Soviet science under control: The struggle for influence

This dissertation examines the relationship between the political leadership of the Soviet Union and Soviet science. The most frequent characterization of this relationship is dominant and submissive, respectively. Most authors have written that the Communist Party of the Soviet Union exerted influence on scientists' careers, access to foreign scientific publications, and interaction with their foreign colleagues in the Soviet Union and the ability of scientists to travel abroad. While this characterization is correct, it tends to be uni-directional. Furthermore, the literature usually ignores the relationship between science and the Party in the decision-making arena. In this dissertation, I argue that the relationship between science and the leadership is better viewed as bi-directional. Thus, I argue that science had an influence on policy-makers in the areas of nuclear policy and human rights although not to the same degree as the Party had on science. This dissertation also examines the relationship between the natural sciences and the political leadership in the post-Soviet context.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Political Science

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Roberg, Jeffrey Lawrence

Contributors dc:contributor

• Kanet, Roger E.

• History, European
• History of Science
• Political Science, General

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1996 Roberg, Jeffrey Lawrence

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9625185
(UMI)AAI9625185

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/19182