Global History of Capitalism Project – Russian American Company

Dr. Tiemann has contributed his third classroom case study to the library of the Global History of Capitalism Project of the Oxford Centre for Global History at the University of Oxford. This case, The Alaskan Fur Rush and the Russian-America Company, is an in-depth look at the history of the Russian-American Company, the 19th-century fur-trapping and trading enterprise that established Russia’s presence in Alaska and California. Dr. Tiemann argues that as so often happens in businesses that exploit natural resources, after decades of over-hunting of fur-bearing animals, the Russian-American Company found itself burdened with a colossal stranded asset – the current State of Alaska. In support of this teaching center, Dr. Tiemann will be teaching the case for Oxford in June, 2022. This case study is made available by Oxford under a Creative Commons Copyright.