The Presentation of the Collective Monograph "Essays on the History of the Samara Volga Region" Took Place

On April 21, a presentation of a new publication by the Department of Russian History — the collective monograph "Essays on the History of the Samara Volga Region" — was held in the coworking space of the library. Attendees were greeted by Alexander Nesterov, Director of the Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities. The authors of the book include leading Samara historians, most of whom are faculty members of the History Department at Samara University. The project was overseen by Pyotr Kabytov, Head of the Department of Russian History.

The publication continues a series of scholarly studies aimed at reconstructing the history of the Samara region — from its incorporation into the Muscovite state to the revolutionary events of the early 20th century and the first years of Soviet governance. The book’s key feature is its emphasis on a microhistorical approach, which allows for an exploration of the daily lives of ordinary people.

Pyotr Kabytov highlighted the significance of the new book: "This work is important not only for students or schoolchildren but also for the residents of Samara themselves. Most importantly, it sets a new direction in the study of the city’s history. We are interested in how people lived, what they did, and what legacy they left behind. Historical scholarship is now rapidly evolving and increasingly operates at the intersection of disciplines, even including the natural sciences. This opens opportunities to gain new, unexpected insights. Of course, we relied primarily on archival documents, but not exclusively. We also drew on oral histories, memoirs, periodicals, internet sources, visual materials, and even fiction. Previously, literary texts were not considered valid sources. In reality, they are incredibly rich sources that can reveal much if approached correctly."

The monograph includes chapters devoted to various aspects of regional history: from the administrative structure of the province to the development of culture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Among the authors are P.S. Kabytov, E.L. Dubman, O.B. Leontyeva, L.M. Artamonova, E.P. Barinova, N.N. Kabytov, M.M. Leonov, M.N. Matveev, P.A. Mistryugov, Yu.N. Smirnov, O.V. Turganova, and V.A. Tyurin.

One of the authors, Professor Olga Leontyeva of the Department of Russian History, also spoke at the presentation, emphasizing the importance of teamwork: "Our collective monograph could serve as a valuable resource. Nearly all faculty members of the department contributed to its preparation. In my view, this is its greatest strength: each person focused on their area of expertise. The result is a cohesive, conceptually structured publication."

The event concluded with a dialogue between the authors and readers, as well as the distribution of books to the most active participants. The presentation demonstrated that interest in the history of the Samara region remains strong, with new horizons for its interpretation now emerging.

Photo: Olesya Orina