Teaching Soviet Law in the 21st Century

Abstract

This article, addressing the need to cultivate an understanding of the interplay between law and politics, aims to explore the possibility – and necessity –  of teaching Soviet law, where this mutually beneficial relationship assumed a particularly palpable form. In doing so, firstly, it analyses how Soviet law was taught both within the Soviet state and abroad historically, locating the main challenges in doing so in lack of academic freedom and immersion in the political context respectively. Secondly, it makes a case for reviving these practices in the modern day as Soviet law can say a lot about Soviet history, law in general and its interaction with politics, and modern legal and political developments in Russia. Thirdly, it provides an indication of how Soviet law can be taught in current times based on the authors’ experiences of designing and teaching courses on Soviet law.

Keywords: Soviet law, Russian law, law and politics, pedagogy, curriculum design