Africa in Russian Imperial Culture (1850-1917): Race, Empire, and Representation (1850-1917) (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781805117674)

This volume uncovers how Sub-Saharan Africa was imagined in Russian culture from 1850 to 1917. Drawing on travelogues, ethnographic studies, fiction, and museum collections, Anita Frison reveals how Russia-though lacking formal colonies in Africa-nonetheless engaged deeply with Western colonial discourse. Organized around themes of Strangers, Lands, Bodies, Collectors, and Disguises, the book explores how Russians represented African peoples, landscapes, and artifacts to negotiate questions of race, empire, and national identity. Challenging the notion of Russian 'exceptionalism', this book demonstrates that imperial attitudes toward Africa often prefigured Soviet anticolonial rhetoric, whilst simultaneously relying on the colonial paradigm. Richly documented and interdisciplinary, this study offers fresh insights for scholars of history, literature, and postcolonial studies, while remaining accessible to curious general readers.

Author: Anita Frison
ISBN-10: 180511767X
ISBN-13: 9781805117674
Publisher: Open Book Publishers
Language: English
Published: 02/19/2026
Pages: 366
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.91lbs
Size: 9.21h x 6.14w x 1.13d