‘The Paulsen Programme is organising one or possibly two research seminars to be held in conjunction with the Higher School of Economics (Saint Petersburg branch) in 2022 and again perhaps in 2023. There will be a concluding conference to be held at Mezhotne (Latvia) in 2023 or 2024. The theme of the seminars and conferenvce will be the external relations of Russia in the imperial era (1650-1917).
“External Relations” will be very broadly defined: it will, for example, include cultural and artistic links between Russia and the world, comparative studies that include Russia, as well as more traditional geopolitical, military, diplomatic and economic links. The evolution of Russian elites and institutions under foreign influences will also, of course, fall within our remit. Early-career scholars from both Russia and abroad will give all the papers at the seminars but the discussants will be established historians. The final conference will be made up equally of early and established historians from both Russia and abroad. It is intended to lead to top-class books in both English and Russian focusing on Imperial Russia’s relations with the outside world.