Ukrainian Famine Debate: documentary suggestions

by JessicaHide

Hello, I am currently taking a course in Russian and Soviet History and I have decided to write a paper about the historical debate surrounding the Ukrainian famine of the 20s with collectivization. Since nothing is ever simple when concerning the USSR and policy, I was wondering if any professors out there would know of an intellectually stimulating and non-melodramatic documentary I could watch. Perhaps something to give me a better overview and possible inspiration. I would very much appreciate it.

bohunkqueen

Hello, PhD candidate here. In terms of documentaries, most of what I know of is paid for by interested parties and so you're not going to find much that isn't completely skewed by contemporary interests/politics/agendas. If you're into that sort of debate (genocide vs. not a genocide) then you're better off reading the literature and building your own historiography than watching documentaries. I guess if you really want to go that route take a look at "Holodomor: Ukraine's Genocide of 1932-33" and "Harvest of Despair." Both have their problems, but it's a good first step.

kieslowskifan

/u/bohunkqueen is correct that one should be leery of documentaries and better off building up a personal knowledge from reading the key texts.

Fortunately, the digital revolution in the humanities can help you with various podcasts and videos with their focus upon various books by various authors:

C-SPAN2's books discussion on Timothy Snyder's Bloodlands was at the Ukrainian Institute of America, so there's a discussion of Ukraine in Snyder's comparative history.

New Books in Russian Studies' podcast interviewing Norman Naimark's Stalin's Genocides shows how Naimark has a thesis, that Stalin was genocidal, and outlines his rationale for ascribing him as such. It's a good introduction to the debate over the Ukrainian famine. Just bear in mind not all historians agree with Naimark.

David Shearer's podcast over his Policing Stalin's Socialism is a good introduction to the broader debates on state structures and social disorder in the USSR, Like other aspects of using digital humanities, it's important not to go in seeking an item exactly what you want, but something peripheral, but related to your interests.