Russification and Memory in the Baltics and Finland: Narratives and Memory Policies

Session Submission Type: Panel

Brief Description

Russification, the process of asserting the dominance of the Russian language, culture, administration, and way of life, was attempted across various regions of the Russian Empire, including its western territories. In the areas of the Baltics and Finland, Russification policies met with strong resistance from local elites and achieved varying levels of success. Nevertheless, Russification, especially during the second half of the nineteenth century, became a significant historical process for these regions, a focal point where competing interests clashed and where regional and national identities began to take shape. These same identities came into high relief during World War I, when the collapse of the Russian government opened the door to new identities influenced by military, diplomatic, and political pressures. The final paper for this panel investigates the intersection between foreign intervention and national identify in Finland and the Russian north.

Historical narratives about Russification have gained renewed relevance due to the complex relations between Russia and its western neighbors in the Baltic region. Russia’s aggressive promotion of the so-called “Russian world” forces these nations to recall past imperial policies. In response, countermeasures—sometimes bordering on “derussification”—have emerged, sparking protests from local Russophone communities. In this context, the Russification of the 19th century is not just a subject of historical inquiry but a battleground for memory politics, serving as a tool to articulate political positions on contemporary issues.

Sub Unit

• History: 1800-1900

Chair

• Elena I Campbell, U of Washington

Papers

• From Recognition to Repression: Finnish Language and Russian Imperial Policy in the Nineteenth Century - Richard Byington, U of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Trade and Inter-Ethnic Politics in Tsarist Riga - Robert Geraci, U of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Red, White, or Entente?: Challenges to National Identify in Finland and the Russian North at the End of World War II - Tracy Nichols Busch, Ferris State U

Discussant

• Elena I Campbell, U of Washington