In addition to creating the map, many of us have taken on other projects in order to apply the data we’ve collected and (since we come from an interdisciplinary background) to explore our own interests. I sought to incorporate my interest in international relations into our study of 1924 Paris.
Knowing that it was in 1924 that France recognized the USSR,
I thought perhaps Bolshevik leaders would have sent a group like this to Paris.
I thought it would be interesting to see if there was anything in the bustling arts scene that influenced this recognition. I was hoping that there would be instances of cultural diplomacy – for instance that Stalin sent a ballet group that persuaded the French government it was time to recognize the Bolshevik government, something like that.
Despite my best efforts, I haven’t been able to find any instances of this type of diplomacy. It seems like the primary reason France recognized the USSR was in hopes of improving their economy rather than a change of heart inspired by some soviet singer.
Despite this disappointment, I’ve changed my subject and am hoping I’ll still be able to discover a link between international relations and the Parisian art scene- more on this to come….