The University of Kansas Libraries

New Databases for Slavic and Eurasian Studies

Pravda Digital Archiver (1912-2009). Pravda (or “Truth”) was the official voice of Soviet communismand the Central Committee of the Communist Party between 1918 and 1991. Founded in 1912 in St. Petersburg, Russia, Pravda originated as an underground, daily workers’ newspaper, and soon became themain newspaper of the revolutionary wing of the Russian socialistmovement. From 1912 to 1914, Pravda was subjected to constant persecution, fines, penalties, and prohibitions by the government. To avoid censorship and forced closures, the name of the newspaper changed eight times. In 1914 when the Russian Empire enteredWorld War I, the Russian government moved to close down all subversive newspapers and military censorship was reimposed. After February 1917, when Tsar Nicholas II was deposed and replaced by the Provisional Government, Pravda became the official organ of the Bolshevik Central Committee and was allowed to reopen. When Lenin strongly condemned the Provisional Government and editorials in Pravda soon called the government “counter-revolutionary”, Pravda was once again subject to censorship and was forced to change names, as in tsarist times. When the Bolsheviks seized power during the October Revolution in 1917, Pravda became the official publication, or “organ”, of the Soviet Communist Party. Throughout the Soviet era, party members were obligated to read Pravda. The paper’s primary role was to deliver the official line of the Central Committee of the CPSU. Pravda remained the official voice of Soviet communismup until 1991, when Boris Yeltsin signed a decree closing Pravda down. After the collapse of the USSR, nationalist and communist journalists intermittently published a print newspaper and an online newspaper under the name Pravda. Today, Pravda represents the oppositional stance of the Communist Party in the Russian Federation.

Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies (MECAS). A systematic, and non-evaluative bibliographic index of research, policy, and scholarly discourse on the countries and peoples of the Middle East, Central Asia and North Africa. Over 12,000 records of recently published & "grey" literature are added annually. Coverage includes the following fields: political affairs & law, international relations, economic affairs: business & industry, cultural heritage, arts & humanities, society & social welfare, ethnic diversity & anthropology, significant religious events & movements, and recent history (1900 - present) & archaeology.

International Affairs. This internationally renowned journal is the English translation of the Russian-language journal Mezhdunarodnaia zhizn (www.mezhizn.ru). Offers unique, first-hand analysis of major foreign policy and security issues facing Russia and other former Soviet republics. Published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the editorial board of this journal is traditionally headed by the minister himself, while the journal’s contributors are primarily experienced, high-ranking diplomats. As such, International Affairs is an excellent primary source for anyone interested in the course of Russian policy in foreign affairs. International Affairs often includes material from independent analysts, whose opinions may or may not differ from the official line. Roundtable discussions on topical world issues will also usually include representatives from the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as from think tanks and universities. In addition to current issues, International Affairs also features a section devoted to History and Memoirs, in which retired diplomats reminisce about their service to the homeland in various parts of the world. These pieces are usually devoted to a diplomat’s experience in contested, or relatively unknown, episodes of international relations.

Russian Regional Newspapers (UDB-REG). Provides access to in-depth coverage of developments taking place at Russia’s regional and local levels.Newspapers covered in UDB-REG are those with the largest circulation in their regions and considered the most authoritative. Сurrently, UDB-REG contains 107 newspaper titles from 54 Russian regions of the Russian Federation, as well as newspapers covering local issues of Moscow and St. Petersburg. Includes newspapers from the troubled Northern Caucasus (Groznenskii rabochii, Severnaia Osetiia; from oil & gas rich Western Siberia (Tiumenskie izvestiia); and from the investment-friendly Volga region (Nizhegorodskie novosti and Samarskie izvestiia. Use UDB-REG to follow local news, trace local reactions to national and international events, gauge ethnic relations, or assess issues concerning freedom of the press. Many resources go back to 2000, with a few going back to 1997. Click here to see list of titles.

Digital National Security Archive. Provides electronic access to significant primary documents central to U.S foreign and military policy since 1945, including more than 43,000 of the most important declassified documents regarding critical U.S. policy decisions.