1. Strangers. Russians Discover Black Africa
Journal: Open Book Publishers
Year: 2026

This chapter introduces the various Russian figures—explorers, travellers, soldiers, scholars, doctors, writers, and artists—who created and circulated knowledge about Sub-Saharan Africa. It considers both how their work was received by the Russian public and how it paralleled that of Western colonial agents. Some of these individuals travelled to Africa for diverse reasons, while others helped construct its image without ever visiting the continent.