Nikolay Sarkisyan

I am currently a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Research Fellow, delving into a project on historical revolutionary museums in Petrograd-Leningrad during the pivotal years of 1917-1941. This project, funded under the Horizon 2020 European Commission Grant Agreement number 10102852, allows me to explore the intricate transformations of Russian revolutionary traditions in museum spaces, particularly in the course of the 1920s and 1930s. My academic journey commenced at the University of Oslo, where I completed my PhD with a focus on the influence of the discourse of tolerance on contemporary Russian governance. This work offered profound insights into the intersection of politics, society, and history in post-Soviet Russia. My time at the University of Oslo was not only about academic growth but also about enhancing my teaching skills. I contributed to the university's curriculum by teaching courses on contemporary Russian politics and conducting Russian language classes. In 2014-17, before embarking on my doctoral studies, I worked at two prominent (formerly) historical-revolutionary museums: the Museum of Political History of Russia, formerly known as the Museum of the Revolution, and the Smol’ny Museum, previously the Museum of Lenin in Leningrad. My experiences in these museums were not just professionally enriching but also served as a source of inspiration for my current research project. I hold a Master’s degree in Sociology from the European University at St Petersburg and a Specialist degree in History from St Petersburg State University. My research interests are diverse and ever-evolving. Having initially focused on political science for my thesis, I transitioned (back) to history, examining the roots and evolution of Russia's revolutionary tradition. This research is not just a historical inquiry but also engages with broader theoretical questions about the nature of Soviet power, Stalinism, and the 1917 Revolution. In Michaelmas Term 2023, I explored new academic territories, teaching a course on post-Soviet red-brown literature. This endeavor reflects my growing interest in comparative literature and the sociology of literary work, marking a potentially new phase in my academic pursuits.