Department of History — Dr.
Christian Raffensperger
Professor Raffensperger obtained his
B.A. from BatesCollege
in Lewiston,
Maine,
and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the
University of Chicago.
His dissertation is titled, “Reexamining Rus’: The Place of Kievan Rus’
in Europe,
ca. 800–1146.” It deals with the relationship of Rus’ (medieval Russia)
to the rest of Europe.
It specifically focuses on the dynastic marriages made between the
ruling family of Rus’, the Riurikids, and the other ruling families of
Europe.
These marriages formed a web of connections that tied Rus’ firmly into
the fabric of Europe
during this period. Currently he is at work editing his
dissertation into a monograph.
