E.H. Carr on Realism, Nationality, and Ukraine

• In Event: Russian Thought in Context: Literary Formations, Transnational Receptions, and Political Imaginings from Empire to Exile

Abstract

Given his role in the elaboration of realism in International Relations and his enthusiasm for large, multinational entities in his historical work on the Soviet Union, E.H. Carr is most often perceived as dismissive of the aspirations and interests of smaller nations. Yet Carr’s work reveals a more nuanced understanding both of realism and of the significance of emerging national movements within global power dynamics. Carr’s attention to the implications and consequences of nationality policy for Soviet history are innovative and underappreciated, particularly for their potential applications to modern understandings of the post-Soviet space. Based on the unpublished notes and drafts from Carr’s personal papers collection held at the University of Birmingham, this paper focuses on Carr’s views on Ukrainian nationalism and on the role of Ukraine and the Ukrainians in the negotiation of the “national question” in the formation of the USSR and for his understanding of the significance of small nations in his framing of IR realism. In doing so, it offers a redefined understanding of Carr’s contributions to historical analysis and his relevance to contemporary geopolitical discussions, particularly regarding Ukraine’s ongoing struggle for autonomy from Russia.

Authors

• Timothy K. Blauvelt, American Councils for International Education / Ilia State U (Georgia)

• Allison Mahr, U of Michigan