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About the Course

The Holodomor, one of the major tragedies of the twentieth century, became the subject of serious study only since the fall of the USSR. Through an exploration of recent research and through the prisms of colonialism, empire, genocide, famine and food security, (dis)information dissemination, and Ukrainian-Russian relations, Famine as Genocide in the 20th Century: The Case of the Holodomor makes the case that the Holodomor is crucial to understanding Ukrainian, Soviet, European, and world history as well as current events.

This course was developed by the Holodomor Research and Education Consortium, a project of the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Alberta, with the generous support of the Helen and Paul Baszucki Family and the Temerty Foundation.

Course Format

This course is offered online in thirteen modules through University of Alberta’s partnership with the platform Coursera through which courses are offered to U of A students as well as to the general public.

Syllabus

Module 1 – Introduction

This introductory module provides information on Ukrainian geography and history as a context for understanding the Holodomor. The module also summarizes the major topics dealt with in subsequent modules.

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Module 2 – Famine in Modern History

Some of the largest famines ever recorded, including the Holodomor, occurred in the 20th century, an age of unparalleled food abundance. This module examines how modern famine shifted from natural to man-made causes.

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Module 3 – The Soviet Context, Pt. I

This module is the first of two examining the broader historical context of the Holodomor. It explores the Bolshevik Party’s struggle to establish control over the former Russian Empire between 1917 and 1922 and considers how the legacy of revolution, war, mass violence, and economic collapse shaped the formation of the Soviet state.

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Module 4 – The Soviet Context, Pt. II

This module examines how the Soviet state and economy were transformed in the 1920s and how Stalin’s radical program of industrialization and collectivization, introduced in 1928, set the stage for famine.

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Module 5 – From Famine to the Holodomor, Pt. I

Recent research has revealed significant differences in famine mortality across the Soviet Union. This module is the first of two that explore what made the Holodomor in Soviet Ukraine different from famine elsewhere. It examines how and why Ukraine and Ukrainians were targeted.

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Module 6 – From Famine to the Holodomor, Pt. II

This module examines specific policies and measures introduced in Soviet Ukraine in the winter of 1932-33 that willfully intensified the famine. It looks at how the Soviet grain procurement drive evolved into a larger campaign waged by Stalin and the Kremlin leadership for political control over Ukraine.

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Module 7 – Dying and Living, Pt. I

What was starvation like for those who experienced it? What were the ways people tried to save themselves and their families? This is the first of two modules that draw on survivor and witness testimonies to address the experience of the Holodomor “from below.”

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Module 8 – Dying and Living, Pt. II

This module explores additional survival strategies adopted by the rural population during the Holodomor and analyzes how the authorities used food and a rationing system to reward or punish specific groups within Soviet society.

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Module 9 – Ukrainian Cultural Renaissance and the Destruction of Ukrainian Culture

Ukraine in the 1920s experienced a cultural renaissance after centuries of Russian imperial oppression. This module examines the transformation of Ukrainian education and urban life and the remarkable achievements in Ukrainian literature, visual arts, theater, and film that were cut short by the Stalinist regime’s suppression of Ukrainian culture and cultural elites ─ part of the multi-pronged attack on Ukraine in the late 1920-early 1930s.

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Module 10 – What Did the World Know?

What did the international community know about the Holodomor during the early 1930s? Far from being a “hidden famine,” awareness was widespread, even among those who publicly denied it was happening. By looking at the efforts of media, governments, and private organizations to cover ─ and cover up ─ the tragedy, this module provides insight into contemporary discussions about misinformation, propaganda, and mass atrocity.

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Module 11 – Genocide

This module looks at the origins of the concept of genocide, its definition under international law, and how public understanding of genocide has changed from its legal definition in 1948. The module also presents common misperceptions and key debates about genocide and provides an overview of the dynamics of the Ukrainian Holodomor within comparative genocide studies frameworks.

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Module 12 – After the Holodomor

In this module, we explore the short- and long-term impacts of the Holodomor, not only for Ukraine but for the USSR and beyond. Although the famine had largely ended by the fall of 1933, its consequences continued to affect the physical and mental health of survivors and had long-term impacts on social relations and society, as well as on agriculture and the environment.

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Module 13 – Remembering the Holodomor

How was the memory of the Holodomor shared and passed on? In this module we look at the concept of collective memory, used by anthropologists, sociologists, historians, and psychologists. This module provides an overview of the dynamics of collective memory; the social, cultural, and political contexts of transnational memory formation; and the complex processes of collective Holodomor memory formation in and outside of Ukraine.