The project is devoted to studying Russian autobiographical testimony from the 18th century in a European context. The main hypothesis that underpins this project is that the appearance of Russian autobiographies, diaries, memoirs, and personal letters in the 18-19th centuries was triggered by social and cultural transformations analogous to those that gave rise to such autobiographical practices in Western Europe. It is hoped that a general European context in looking at Russian accounts of the self will enable us not only to refresh our understanding of these sources but also to capture facets of Russian culture more deeply.