‘Packed with biographies of little-known victims of the 1930s purges, this book gives valuable insight into a pivotal aspect of Soviet history that deserves similar attention in other regions of the former USSR… Highly recommended.’

“Matthew Pauly’s Breaking the Tongue is a sober, lucid, and innovative study that will be of great interest to both historians and linguists. His careful investigation of what seems to have actually happened in the schools and other institutions of Ukraine at the time when they were allegedly being Ukrainized demonstrates that Soviet Ukrainization could not in fact work, not only because of the Soviets’ highly ambiguous attitude to their own policy, but also because the entire endeavour suffered from the almost complete lack of the most basic resources, including teachers, textbooks, school buildings, and even paper.”

‘Pauly’s new book brings to light extensive archival material and offers a unique insight into the workings of the Soviet nationalities policy on the micro-level of the school…. A remarkably timely and relevant contribution to the field.’

‘It is a very important step forward in our general understanding of Ukrainization and Soviet nationality politics in the 1920s. It should be read by all those who study Soviet policies of the 1920s and Russian-Ukrainian relations.’

‘This is an important monograph based on meticulous archival research and a solid theoretical foundation, Pauly’s study will be of interest to historians of Ukraine and the Soviet Union, as well as anyone investigating the relationship between education and national identity.’

‘Pauly’s highly detailed and highly nuanced monograph is an outstanding contribution to our understanding of how Ukrainization evolved and how the multinational USSR dealt with social contradictions and unintended consequences in its early period.’

‘This clearly written and effectively researched monograph focuses on educational policy as it was implemented, challenged, and ultimately practiced in the school houses of Ukraine…. Breaking the Tongue adds an important dimension to Soviet childhood studies.’

‘Breaking the Tongue will be a very useful volume. It is scholarly, well-researched, and highly contextual study with ample sources, including good use of original Ukrainian documents.’

‘Pauly’s book offers a unique and important study of the intersection of school reform and nationalities policy.’

“Breaking the Tongue is ground-breaking in its focus on the link between education, politics and Ukrainization. This book will be read with great interest by scholars in the fields of Soviet studies, Ukrainian and Russian history, Ukrainization, nationalism, and post-revolutionary cultural-education policy.”