Alison K. Smith

Professor Smith is a historian of the Russian Empire. Her research has focused along several lines: the history of food, drink, and drunkenness; the history of social stratification, social mobility, and serfdom; and most recently a microhistory of autocracy centered on one imperial palace. She has published three monographs and many articles and chapters in edited volumes. Forthcoming works include the co-edited volume A Frozen State: Experiencing Cold in Russian History and Culture (University of Toronto Press, expected May 2026) and “‘To Each Their Grievance Is Bitter and Unbearable’: Petitions and Complaints in 18th-century Russia,” Law and History Review (forthcoming late 2025 or early 2026). Professor Smith also served as the Chair and Graduate Chair of the Department of History (2019-2024) and serves on the Manuscript Review Committee of University of Toronto Press.