ROSSPEN: History of Stalinism in 100 volumes - publishing project

[Andrew Jameson]

Dear Colleagues,
Please pass this email to colleagues and interested parties. Recommendation
for publications are also welcome.
ROSSPEN Publishing House, Moscow, has a project to publish 100 major books
on Stalinism by Russian and foreign authors, and present them free to circa
1000 regional and university libraries around the Russian Federation, with
the aim of placing the truth about Stalinism into the public domain.
ROSSPEN are the publishers of the Russian Political Encyclopedia, and the
project is supported by the Yeltsin Foundation. 
ROSSPEN is also organising a major conference on Stalinism (Moscow 5-7
December, 2008). Details about the conference are being sent in a separate
email.

Researchers are invited to send proposals for the publication of their
research work in the History of Stalinism series. These will be considered
for publication (in Russian) by the organizing committee. Please send your
proposals to ROSSPEN to the following e-mail address: rosspen at rosspen.su
[Information forwarded at ROSSPEN's request by Andrew Jameson, UK]

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THE HISTORY OF STALINISM in 100 volumes

An academic publication project by the "RUSSIAN POLITICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA"
Publishing House (ROSSPEN)

Sponsored by the Yeltsin Foundation

In 1991 the page was turned on Russia's Soviet past. This Soviet page,
however, has been largely unread by Russian society. Despite the undoubted
achievements of the Soviet period -- economic, social, scientific and
military -- the question of the price of these victories, which millions
paid with their lives, remains unanswered. One of the most painful and, at
the same time, the least known, themes for Russian society is (as before)
the theme of the GULAG, which remains for the great majority of Russian
Federation citizens a secret behind securely locked doors. It remains a
secret even in those regions which were centres of GULAG activity.

In this connection, one well-known fact is especially revealing: according
to sociological surveys in Russia today, more than 50% of the population
judge Stalin's role in the history of Russia to be positive; the proportion
of such people has been growing in recent years, and includes many young
people.

If we do not overcome the ideological and political legacy of the Soviet
period, the creation of a modern type of civilisation in Russia is
impossible. The realisation of this aim demands fundamental changes in
social consciousness and a determined effort to shape a new Russian
mentality. It is precisely towards the fulfilment of this aim that this
academic publishing project ("The History of Stalinism") is directed. It is
within this framework that the preparation and publication of research
findings (including high-quality research from other countries) on the
history of Stalinism is being undertaken.

It is envisaged that publication of the series will be accompanied by a
public debate, public discussions on problems arising in the works
published, through the organisation of conferences and seminars, and also
the presentation of books to the academic libraries of the regions of the
Russian Federation and universities. These are the methods that will be used
to implant the results of scientific analysis of the Soviet epoch into the
tissue of Russian social consciousness. They are based on the achievements
of the so-called "archival revolution", through which millions of previously
secret documents have been published by Russian Federation historians and
archivists.

In the course of this project during 2008-2010 we plan to complete the
translation, publication and free distribution of the 100 best books by
Russian and foreign authors on the history of Stalinism to central public
libraries and university libraries of the regions of the Russian Federation
(1000 addresses), and also displays of the series in these libraries.

On 5-7 December 2008, in Moscow, we are holding the first international
scientific conference on the theme: "Studying the history of Stalinism:
achievements and current problems" This project is being undertaken through
the joint efforts of the "Russian Political Encyclopedia" (ROSSPEN)
publishing house and the Yeltsin Foundation.


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