History
Bio
Tanya Riordan is a senior majoring in History with a certificate in Market and Management Studies and a minor in Sociology. Tanya was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, and came into college knowing she wanted to study History. At Duke, Tanya served as President of the Duke History Union, was a member of Duke’s and Duchesses, and was an intern at the Fuqua School of Business’ Center for Leadership and Ethics.
Thesis
See full thesis: The Russian Nobility in the Aftermath of the Russian Revolution: An exploration of the three waves of Russian emigration to Japan from 1916-1936
Faculty Advisor: Anna Krylova
Thesis Abstract
In 1917, the Russian Revolution marked one of the most significant political events of the twentieth century. The famous February and October revolutions resulted in the overthrow of the imperial government and the rise of Bolshevik power, respectively. The October revolution is well known for creating a new identity for Russia. However, a less prominent narrative is the Russian diaspora that occurred as a result of the revolution. Over two million Russians scattered across the globe, mainly in Europe, China, and North America. The historiography of the exiled Russians and the communities they formed is partial and dispersed. This thesis will investigate the process of emigration from the point of departure to the process integration into a new society, through exploring the émigré communities in Japan. This analysis will be centered around the narratives three individuals, Abrikossow, Tatiana, and Morozoff. This thesis will situate their experiences in the histories of modern Russia and modern Japan, build a long-term account of the life trajectories of Russian émigrés which intersected with Japanese histories.
