Peasant Russia by Christine D Worobec

Peasant Russia by Christine D Worobec

Peasant Russia is a comprehensive examination of peasant life in central Russia in the decades immediately following serf emancipation. Using interdisciplinary methods of family history, anthropology, ethnography, and women's studies, Christine Worobec explores the world of peasant households and communities, elements of which live on in today's Soviet Union. In full detail she shows how peasant Russia retained its traditional institutions and customary practices in the face of the economic changes associated with industrialization and urbanization. The book draws on previously unexamined judicial, folklore, and household records to assess the durability of the extended Russian peasant family and the customs linking it to the community. The Russian peasants portrayed here actively shaped their society, developing a variety of economic and social strategies to cope with their harsh environment and the demands of the state. Discussing their efforts to safeguard their way of life through courtship and marriage rituals and through such social restrictions as property devolution practices, a misogynist patriarchalism, and severe penalties for deviant behavior, Worobec reveals that peasant traditionalism impeded the impact of modernization and cushioned its effects.

"An outstanding volume... Worobec's splendid book brings us closer to understanding the fiber of peasant society and the dynamics of the family."—American Historical Review
"An enjoyable and informative book."—Slavic Review
"The most comprehensive recent book of its kind... a major contribution.... Beautifully written and well-researched."—Canadian Slavonic Papers

Christine D. Worobec is Board of Trustees Professor and Distinguished Research Professor at Northern Illinois University.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780875805702
ISBN 10	0875805701
Title	Peasant Russia
Author	Christine D Worobec
Series	Niu Series In Slavic East European And Eurasian Studies
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Cornell University Press
Year published	1995-10-01
Number of pages	271
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.