Robert Paul Geraci

Robert Paul Geraci is a Research Associate Professor at the University of Illinois, affiliated with the Department of Slavic Languages & Literatures, the History department, University Library, and the Russian, East European and Eurasian Center. His research focuses on Russian history, Jewish studies, and imperial/ethnic dynamics.

• Education: Ph.D. & M.A. in History from UC Berkeley, B.A. in History from Swarthmore College

Geraci’s work examines the historiography of Russian imperial policies, including Jewish settlement patterns, Dostoevsky’s cultural context, and the interplay of ethnicity and state power. His publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches to literature, religion, and colonialism.

Recent publications span 2014–2019, covering topics like Russian intelligentsia secularism, Dostoevsky’s engagement with Islam, and critiques of internal colonization frameworks. Themes reflect expertise in Tsarist and Soviet imperial structures, spatial segregation, and cultural memory.

• Key affiliations: Russian, East European and Eurasian Center
• Previous roles: Associate Professor of History at University of Virginia