Rethinking Soviet Jewish Emigration

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Brief Description

The historiography of Soviet Jewish emigration has evolved considerably in recent years, reflecting the complexities of motivations, experiences, and identities of those who chose to break ties with the Soviet Union and its successor states. Our roundtable addresses this evolution and illuminates how the history of Soviet Jewish emigration enriches and challenges prevalent assumptions regarding Soviet mobility, nationality policy, and diaspora cultures. We explore how different actors, institutions, ideas, and processes shaped Soviet Jewish emigration and examine how it became entangled with broader national, social, and political developments definitive of late Soviet life. Considering the long-term impact of late-Soviet mobility, we also reflect on the broader social, political, economic, and cultural consequences of Soviet Jewish resettlement across Europe, Israel, and North America.

Sub Unit

• Jewish Studies

Chair

• Samuel Finkelman, Vanderbilt U

Roundtable Speakers

• Benjamin Arenstein, U of Chicago

• Dina Fainberg, City St George's, U of London (UK)

• Adam Farkas, U of Toronto (Canada)

• Samuel Finkelman, Vanderbilt U

• Alexandra Zborovsky, U of Pennsylvania