Mollie Cavender

Mollie Cavender is an Associate Professor in the Department of History at Ohio State University, specializing in 18th- and 19th-century Russian cultural, social, and intellectual history. Her research explores comparative empires and Russian-East European historical dynamics through archival analysis of gentry society, domestic correspondence, and imperial policies.

Her primary research interests include the interplay between state governance and social structures in Imperial Russia, with focus areas in provincial loyalties, gender roles in domestic spaces, and cultural practices like hunting traditions. She has authored significant works analyzing family estates, epistolary customs, and wildlife management policies under the Tsarist regime.

Professor Cavender has edited interdisciplinary volumes on Russian cultural evolution and maintains active research collaborations exploring everyday life across historical periods. Her scholarly contributions advance understanding of empire-building mechanisms and social identity formation in Eastern Europe.