The Russian Studies department at Bristol has for many years enjoyed a reputation as one of the UK’s leading research departments in the field of Russian, Slavonic and East European Languages. In the Government’s most recent Research Assessment Exercise, RAE 2008, 15% of its work was judged to be ‘world-class’, 60% ‘internationally excellent’ or better, and 90% ‘internationally recognised’ or better.

The Department’s main research strengths lie in Russian literature from the 18th century to the present, Russian intellectual history from the 18th to the early 20th centuries, and Russian popular culture of the 20th and 21st centuries, including cinema and animation. It is also one of very few Departments in the UK to conduct research in Czech and Slovak literature and culture.