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Publication Type honors thesis
School or College College of Humanities
Department Area Studies: Russia and the Soviet Union
Thesis Supervisor Slava Lubomudrov
Honors Advisor/Mentor Peter J. Diamond
Creator Putnam, Tonya L.
Title Gorbachev and the Soviet reform phenomenon: Do Cold War methods of analysis still apply?
Date 1991-06
Year graduated 1991
Description The political behavior of the Soviet Union and its leaders has, in recent years, defied many long-held assumptions about that system and its capacity for change. It is now critical that Sovietologists examine not only the character of the information they receive, but also the methods used to evaluate that information. These methods consist of theories which filter information and, over time, tend to paint a certain picture of the Soviet Union. I would argue that some existing theories provide inadequate explanations for recent events. Many theories begin from assumptions about the nature of the Soviet system. Such theories may not allow for modification to account for information which is incompatible with the theory's general premises, but tend instead to make the information fit the model. In this way specialists are able to maintain the appearance of continuity in a theory, but at the expense of a full and coherent interpretation of all pertinent information.
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
Subject Gorbachev, Mikhail Sergeevich, 1931-; Cold War; Soviet Union -- Politics and government -- 1985-1991
Language eng
Rights Management (c) Tonya L. Putnam
Format Medium application/pdf
ARK ark:/87278/s6cs01qp
Setname ir_htca
ID 1368616
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6cs01qp

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Title Page 57
Setname ir_htca
ID 1368673
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6cs01qp/1368673