Robert Geraci

Robert Geraci is a Research Professor in the Department of History at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. His primary research focuses on the ethno-national diversity of the Russian Empire, particularly cultural assimilation policies and the economic roles of minority groups. He holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of California, Berkeley, and previously taught at the University of Virginia for over two decades. Geraci’s work bridges imperial history with cultural studies, emphasizing Russia’s interactions with its non-Russian populations through missionary activities, education, and economic dynamics. His most recent book project, Imperial Bazaar, examines the ethno-national dimensions of trade in the Russian Empire. He has held additional appointments as Research Associate Professor in the University Library, Slavic Languages and Literatures, and the Russian, East European, and Eurasian Center. His publications include groundbreaking studies like Window on the East (2001) and articles challenging long-held interpretations of the Pale of Jewish Settlement.

Geraci’s research interests span Russian imperial policies, religious conversion, and economic nationalism. He has conducted extensive archival research in Russia since the 1990s, contributing to the “imperial turn” in Russian historiography. His interdisciplinary approach integrates history, anthropology, and political studies to analyze imperial governance and minority integration. He collaborates with scholars across disciplines at UIUC, including the School of Information Sciences, and mentors graduate students in history and related fields.