Books in the Routledge Studies in the History of Russia and Eastern Europe series

Orientalism as a concept was first applied to Western colonial views of the East. Subsequently, different types of orientalism were discovered but the premise was that these took their lead from Western-style orientalism, applying it in different circumstances. This book, on the other hand, argues that the diffusion of interpretations in orientalism was not uni-directional, and that the different orientologies, Western, Soviet and Oriental, did not develop in isolation from each other and were interlocked in such a way that a change in any one of them affected the others; and that those being orientalised were active, not passive, players in shaping how views of themselves developed.

Discusses the nature and extent of 'modernization' in seventeenth century Russia, before Peter the Great's accession, showing that, contrary to the popular view, therewas a great deal of modernization in this period.

The author shows that, even though Russia was not invited to the Washington Conference of 1921-22, the 'Russian Question' was one of the major influences on the statesmen who did attend.