L. Boliachevets, Questions of Post-Imperial Political Order in the Political Thought of the Eurasianism Movement, 1921-1938. Saint-Petersburg School of Social Sciences and Area Studies, 2016
K. Litvinenko, Soviet Architects in Viborg: Production of Heritage and Archeology of the Periphery in the Borderland City 1940s – 1960s. Saint-Petersburg School of Social Sciences and Area Studies, 2016
S. Strugatskaya, Discussions About the Features of the National Policy of the Soviet Union Towards the Jews by the Example of Magazines "Tribune" and "Revolution and Nationality", 1925 - 1937. Saint-Petersburg School of Social Sciences and Area Studies, 2016
- Master
V. Osminin, Russian Satirical Journals: Caricatures of 1905-1906 in the Context of Mass Politics. Saint-Petersburg School of Social Sciences and Area Studies, 2018
A. Castanho da maia petter, Imperial Gaze: Dom Pedro de Alcântara’s Visit to the Russian Empire in 1876. Saint-Petersburg School of Social Sciences and Area Studies, 2018
Courses (2020/2021)
Research fellow at the University of Regensburg (July-August 2016), presented a lecture "New Approaches to the History of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union: Politics of Diversity and Imperial Transformations" at the research seminar of the graduate school studies in Eastern and South - Eastern Europe in the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and the University of Regensburg
- History of Historical Science (Master’s programme; School of Arts and Humanities; 1 year, 1, 2 module)Eng
- Research Seminar (Bachelor’s programme; School of Arts and Humanities; 4 year, 1-3 module)Rus
- Research seminar “Boundaries of History” (Postgraduate course’s programme; 1 year, 1 semester)Rus
- Topics in Current Historiography and Historiographic Critique (Postgraduate course’s programme; 1 year, 1, 2 semester)Rus
- Past Courses
Courses (2019/2020)
- Global and Comparative History of Empires (Bachelor’s programme; School of Arts and Humanities; 3 year, 1, 2 module)Eng
- Global Histories of Empire (Master’s programme; School of Arts and Humanities; 2 year, 1, 2 module)Eng
- Research Seminar (Bachelor’s programme; School of Arts and Humanities; 4 year, 1-3 module)Rus
- Research seminar “Boundaries of History” (Postgraduate course’s programme; 1 year, 1 semester)Rus
Courses (2018/2019)
- Comparative History of Empires (Bachelor’s programme; School of Arts and Humanities; 3 year, 1, 2 module)Eng
- Introduction to Human History (Bachelor’s programme; School of Arts and Humanities; 1 year, 1-3 module)Rus
- Research seminar “Boundaries of History” (Postgraduate course’s programme; 1 year, 1 semester)Rus
- Theory and methods of contemporary historical knowledge (Postgraduate course’s programme; 1 year, 1 semester)Rus
- Topics in Current Historiography and Historiographic Critique (Postgraduate course’s programme; 1 year, 1 semester)Rus
Courses (2017/2018)
Courses (2015/2016)
Membership in editorial boards of scholarly series and publications
Co-founder and member of the editorial board of the international quarterly Ab Imperio: Studies of New Imperial History and Nationalism in Post-Soviet Space
Publications42
- Article Sablin I., Semyonov A. Autonomy and Decentralization in the Global Imperial Crisis: The Russian Empire and the Soviet Union in 1905–1924 // Modern Intellectual History. 2020. Vol. 17. No. 2. P. 543-560. doi
- Article Semyonov A. Imperial parliament for a hybrid empire: Representative experiments in early 20th century Russian Empire // Journal of Eurasian Studies. 2020. Vol. 11. No. 1. P. 30-39. doi
- Article Semyonov A., Judson P. FINDING EMPIRE BEHIND MULTINATIONALITY IN THE HABSBURG CASE: INTERVIEW WITH PIETER JUDSON // Ab imperio. 2019. No. 1. P. 25-43. doi
- Article Semyonov A., Glebov S. MARK VON HAGEN: MEMBER OF THE EDITORIAL BOARD OF AB IMPERIO (2000–2019) // Ab imperio. 2019. No. 3. P. 229-232. doi
- Chapter Semyonov A. Wither Russian Liberalism?, in: Dimensions and Challenges of Russian Liberalism: Historical Drama and New Prospects / Ed. by R. M. Cucciolla. Vol. 8. Cham : Springer, 2019. doi P. 27-42. doi
- Article Semyonov A. The Ambiguity of Federalism as a Postimperial Political Vision: Editorial Introduction // Ab imperio. 2018. No. 3. P. 23-30. doi
- Chapter Семенов А. М. Глобальная история: окончательный синтез научного исторического знания или продолжение диалога? // В кн.: Что такое глобальная история? / Под общ. ред.: А. М. Семенов. М. : Новое литературное обозрение, 2018. С. 7-13.
- Book Конрад С. Что такое глобальная история? / Под общ. ред.: А. М. Семенов. М. : Новое литературное обозрение, 2018.
- Article Semyonov A. How Five Empires Shaped the World and How This Process Shaped Those Empires // Ab imperio. 2017. No. 4. P. 27-51. doi
- Article Semyonov A., Smith J. Nationalism and Empire before and after 1917 // Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism. 2017. Vol. 17. No. 3. P. 369-380. doi
- Book Герасимов И. В., Могильнер М. Б., Глебов С. В., Семенов А. М. Новая имперская история Северной Евразии / Науч. ред.: И. В. Герасимов. Каз. : Ab Imperio, 2017.
- Article Semyonov A., Conrad S. “Global History Is More than the History of Globalization”: Interview with Sebastian Conrad // Ab imperio. 2017. No. 1. P. 23-43. doi
- Article Semyonov A., Gerasimov I., Glebov S., Каплуновский А., Mogilner M. From the editors // Ab imperio. 2015. Vol. 2. P. 17-23.
- Article Semyonov A., Gerasimov I., Glebov S., Каплуновский А., Mogilner M. Time, forward! Discussion of historical time, Pasts' Futures, and History Manifesto by David Armitage and Jo Guldi // Ab imperio. 2015. Vol. 1. P. 15-20.
- Chapter Герасимов И. В., Могильнер М. Б., Семенов А. М. Российская социология в имперском контексте // В кн.: Науки о человеке: история дисциплин / Отв. ред.: И. М. Савельева, А. Н. Дмитриев. М. : Издательский дом НИУ ВШЭ, 2015. С. 263-298.
- Article Gerasimov I., Glebov S., Kaplunovski A., Mogilner M., Semyonov A. Do the "Assemblage Points" exist? // Ab imperio. 2014. Vol. 1. P. 9-21.
- Article Gerasimov I., Glebov S., Kaplunovski A., Mogilner M., Semyonov A. From the Editors // Ab imperio. 2014. Vol. 2. P. 13-16.
- Article Semyonov A., Gerasimov I., Glebov S., Mogilner M., Каплуновский А. From the editors: Making sense of an embarrassment of riches: Discipline or celebrate? // Ab imperio. 2014. Vol. 4. P. 14-18.
- Article Semyonov A., Gerasimov I., Glebov S., Mogilner M., Каплуновский А. From the editors: Time gaps (bezvremenie) as “the moment of truth” // Ab imperio. 2014. Vol. 3. P. 17-21.
- Book The Empire and Nationalism at War / Ed. by E. Lohr, V. Tolz, A. Semyonov, M. von Hagen. Bloomington : Slavica Publications, 2014.
- Chapter Semyonov A. “Greater Britain” into “Greater Russia”: A Case of Imagining Empire and Nation in the Early Twentieth Century Russian Empire, in: Eutropes: The Paradox of European Empire Issue 7: Cahiers Parisiens/Parisian Notebooks. P., Chicago : University of Chicago Center in Paris, 2014. P. 25-48.
- Article Gerasimov I., Glebov S., Kaplunovski A., Mogilner M., Semyonov A. Emancipatory hybridity // Ab imperio. 2013. No. 4. P. 9-15.
- Article Gerasimov I., Glebov S., Kaplunovski A., Mogilner M., Semyonov A. From the editors: The liberty of translating freedom // Ab imperio. 2013. No. 3. P. 16-22.
- Article Gerasimov I., Glebov S., Kaplunovski A., Mogilner M., Semyonov A. Heralds of freedom // Ab imperio. 2013. No. 2. P. 17-23.
- Chapter Semyonov A., Gerasimov I., Mogilner M. Russian Sociology in Imperial Context, in: Sociology and Empire: The Imperial Entanglements of A Discipline. L., Durham : Duke University Press, 2013. Ch. 2. P. 53-82.
- Article Gerasimov I., Glebov S., Каплуновский А., Mogilner M., Semyonov A. The alien origins of freedom // Ab imperio. 2013. No. 1. P. 15-20.
- Chapter Semyonov A. Russian Liberalism and the Problem of Imperial Diversity, in: Liberal Imperialism in Europe / Науч. ред.: M. P. Fitzpatrick. Бейсингсток : Palgrave Macmillan, 2012. P. 67-89.
- Article Semyonov A., Glebov S. The Arc of Thinking About Nationalism in Challenging Time // Ab imperio. 2012. No. 1. P. 245-250.
- Book Конфессия, империя, нация: Религия и проблема разнообразия в истории постсоветского пространства / Науч. ред.: А. М. Семенов, И. В. Герасимов, М. Б. Могильнер. М. : Новое издательство, 2012.
- Book Империя и нация в зеркале исторической памяти: Сборник статей / Науч. ред.: А. М. Семенов, И. В. Герасимов, М. Б. Могильнер. М. : Новое издательство, 2011.
- Article Semyonov A., Mogilner M., Gerasimov I., Burbank J., Cooper F. Interview: the challenge and serendipity of writing world history through the prime of empire // Ab imperio. 2010. No. 2. P. 22-45.
- Chapter Semyonov A. Mirrors of Imperial Imagination in Early Twentieth Century Russia Empire, in: Imperial Victims–Empires as Victims: 44 Views / Ofiary imperiόw - Imperia jako ofiary: 44 spojrzenia / Ed. by A. Nowak. Warsz. : -, 2010. P. 139-152.
- Book Мифы и заблуждения в изучении империи и национализма / Науч. ред.: А. М. Семенов, И. В. Герасимов, М. Б. Могильнер. М. : Новое издательство, 2010.
- Book Semyonov A., Gerasimov I., Mogilner M., Glebov S., Kusber J., Petersen H., Stoler A. L. Empire Speaks Out: Languages of Rationalization and Self-Description in the Russian Empire / Ed. by A. Semyonov, J. Kusber, I. Gerasimov. Vol. 1. Boston, Leiden : Brill, 2009.
- Chapter Семенов А. М. Революция 1905 года: ускользающая либеральная альтернатива? // В кн.: Антропология революции / Науч. ред.: И. Прохорова, А. Дмитриев, И. В. Кукулин, М. Майофис. Вып. 76. М. : Новое литературное обозрение, 2009. С. 101-126.
- Chapter Semyonov A. Wither the Liberal Alternative? Historical Memory and Historical Alternatives, in: Das Zarenreich, das Jahr 1905 und seine Wirkungen. Bestandsaufnahmen. Berlin : LIT Verlag, 2007. P. 351-381.
- Book Новая имперская история постсоветского пространства / Науч. ред.: А. М. Семенов, И. В. Герасимов, М. Б. Могильнер, А. Каплуновский, С. В. Глебов. Каз. : Центр Исследований Национализма и Империи, 2004.
- Chapter Семенов А. М. Обзор работы международной конференции «История империй:сравнительные методы в изучении и преподавании» // В кн.: Российская империя в сравнительной перспективе / Отв. ред.: А. И. Миллер. М. : Новое издательство, 2004. С. 15-30.
- Chapter Семенов А. М. Знание как политика и призвание (По материалам истории российской Конституционно-демократической партии) // В кн.: Власть и наука. Ученые и власть. 1880-е—начало 1920-ых годов: Материалы Международного научного коллоквиума / Отв. ред.: Н. Смирнов. СПб. : Дмитрий Буланин, 2003. С. 358-378.
- Article Semyonov A., Anderson B. “We Study Empires as We Do Dinosaurs:” Nations, Nationalism, and Empire in a Critical Perspective. Interview with Ben Anderson // Ab imperio. 2003. No. 3. P. 57-73.
Conferences and public lectures
- Online-conference “Trade and Empire: Productivity, Economic Exchange, and Differences in Eurasia,” July, 22-30, 2020, discussant, “Commerce and Visions of Diverse Social and Political Space” and “Routes, Spaces, and Commerce”
- 51th Convention of the Association for Slavic, East European and Eurasien Studies (ASEEES), San Francisco, November, 23-26, 2019, paper “Russian Exceptionalism: National or Imperial?”
- Conference “Situating the ‘Global’ in Contemporary Humanities,” St. Petersburg, October, 17-19, 2019, chair of the round table, “Global History of Empires” and “Citizenship and Empire”
- Conference “Versailles and Rights: A Centenary Appraisal,” Helsinki, June, 3-4, 2019, co-chair (organized in frames of the research project ERA.Net RUS Plus “Post-imperial diversities: Majority-minority relations in the transition from empires to nation-states” together with the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies)
- Conference “Parliaments and Political Transformations in Europe and Asia: Diversity and Representation in the 20th and 21st Century,” Heidelberg, February, 12-13, 2019, paper “Imperial Parliament for a Hybrid Empire: Representative Experiments in Early Twentieth Century Russia”
- 50th Convention of the Association for Slavic, East European and Eurasien Studies (ASEEES), Boston, December, 6-9, 2018, paper “A Whig Interpretation of History for Empire: From Imperial Sovereignty to ShamConstitutionalism of the State Duma Politics
- 132nd American Historical Association (AHA) Annual Meeting, Washington DC, USA, 7–10 января, 2018. Theme: Race, Ethnicity, and Nationalism in Global Perspective. Chair of the Panels: "Political Imaginaries at the End of Empire" & "Globalizing Russia’s Imperial Turn: Perspectives from Kritika and Ab Imperio"
- 49th Convention of the Association for Slavic, East European and Eurasien Studies (ASEEES), Chicago, November, 9-12, 2017, discussant, “Constructing Social, Political, and National Identities in Late Tsarist Russia,” chair of the round table, “Book Discussion Roundtable: ‘A New Imperial History of Northern Eurasia’” by Ab Imperio
- International Workshop "Dimensions and Challenges of Russian Liberalism". October 26th–28th, 2017, University of Turin. Paper "Dilemmas of Liberalism in the Russian Imperial Context"
- Workshop: “Imperial Revolution of 1917: Post-Imperial Imaginaries and Revolutionary Politics in the Context of Diversity,” Ab Imperio, Center for Historical Research, HSE St. Petersburg, Foundation for Support of Liberal Arts, 09-10.06.2017
- Joint seminar of the Center for Historical Research and the Copenhagen University “Contested Global history”, St. Petersburg, June 7, 2017
- 48th Convention of the Association for Slavic, East European, & Eurasian Studies (ASEEES), Washington, November, 16-20, 2016, chair of the round table, “New Turns in the Imperial Turn: Empire and the Russian Past,” discussant, “Western Borderlands in the Mental Maps of the Imperial Elite: Lithuania, Ukraine, Bessarabia”
- Far Eastern Federal University, August 21-28, 2016. Teaching at the summer school "The Problem and Politics of Diversity: The Russian Empire and Soviet Union in Comparative Perspective"
- Conference "Law, Empire, and Global Intellectual History" (Heidelberg University, Germany), paper “Diversity Management and the Russian Empire: Autonomy and Decentralization in the Global Imperial Crisis, 1905–1924” (with Ivan Sablin), June 19–21, 2016
- The 130th American Historical Association (AHA) Annual Meeting, Atlanta, USA January 7–10, 2016, paper theme: “Critics of Democracy in the Russian Empire: Residual Political Culture or Alternative Political Imagination for Pluralistic Space”
- Conference in the Institute for Humanities Research and Indigenous Studies of the North, “XX- the beginning of XXI century: research paradigm», December 1-2, 2015, Yakutsk, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), plenary speech: “Modern approaches to study the history of Empire as a regime of diversity management”
- International Conference “47th Annual ASEEES Convention”, Philadelphia, the United States, November 19-22, 2015, chairman on the round table “Race, Nation, and State on the Imperial Periphery: Siberian and Far Eastern Imperial Situations”
- Conference «Poletaev readings», Moscow, October, 9, 2015, paper theme «Historians «social» и historians «political»: describing the experience of the modernizing empires»
- International Congress “IX ICCEES World Congress”, Mukuhari, Japan, August, 3-8, 2015, Presentation: “Buddhism, Socialism, and Nationalism in Post-Imperial North Asia, 1905–1924” and “The Concept of Minority and Its Making in the Russian Empire of the Duma Period”
- Conference “XVI April International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development”, Moscow, April 7-10, 2015, Session Moderator: “New methodological approach in history”-1, “New methodological approach in history”-2
- Conference «Local Impacts of Changing International Borders», Berlin, December 2-4, 2014, Presentation «The End of Empires: The Russian Empire».
- Conference “Nordic Exploratory Workshop I”, Jyväskylä, October 17-19, 2014. Presentation: “Imperial Subjecthood, the Redefinition of Political Belonging, and Constitutional Reform in the Romanov Empire in the Early 20th Century”.
- Conference «Deutsche und Russen im Dialog - Kompetenz, Erfahrung, Kontinuität», Berlin, September 26-29, 2014, Discussant at the Workshop „Bildungschancen in der Russischen Föderation“.http://www.go-east-generationen.de/0-aktuelles/forum2014.html
- International Conference “Patriotic Cultures During the World War I” European University at St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, June 11-13, 2014, Discussant at the panel: “The Patriotism of Occupied Nations”
- Association for the study of nationalities (ASN), 19th Annual World Convention, Columbia University, Harriman Institute, Columbia University, New York City, April 24-26, paper: "Imperial Revolution and Imperial Citizenship in the Russian Empire in Early Twentieth Century".
- International Conference "US-Russia Dual Degree Partnership Network" Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, SUNY Global Center, New York City, January 30- February 1, 2014, Moderators' panel: "Recommendations for Governments, Unviversity Administrators, Faculty, and Students."
- Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES), 45th Convention, Boston, USA, November 21-24, 2013, panel “Imperial and Anti-Imperial Revolutions and the Russia’s City of the Early Twentieth Century”, paper: “Russianness-Non-Russianness, Center-Periphery, and Federalism and Anti-Federalism: Contexts of the Russian Imperial Revolution”
- International Symposium "Imperial Legacies of the Russian Empire and the USSR: Nations, Territories, and Ideologies" Asia-Pacific Research Center, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea, November 7-8, 2013, paper: "Imperial Legacy and the Imperial Revolution in the Russian Empire of the Early Twentieth Century"
- International Research Workshop "Tales of Two Empires: Ottoman and Russian Imperial Studies Compared" Amherst College, USA, November 1-2, 2013, paper: "Empire as a Context Setting Category"
- International Research Workshop "When Postcolonial Meets Postimperial: Sovereignty, Politics of Difference, and Composite Society in Comparative Perspective," National Research University-Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg, May 27-28, 2013, Chair of the Organizing Committee, Paper: "Invisible Empire? Languages of Rationalization of Imperial Diversity"
- International Conference “In Search of Empire: the 400th Anniversary of the House of Romanov” Columbia University, New York (USA), February 14th-16th 2013, paper: “‘Conservative’ and ‘Revolutionary’ Monarchy: Reflections on the Institutions of the Russian Monarchy in the Age of Mass Politics"
- International conference “Empire and Nationalism in World War I”, St. Petersburg State University, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, June 8-9, 2012. Chair of the organizing commitee, participant, paper title: “Imperial Revolutions of the Early Twentieth Century”
- International Conference “Making Sense of Exceptionalism and Diversity in Composite Polities and Societies: Past and Present,” Center for the Study of Nationalism and Empire-Ab Imperio, Kazan, Russia Казань, May 17-21, 2012, paper: “Exceptionalism as a Normative Concept”
- IX Sino-Soviet Summer Archive Workshop, Stanford University, Hoover Institution of War Peace and Revolution, US, July 17-31 2011, paper: "Imperial Sovereignty and Political Representation"
Grants
2019-2022, coordinator together with Prof. Dominic Lieven of the workshop series "Russia in the World of the Imperial Era (1650-1917)" of the Frederick Paulsen Programme for support of young Russian historians
2018-2020, co-director together with Prof. Matthias Koenig and Prof. Jeremy Smith of the Era.net Plus Rus Research Consortium (HSE, Geottingen University, University of Eastern Finland) “Post-Imperial Diversities -- Majority-minority Relations in the Transition from Empires to Nations-States”
2016-2018, co-director of the research project “Living together. Questions of diversity and unity in contemporary Russia: historical legacy, modern state, and society” supported by the Kudrin Foundation
2014-2016, co-director (with Ronald Suny) of the HSE University International Research Project “Comparative Historical Studies of Empire and Nationalism”
2008-09, Methodology and curriculum expert (based in Smolny Institute) for the Russian Ministry of Education's project "The Program for the Advancement of Religious (Muslim) Education"
2006-2008, Research fellow of the collaborative project "Languages of Self-Description and Representation in the Russian Empire" Volkswagenstiftung grant, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
2006-07, Methodology and curriculum expert (based in Smolny Institute) for the Russian Ministry of Education's project "Innovative Educational Ecology in a Classical University"
2004-2005, Academic director of the “Building Democracy in Multi-Ethnic Societies” Project of the US Department of State’s Freedom Support Educational Partnerships Program, Rutgers University (US), Kazan State University (Russia), on a rotating basis.
Employment history
2019 - to the present, visiting professor at the Department of History, Central-European University (Vienna, Austria)
2019 - to the present, visiting professor at the Department of History, University of Turin (Turin, Italy)
2016 - to the present, Visiting Research Fellow and Honorary Research Associate, the Graduate School for East and Southeast European Studies, the University of Regensburg
2016, March, visiting professor at the Department of History and Ethnology, Jyvaskyla University, Finland
2014-2016, Associate Director for Research, National Research University-Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg
2011 – 2012, Bard College Academic Representative, Smolny Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, St. Petersburg State University (Russia), Bard College (USA)
2010-2012, Recurrent visiting professor of history at the International MA in Russian and Eurasian Studies, European University in St. Petersburg
2010, Associate Visiting Professor at the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures and Department of History, University of Chicago
2009, Associate Visiting Professor, History Department, University of Michigan
2007, Research fellow at the Center for European Studies, Rutgers University
2006-2018, Associate Professor of History and Political Science, Smolny Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, St. Petersburg State University (Russia), Bard College (USA)
2006-2008, Research fellow of the collaborative project "Languages of Self-Description and Representation in the Russian Empire" Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
2004–2006, Associate Dean for International Students, Smolny College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, St. Petersburg State University (Russia), Bard College (USA)
2003-2006, Assistant Professor in History and Political Science, Smolny Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, St. Petersburg State University (Russia), Bard College (USA)
1999-2000, Visiting Scholar at the W. Averell Harriman Institute, Columbia University
Media appearances
- Guest at the program “The War That Changed the World”, BBC, theme: “St. Petersburg: Revolution”
- Talk show of the Radio Echo of St. Petersburg: The Crimea, Ukraine, and Russia, A View from History
- Talk show of the Radio Echo of Moscow: Wither Nationalism in Russia?
Alexander Semyonov's contribution to the project "Why Europe, which Europe?"
EuropeDebate provides a platform for a dialogue among historians about European history’s contributions to understanding the past and the present. Now Alexander Semyonov's article "Provincializing Europe, De-centering Europe, Hybridizing Europe" is available on the platform.
New articles by Alexander Semyonov and Anton Kotenko
Articles have been prepared as part of the "Post-Imperial Diversity" project which is being implemented in 2018-2020 as part of a fundamental research competition conducted by the RFBR in the Era.net RUS Plus Research Program in a research consortium with the Karelian Institute of the University of Eastern Finland and the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity of the University of Goettingen, Germany
"Boundaries of History": Laurie Manchester about Russians from Harbin
On September 5, the first seminar in this academic year, “The Shifting Identities of Russian Repatriates from China Before and After the Collapse of the Soviet Union,” was held as part of the “Boundaries of History” program. Laurie Manchester from Arizona State University, USA, spoke to students and professors.
Empires without Emperors, Emperors without Empires: Alexander Semyonov gave an interview to «Expert Online»
Online newspaper «Expert Online» has published the interview with Alexander Semyonov, Director of the Centre for Historical Research and Head of the Depatment of History.
Summer school “Russian Empire/Soviet Union through the Lens of Global and New Imperial Histories” in Tyumen
The Center for Historical Research co-organized with the Journal Ab Imperio and Tyumen State University a summer school “Russian Empire/Soviet Union through the Lens of Global and New Imperial Histories”
Conference "Versailles and Rights: A Centenary Appraisal" was held at Helsinki
On June 3-4, 2019 at Helsinki was held a conference "Versailles and Rights: A Centenary Appraisal" organized in frames of the research project "Post-imperial diversities: Majority-minority relations in the transition from empires to nation-states" together with the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies.
Alexander Semenov and Anton Kotenko at the EuParl.Net seminar in Heidelberg
On February 12-13, Heidelberg hosted the conference “Parliaments and Political Transformations in Europe and Asia: Diversity and Representation in the 20th and 21st Century”, supported by the EuParl.Net network. (part of which is the Center for Historical Research in St. Petersburg). The workshop, which is part of the project “Entangled Parliamentarisms: Constitutional Practices in Russia, Ukraine, China and Mongolia, 1905 - 2005,” was devoted to the exploring the role of parliaments in Eastern Europe and East Asia.
Professor Semyonov's talk at London School of Economics: video
The topic of the presentations was the current state of research in imperial Russia, as well as political relevance and knowledge both in Russia and abroad.
LSE and HSE University – St Petersburg Support Russian Historians
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and HSE University – St Petersburg launch the Paulsen Programme, funded by the Dr Frederik Paulsen Foundation, in order to support historians in Russia who have been working on the period from the mid 17th century to 1918.
New Double Degree Postgraduate Programme in History
HSE University in St. Petersburg and University of Turin have signed an agreement for a new Double Degree PhD programme in History.
Boundaries of History - Louise McReynolds
On June 14, 2018 Department of History and the Center for Historical Research at the HSE in St Petersburg had a session of the “Boundaries of History” research seminar where Louise McReynolds, professor from the University of North Carolina presented a talk "Excavating Empire: Russian Archeologists and the ‘Imperial Imaginary’, 1804-1918". The talk was devoted to the ongoing project that looks at the evolution of archeology, emergent in the 19th century as a new kind of discipline for studying human cultures. This project includes a vital digital component that was also presented to the audience
Joint Research Summer School of the Free University Berlin, Humboldt University Berlin, and HSE in St. Petersburg
From May 27 - June 2, 2018, HSE in St. Petersburg hosted International Research Summer School "History of Empires in a Global Age, 1870 - 1920". The School was co-organized by the Free University of Berlin and Humboldt University, Berlin.
A New Routledge Series
Routledge, the world's leading academic publisher in the Humanities and Social Sciences, launches a new series on Imperial Hisrory: Imperial Transformations – Russian, Soviet and Post-Soviet History. Series' editors are the Head of the Working group of the International Research Project "Comparative Historical Studies of Empire and Nationalism" Professor Alexander Semyonov, and the Head of the Project Professor Ronald G.Suny.
Exploring Eurasian Sovereignty through the Lens of Kazan
On Monday, March 19, Jane Burbank, Professor of History and Russian and Slavic Studies at New York University, delivered a lecture entitled ‘Eurasian Sovereignty: The Case of Kazan’ at the Department of History and the Centre for Historical Research at HSE St. Petersburg.
Boundaries of History
In this issue of The HSE Look, we would like to focus on three of the many seminar series which are held at HSE, and we are glad to present the interview with Alexander Semyonov about the seminar Boundaries of History at HSE St. Petersburg.
'A Life Changing Experience': US Students Visit St. Petersburg
From January 5 to 20 2018, HSE in St. Petersburg for the second time hosted a special J-Term programme for American students from Smith and Amherst Colleges, as well as the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Alexander Semyonov advises Brazilian TV show
Weekly TV-show Fantástico made a report about the centerary of October Revolution. The report was based on an interview with the director of the Center for Historial Research Alexander Semyonov.
Dominic Lieven gave public lecture at HSE in St Petersburg
On October 11, Professor Dominic Lieven delivered a public lecture at the HSE St Petersburg. Lecture was titled “Reflections on empire, Russia and historical comparison” and was organized by the Center for Historical Research.
"Boundaries of History": Frank Grüner
On Thursday, September 28, the regular research seminar "Boundaries of History" was held. Frank Grüner presented his paper titled "Entangled Histories: The Russian Revolutions of 1905 and 1917 in Harbin and the CER Zone"
On September 27, Justice Albert "Albie" Sachs Gave a Public Lecture
On September 27, renowned human rights activist and South Africa Constitutional Court Justice (1994 – 2009) Albie Sachs delivered a public lecture titled “Forging a Constitution for the New South Africa: from Racism to Equal Rights for All” at the HSE St Petersburg. The lecture was organized by the Center for Historical Research and the School of Law, HSE St Petersburg, in collaboration with the Fund for Support of Liberal Education and the Center for Study of Civil Society and Human Rights.
Partnership between University of Michigan and HSE St Petersburg
The Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (CREES) is pleased to announce that on May 26, 2017, the Regents of the University of Michigan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on its behalf with the National Research University Higher School of Economics, St. Petersburg (HSE). The purpose of the MOU is to promote cooperation in history, sociology, political science, anthropology, and other social sciences and humanities units involved in academic research between CREES and the HSE Center for Historical Research.
Partnership with University of Jyvaskyla
Alexander Semyonov took part in the faculty exchange as part of the partnership between the department of history HSE St Petersburg at the department of history and ethnology of the University of Jyvaskyla that has been supported for the second year by the grant from the Center for International Education (Finland).
History postdocs at HSE St Petersburg
The Higher School of Economics Centre for Historical Research in St. Petersburg, Russia invites applications for postdoctoral research positions in the field of history (application deadline 15 March 2017)
About Post-Doc Program for Researchers
Each year HSE hires post-doctoral researchers, accepting applications from all over the world, and they join various laboratories and centres. This year two Fellows joined the Center for Historical Research
Alexander Semyonov has taken up the position of a visiting fellow at the University of Regensburg
Professor and Сhair of the History Department Alexander Semyonov has taken up the position of a visiting fellow at the University of Regensburg (Germany).
Bordering Religion in (Post) Cold War Worlds
On June 16-18, the international conference on anthropology ‘Bordering Religion in (Post) Cold War Worlds’ was held at HSE St. Petersburg. The event was organized by Angie Heo from the University of Chicago Divinity School (USA) and Zhanna Kormina, HSE Professor.
Early Mapping: The Tsardom in Manuscript
On June 2, 2016, Professor Valerie Kivelson (University of Michigan) made a presentation titled "Early Mapping: The Tsardom in Manuscript" at the regular research seminar «Boundaries of History» of the Center for Historical Research and the Department of History of Higher School of Economics in Saint Petersburg.
Seminar "Civil War: A History in Ideas" & "Horizons of the History: Time, Space and the Future of the Past"
The regular seminar “Boundaries of History” took place on May 26, 2016, where the presentation called “Civil War: A History in Ideas” was made by professor David Armitage. He is the Lloyd C. Blankfein Professor of History and Chair of the Department of History at Harvard University, where he teaches international history and intellectual history. David Armitage is also an Affiliated Professor in the Harvard Government Department and at Harvard Law School and is an Honorary Professor of History at the University of Sydney.
Empire in World War I: Causes and Consequences
On May 12, 2016, Professor Dominic Lieven (Senior Research Fellow, Trinity College, Cambridge, and Fellow of the British Academy) made a presentation titled "Empire in World War I: Causes and Consequences" at the regular research seminar Boundaries of History of the Centre for Historical Research and the Department of History of the Higher School of Economics in Saint Petersburg.
Federalism and Regionalism in Russia and Germany
On April 19, 2016, in the HSE within the framework of the 13th German Week in St. Petersburg the international seminar "Federalism and Regionalism in Russia and Germany" took place.
Competition and Cooperation
On April 19th, 2016, a seminar on ‘Federalism and Regionalism in Russia and Germany’ took place at HSE in St. Petersburg as part of the 13th German Week in St. Petersburg. The seminar was organized by the Department of History and the Department of Political Science at HSE in St. Petersburg together with the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in St. Petersburg and the Forum of Federations.
Seminar "Rethinking Disability: Historical Perspectives on Vulnerable Citizens at Times of Crisis"
Dr. Baar, M.K. (Lecturer at Leiden University) made a presentation titled "Rethinking Disability: Historical Perspectives on Vulnerable Citizens at Times of Crisis" at the regular research seminar Boundaries of History of the Centre for Historical Research and the Department of History of the Higher School of Economics in Saint Petersburg.
The Future of Research, Usable Pasts and the Social Research Possibilities of Gaming
The International Student Research Forum in early February at HSE in St. Petersburg brought together over 300 participants from eight countries.
Imperial Transformations — Russian, Soviet and Post-Soviet History
In December 2015, leading international academic Ronald Suny chaired a seminar at HSE St Petersburg on Imperial Transformations – Russian, Soviet and Post-Soviet History, which was part of the international research project Comparative Historical Studies of Empire and Nationalism.
Creating Public History for Millions: World War II and the Holocaust
On 14th of December, 2015, Raye Farr, documentary filmmaker, director of Steven Spielberg Film & Video Archive US Holocaust Memorial Museum, the former director of the permanent exhibition of the Holocaust Museum in Washington, USA, presented her report, which was called "Creating Public History for Millions: World War II and the Holocaust ". This seminar was organized by Department of History of HSE and US Consulate General.
HSE Department of History Receives DFG Grant
Professor Peter Strohschneider, President of the German Research Foundation (DFG) awarded a grant to Director of HSE – St. Petersburg Professor Sergey Kadochnikov during his recent visit to HSE. The grant is intended for expanding the library of the Department of History.
World Congress of the International Council for Central and East European Studies
On August 3rd-8th 2015, a working group from the International Research Project ‘Comparative Historical Studies of Empire and Nationalism’ took part in the ICCEES Congress in Japan.
World Congress of the International Council for Central and East European Studies
On August 3rd-8 th 2015, a working group from the International Research Project ‘Comparative Historical Studies of Empire and Nationalism’ took part in the ICCEES Congress in Japan.
Culture of Historical Memory: World War II and Political Regimes of the 20th Century
A group of 14 undergraduate and postgraduate students from the Department of History at HSE St. Petersburg took part in a joint research and educational seminar with Humboldt University in Berlin and Bielefeld. The seminar, which was devoted to the culture of historical memory of World War II and Political Regimes of the 20th century, was led by Alexander Semyonov, Head of the Department of History, Dietmar Wulff, Associate Professor at the Department and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Kerstin Bischl of the Humboldt University Chair for the History of Eastern Europe. The trip was made possible thanks to a grant from the German Academic Exchange Service.
Culture of Historical Memory: World War II and Political Regimes of the 20th century
Research Seminar for the Students of the Department of History, HSE in St. Petersburg and the Humboldt University in Berlin and Bielefeld
UNITO and HSE St. Petersburg Boost Cooperation
In late June an official delegation from HSE St. Petersburg comprising Sergey Kadochnikov, Alexander Semyonov, Tatyana Alexeeva, Elena Rogova and Christopher Gerry visited Turin university, where they signed an agreement on cooperation.
A Gathering of Historians
Zelenogorsk hosted an international conference on the history of diverse societies, as well as on the history of nationalism. The conference, which was called ‘Ruptures and Continuities in Histories of Empire: Federalism, Regionalism, and Autonomies as Alternative Political Imaginaries of Post-Imperial Political Order’, was organized by the Department of History at HSE - St. Petersburg and drew leading experts in the field of ‘new imperial history’.
Opening of Richard Stites Memorial Library
On Thursday 4th June the Richard Stites Memorial Library opened at HSE St Petersburg. Courtney Nemroff, USA Acting Consul General to St Petersburg was there for the grand opening ceremony.
Imagining Post-Imperial Order: New Historical Study of the Imperial Crisis
December 19-21, 2014 the international research project "Comparative Historical Studies of Empire and Nationalism" under directorship of Ronald Suny held a three-day seminar «Imagining Post-Imperial Order: New Historical Study of the Imperial Crisis» in Repino.