Professor Kenez uses his deep knowledge of Russian history in a compelling presentation of the significant issues, people, events of this period. His lectures conclude with an explicit statement of empathy for all that the Russians have endured, but his appreciation of their suffering is evident throughout. He appears to speak without notes, so intimately familiar he is with the material. I strongly recommend this course for anyone who has the slightest interest in understanding a country which has generated such important contributions to music and literature, and yet has been cast as an enemy of the West for so long.

Excellent course content---clearly and sympathetically presented by Prof. Peter Krenez Although the course was created before the current invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the issues he discusses all help to interpret and understand the current situation of the Russian people and its government. As someone growing up in the US, I was never taught any Russian history in detail, and this course puts 'real flesh' on the names and events which I was hearing of in the news throughout my childhood and in recent times. Thank you for this opportunity.

It was my first experience with Coursera and I absolutely loved it! Professor Kenez is very good at explaining things, I also loved the questions in the middle of the videos, to make sure I was paying attention. I really enjoyed taking the course and would recommend it to everyone. The best part was that I received Financial Aid and that really motivated me into completing the course (earlier than necessary) with the highest grade I could get. I will definitely take other courses! Thank you Coursera and Thank you Professor Kenez!

Definitely a worthwhile course delivered by an excellent lecturer. It's nice to find this perspective to cover a lot of ground from the time of the Russian revolution to the current. Too often there is a strong western bias in recounting history. These lectures tell of the suffering and failures but seem to summarize the different periods objectively. Plus I did enjoy all the pictures and musics and the fact the topics were varied and never too long to be boring.

I enrolled in the course looking for ways to keep busy during these pandemic times, thinking that the agenda was quite ambitious. For my delight, the professor was able to cover the topics with enough depth to enhance my knowledge of the political development of Russia. I also perceived that the peer review was a productive exercise where you had the opportunity of getting in contact with the thoughts of a diverse class of more than 35,000 students.

This course was highly informative and easy to follow. I enjoyed the review quizzes at the end of each week and thought that the freedom given to learners in the final essay was an excellent idea, as it enabled you to write about a subject that specifically interested you. I feel that I have learned plenty from both this course and other learners, whose essays I have marked as part of the course.

In my opinion, this course helped me to get more information about Russian history. I will definitely advise people keen on history, anthropology, sociology or Russian culture to take this lesson. I really enjoyed the explanations given to understand better some events during Russian Empire, the Soviet Union and nowadays Russia. You will not regret taking this course.

This was an informative and enjoyable course. I lived part of my life in East Germany and thought that I probably wouldn't learn anything new but I was WRONG. The course, combined with the research I did for my final essay on Vladimir Putin's rise to power, taught me quite a few details about the Russian Revolution as well as the final collapse of The USSR.

A challenging but rewarding course. Peter Kenez clearly has a vast knowledge of Russian history and as long as you can keep up with the course material, you will gain a valuable understanding of the Russian people and the conception of modern Russia. So conclusively, I highly recommend this course if you want to understand such an interesting culture.

Excellent course given by a very competent lecturer. I would appreciate if the lecturer would speak more clearly, as I am a non-native speaker. I would also appreciate more citations or suggestions for material.

Overall, I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity. I have learned so much and I really enjoyed taking this course.

THANK YOU

It was really on point and easy to understand, which allows me to have a more structuralized understanding about the general history. Of course, for more nuances one should try to search for more information other than relying merely on the sources. But I highly recommend it since it provide you with the basics to dig further in the field.

If you have a love for Russian history then you need to definitely enroll in this course. Professor Kenez does an amazing job teaching the complexity of the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and contemporary Russian politics. I have learned so much, I truly hope that Professor Kenez offers another course on Coursera about Russian history.

Excellent course. The content and structure was spot on; one of the best courses I have ever taken. I feel I am so much better informed about Russia and its people. And a nice happenstance is, I have the course material for future reference. My sincere thanks to Peter Kenez for his delivery; I would love to enjoy his lectures in person.

An excellent course. Peter Kenez delivers lectures that cover an amazing amount of details and topics in a short amount of time, he does an amazing job of distilling the the enormity of history down to its key essence. It is great to have History presented in a manner that helps us to understand the present day so effectively.

Phd. Peter Kenez is a survivor from Holocaust, because of this, each class was special and exciting. He is the legend. Discover the history of Russia from the perspective of those who lived and suffered the effects of harmful communism. His book, that having the same name as this course, It is a masterpiece of history!

This course was so intriguing and I really enjoyed taking it! Professor Kenez did a great job explaining this era of Russian history in these video lectures and was great to listen to. I learned a lot and have a much better understanding of contemporary Russia now that I know its history and what has happened.

I found this a most enjoyable course with clear explanations of the causes of the tumultuous events in Russia during the last Century. Prof. Kenez has an undoubted in depth knowledge of his subject which he imparts in a sympathetic, non-judgmental matter, often with a wry sense of humour.

I can't say enough about Professor Kenez's class. I never imagined I would receive such detailed information about the history of Russia. Highly recommend this course to anyone who desires more in-depth knowledge about the country of Russia. You won't be disappointed.

This is probably the best history course on Coursera. All the lessons are very thorough and cover aspects of Russian history you never even knew existed. However, it takes a lot more work than I first thought! But it is all very worth it in the end.

Excellent course.Prof. Peter Kenez is one of the best professors.The explanation of all the topics was wonderful.He made Russian History so interesting.It was so relevant too, at this moment when the war between Russia and Ukraine is going on .

Most informative and very very interesting. I appreciate the opportunity that UCSC and Professor Emeritus Peter Kenez has made possible for the inquiring public. One will not regret what is to be learned from this class.

BAL'SHOYE SPASIBA !!

Beautiful and Simplistic Overview of the whole Period right from Nicholas 2 to Putin, given by Dr. Kenez, definitely reccommend this course, more so because of the professor himself. Had a great learning experience.

really intresting and well made course. One of the things I liked most is the narration and explanation by the professor, who talks about events, not so much in an academic way but as a first-hand experience

Fantastic course. The quiz questions throughout are not date/detail specific like other courses and focus on assessing your understand. Love the final essay to bring everything together. Highly recommended.

Un excelente curso para entender el origen y fondo de la guerra Rusia - Ucrania.

Mención aparte el dominio de la historia de Rusia del profesor Kenez. Muy admirable su enorme conocimiento de esa nación.