Imperial Knowledge: Russian Literature and Colonialism

Where does Russian xenophobia originate? When did Russian cultural figures begin to eulogize aggression against neighboring peoples? Why have wars on foreign territories become a norm for Russians, romanticized by their classic writers? How did expansionist imperial narratives become an integral part of the so-called "great Russian culture," and why did the West accept this as a given?

In her seminal work, Ewa Thompson was perhaps the first to begin searching for answers to these uncomfortable questions. Her conclusions significantly preceded their time and have proven their relevance today.