Crossing Boundaries: Human-Animal Relationships in Tsarist Russia and the Soviet Union

Abstract: The study of human-animal relations is a promising approach in contemporary historiography. It answers the call for interdisciplinarity and opens new perspectives on the history of modern societies and empires. During the past three decades, it has evolved into a highly theorized endeavour that re-situates nonhuman species in social and natural contexts. From the large mammals of the sea to small insects, it discusses phenomena such as coevolution, culturalization and commodification. Although pathbreaking works have been published on whaling, hunting and the animal gaze, the study of human-animal relations remains peripheral in the context of imperial Russia and the Soviet Union. This is even more surprising, considering scholars have convincingly argued that exploring human-animal relations can provide critical insights. This special issue addresses this desideratum with contributions ranging from Baltic urban spaces to the ice shelves of the Arctic Circle, and from the zoos of Germany to the steppes of Central Asia. Using the tools of human-animal studies, they re-evaluate established narratives on animal agency, industrialization and conflicting identities. The articles deal both with imperial expansion and simultaneous shifts into modern societies. This focus on the interplay of human and nonhuman actors crosses the boundaries not only of social and environmental history, but of Russian and Soviet history in general by delivering new approaches to an old relationship.