This book comprises twelve essays on Stalinism by leading international historians, whose work presents a range of interpretations regarding Stalinism's origins and consequences. In particular the essays address the following questions:

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• why did the October Revolution of 1917 result not in a communist utopia but in the Stalinist dictatorship, with prison camps, bloody purges, and unprecedented state repression?
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• was Stalin personally to blame or were these events the result of social forces, socialist ideology, or the international threat?
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• how did Stalinism affect women and gender roles?
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• what was Stalinist policy toward ethnic and national minorities?
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• what impact did the Second World War have on Soviet society?

The chapters include work by both eminent historians and younger scholars who have conducted research in the newly-opened Russian archives. These perspectives are brought together by the editor who provides a contextualizing chapter and introductions to the debates. The book provides students and teachers with a valuable overview of the scholarship on Stalinism and an understanding of the debates that have shaped the field of Soviet history.