Overview

Exploring the evolution of adventure tourism in Russia from imperial times to the present, this book highlights the distinctive features of Soviet non-commercial trekking, boating, climbing and skiing expeditions organised by urbanites during their annual vacations. This study, based on archival and other contemporary sources, and interviews with key leaders of the Soviet outdoor community, also benefits from the unique personal perspective of the author who led numerous expeditions across Soviet wilderness. This book discusses the uneasy symbiotic relationship between tourist self-administration and the state bureaucracy that attempted to impose its own programme on outdoor enthusiasts; the culture of Soviet adventure tourism, including its distinctly militaristic flavour; the social, ethnic, and gender composition of tourist teams; and a host of problems, unfamiliar to Western adventurers, encountered and solved along the thorny path to the trailhead. This book analyses the temporary micro-socialities created by Soviet tourists, exposing the values that flourished outside of state control. Outdoor Adventures in the Soviet Union and the Post-Soviet Space will be a useful resource to scholars of authoritarianism, especially those studying the latter in the context of cultural and sports history as well as for graduate students taking courses on cultural or social history.

Full Product Details

Author:   Alexander Statiev
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint:   Routledge
Weight:   0.930kg
ISBN:  

9781041174813

ISBN 10:   1041174810
Pages:   400
Publication Date:   18 February 2026
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
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Table of Contents

Introduction Part 1. The birth, heyday and downfall of the “proletarian” tourism (1929-41) Chapter 1: The birth of “proletarian” tourism Chapter 2. The goals of “proletarian” tourism Chapter 3. The social and cultural peculiarities of “proletarian” tourism Chapter 4. Safety matters and gear Chapter 5. “Proletarian” tourists in action Chapter 6. The downfall of “proletarian” tourism Part 2. From resurrection to grandeur to mutation (1958-2025) Chapter 7. Adventure tourism after Stalin: administration, objectives, regulations, and status Chapter 8. The culture of Soviet adventure tourism during and after the Thaw Chapter 9. Safety as a priority: successes and failures Chapter 10. Tourist gear: a creative paradise amid hellish shortages Chapter 11. Outdoor adventures from the Thaw to Perestroika Chapter 12. Post-communism: the bittersweet Westernization of adventure tourism Bibliography

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Author Information

Alexander Statiev teaches Russian and Soviet history at the University of Waterloo, Canada. He has published books and articles on pro- and anti-Soviet resistance during World War II, Soviet counterinsurgency, Russian and Romanian military history, Soviet deportations, Russian war memory, fascism and mountain warfare.

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