Join us for a very special interview with Rustam Alexander, author of Red Closet: The Hidden History of Gay Oppression in the USSR. Alexander uncovers an overlooked area of 20th century history, tracing the roots and realities of the lives of queer people in the USSR. We explore how Alexander conducted the archival research for this book, how he felt writing the text, and some of the history discussed in the text.  

This is the second collaboration with Manchester University Press, offering you an exclusive discount on this book. This is one of the only texts covering this topic in an easy to read format, and we highly recommend you pick up a copy! 

You can find the book here: https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526167453/. Use discount code THEORY30 for 30% off (until the 23rd December 2025).  

Sources and Media 

You kind find all source material discussed in the episode here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QdNTQ6KZJ92oGG9R-42TzVUb7Em_WyWH3j6xc_AMquA/edit?usp=sharing 

Contact Us 

You can get in touch with us via our email: theoryishpodcast@gmail.com 

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Music 

Outro: Lori Beauty, Coma Studios