How to do research in Slavic Studies

Library resources for researchers working on Slavic and East European Languages, Literatures, History and Post-Soviet Studies

START WITH GOOD KEYWORDS

Topic-specific keywords will help improve your results in a general multidisciplinary database like Google, Google Scholar, HOLLIS, or Academic Search Premier. 

Add keywords like these to your search:

  • Language or ethnicity - Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Belarusian
  • Publication types - bibliography, gazetteers, manuscripts, statistics
  • Genres - criticism, interpretation, etc., “tales, Country” (e.g., “tales, Slovakia”), poetry, personal narratives
  • Geographic areas - Central Europe, Crimea, Skopje 
  • Subjects - grammar, literary movements, philology, politics and government, history

UPGRADE YOUR SEARCH: KEY DATABASES

The best tool for your project may be a specialized search engine, also known as a database. These databases are subject-specific or format-specific search tools:

East View (via HarvardKey) -- a cross-searchable collection of over 80 databases that include journal and newspaper archives, bibliographies and abstracts, maps, e-book collections, e-ephemera collections, and more. Geographical coverage: Former Soviet Union, Russia, Ukraine, Central Europe, Asia.

Harvard Project on the Soviet Social System digital collection : interviews and manuals, 1950-1953 (inclusive) (Harvard Project on the Soviet Social System Online) – A digitized collection of summary transcripts of 693 interviews conducted with Soviet émigrés during the early years of the Cold War, and 7 manuals and guides to the interviews. The interviews and most manuals and guides are full-text searchable from the home page. 

Dig Deeper

Slavic and Eurasian Studies at Harvard: Library and Archival Resources - a guide to Slavic and Eurasian studies in Harvard Library collections and beyond, with contact information for the librarians who specialize in specific regions and languages.

Databases for Slavic Studies- Explore the full list of Harvard Library databases in this subject category.

CONNECT WITH US 

Anna Rakityanskaya, the library liaison for Slavic Languages and Literatures, is available to support researchers via email or in-person consultation.

Service Alert:
  • Some Harvard Library locations will be closed or have special hours for Commencement, Thursday, May 26. Please check the Library Hours page for specifics. Ask a Librarian and chat hours will remain as usual.
  • Most Harvard Library locations will be closed Monday, May 30 and Tuesday, May 31, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. Ask a Librarian and chat service will be closed on these dates.
  • If you're experiencing an ongoing technical issue when you attempt to access library materials with your HarvardKey during these times, please report it to Library Technology Services.

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Talk to a librarian for advice on defining your topic, developing your research strategy, and locating and using sources. Make an appointment now.

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