ISSUE 1: REVOLUTIONARY SOURCES
The first issue of Journeys into the Past features eleven essays, four historical journeys, and one opinion piece (in a section entitled “Past and Present”). We will continue to publish articles written by Miami students in these categories in future issues.
The essays in this issue come from Stephen Norris’s course “Russia in War and Revolution.” Timed to coincide with the centenary of 1917, the course required all students to pick one object from the incredible Andre de St.-Rat Collection in King Library’s Special Collection. These objects are rare materials from the First World War, Russian Civil War, and early Soviet era. Working with Miami’s incredible Slavic Bibliographer, Masha Stepanova, students wrote short essays that contextualized their source. As you will see, these sources help us understand the words, images, emotions, and arguments from 100 years ago.
Our four historical journeys come from Miami students who traveled to interesting locales. Written mostly as visual essays, these pieces allow us to see Prague’s history, the tragic legacies of the Vietnam War in Laos, and the continued relevance of the Great War in France.
Finally, our Past and Present submission draws parallels between the polarized political climate in the contemporary US and Latin American political problems in the recent past.
Enjoy your journeys into the past!