Siberia constitutes three quarters of Russia’s territory, but only a quarter of the country’s population lives there. Yet,
the role of Siberia in making Russia a large and wealthy empire should not be underestimated. In this course, Pereltsvaig discusses Siberia’s role in the rise, and possibly imminent dismantling, of Russia as a unified state; Siberia’s economic importance, both historically and today; the region’s indigenous peoples and their cultures; its role as a penal colony throughout history and how that function transformed the region; its importance for climate change and environmental issues; and the relations between Russia and China, in which Siberia plays a crucial role.

Members who cancel a program registration will only receive a full refund if the following criteria are met: cancellation is received in the OLLI office 15 business days prior to the first meeting of any Course or Osher Online Course, cancellation is received in the OLLI office 30 business days prior to the event for a Special Event and/or 30 business days prior to the departure date for all day trips and overnight trips.