Guest:

Richard Wortman is James Bryce Professor Emeritus of European Legal History, specializing in the history of imperial Russia at Columbia University. His the author of many books on Russian cultural and intellectual history including The Crisis of Russian Populism; The Development of a Russian Legal Consciousness; and Scenarios of Power: Myth and Ceremony in Russian Monarchy From Peter the Great to the Abdication of Nicholas II. He has also published two volumes of collected articles: Russian Monarchy: Representation and Rule and Visual Texts, Ceremonial Texts, Texts of Exploration: Collected Articles on the Representation of Russian Monarchy. His most recent book is The Power of Language and Rhetoric in Russian Political History: Charismatic Words from the 18 to the 21st Centuries published by Bloomsbury Press.

The photo of the Russian translation of Richard Wortman’s book Scenarios of Power on Vladislav Surkov’s bookshelf is here. Photo #22.

Music:

Talking Heads, “Psycho Killer,” 77, 1977.