Debating the Holodomor

Why did millions of Ukrainians starve under Stalin? In this seminar, we will engage with the contentious historiography of the famine of 1932-34 – a defining event of Soviet and Ukrainian history, and an essential touchstone for understanding the Russo-Ukrainian War today. Without losing sight of the famine’s human tragedy, we will focus especially on questions of causality, intent, and agency at multiple levels, from the Kremlin to the village. Drawing on studies of other famines within and outside the Soviet context (Russia, Kazakhstan, and China), participants will develop a robust comparative toolkit. The seminar aims to highlight historiographical advances, explore newly-available primary sources, and identify the remaining gaps in our understanding.