Russian Cultural Diaspora: An Unintended Legacy of the October Revolution

Roundtable reflecting on “victims” and “beneficiaries” of the Revolution as seen from the perspective of Russia Abroad.

An unintended consequence of the 1917 Revolution was the creation of a global Russian diaspora. While an unquestionably traumatic experience, exile also stimulated creativity and innovation by allowing Russian culture to transcend its geographical and mental boundaries, engage with Western intellectual and aesthetic trends, and contribute to world art, music, and literature.

Join UCL SSEES and Open Russia, as the participants of this roundtable will reflect on “victims” and “beneficiaries” of the Revolution as seen from the perspective of Russia Abroad, discuss the impact of Russian émigrés on world culture and the relevance of the international experience of the Russian diaspora for contemporary metropolitan culture.