Catherine Gibson

Empire of solidarities: a connected history of private charity across a decentred Romanov Empire, 1855–1914

In the late 19th century, the Romanov Empire stretched across an immense territory, from today’s Tallinn to Vladivostok, encompassing a diverse range of populations. Did people living in different parts of this vast empire feel compelled to help one another in times of need? If so, how far-reaching were their sympathies? What did these solidarities mean, and how were they enacted and expressed through ideas, emotions, and lived experiences?

If solidarities could indeed transcend the multiconfessional and multiethnic heterogeneity of the Romanov Empire, examining this historical experience offers valuable insights into the relationship between empire and solidarity— two concepts often viewed as fundamentally at odds. EMPSOLID challenges existing spatial frameworks for understanding 19th-century empires by proposing an alternative narrative: one of overcoming social, ethnic, confessional, and professional divisions to unite around shared causes beyond the direct experiences of the givers.

Result

The project has only just begun, so it is not yet possible to discuss results. However, Gibson hopes that the findings will disrupt longstanding narratives about empires as spaces which not only divided peoples, but also created opportunities for connections. By generating new critical perspectives, the project aims to explore how individuals sometimes set aside their differences to rally around shared causes.

One of the key methods involves digitally mapping the flows and networks of donations to identify trends and spatial patterns in charitable practices. EMPSOLID tests the hypothesis that supranational solidarities functioned as an emotional glue, helping to hold the empire together and maintain a politically viable structure—at least nominally—in the face of the challenges posed by modernity. These findings could have far-reaching implications for understanding imperial history beyond the Romanov case.

Impact

The idea for the project emerged in the context of Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine. EMPSOLID’s ambition to challenge normative spatial frameworks that have shaped histories of the Romanov Empire aims to inspire future efforts to write decentred histories of the empire and contribute to critical approaches in area studies more broadly.

Additionally, the project will examine the contemporary resonance of the imperial narrative by tracing the genealogical trajectories of solidarity traditions and practices across the region.