Russia at the Edge of Empire! Unpacking the Baedeker Handbook

Have you or your students ever wondered how much a Russian cigarette cost in 1914? Or how many pairs of clean gloves you need to stay classy during a journey from the Baltic to the Black Sea?

Find out by attending our teacher workshop, Russia at the Edge of Empire: Unpacking the Baedeker Handbook. Dr. Kelly O'Neill, Director of the Imperiia Project, will introduce educators to her newest virtual initiative, an exploration of the book, Russia with Teheran, Port Arthur, and Peking: A Handbook for Travellers (1914) written by Karl Baedeker. Baedeker’s book, which was published in English and is chock-full of stories, maps, and other kinds of historical data, was considered indispensable to travellers exploring pre-revolutionary Russia. Even now it can help people understand how the Russian Empire looked, sounded, tasted, and smelled on the eve of collapse.

This experiential workshop will provide educators the opportunity to engage directly with Baedeker’s texts and maps, craft questions, find answers, and experiment with ways of sharing this rich material with students. Throughout the two sessions, Dr. O’Neill will help educators make connections between the local and global implications of travel. The work we do together will shape the project moving forward, providing new directions for scholarly exploration. This free workshop will run on two consecutive Tuesdays in December -- the 8th and the 15th -- from 4:30--6:00pm EDT on Zoom. Registration will be capped at 25 people, so sign up today!