Boris Mironov (historian)

Boris Nikolaevich Mironov (Russian: Борис Николаевич Миронов; born 22 July 1942, Gavrilov-Yam, Yaroslavl Oblast) is a Russian historian and demographer specializing in the social, economic, and cultural history of Russia, particularly in the 18th-20th centuries. He holds a Doctor of Historical Sciences degree and is a professor at Saint Petersburg State University.

Mironov is known for his extensive quantitative research using historical statistics and demographic data to analyze long-term trends in Russian society. His work covers a wide range of topics, including the standard of living, social mobility, health, literacy, and family structure in Imperial and Soviet Russia. He is also notable for his analyses of the Great Reforms of Alexander II and their impact on Russian society.

His major publications include "A Social History of Imperial Russia, 1700-1917" (Westview Press, 2000), a comprehensive overview of Russian social history that has been widely cited. Other significant works explore the Russian Revolution, the Soviet era, and issues of modernization and westernization in the Russian context.

Mironov's work has often been subject to debate and criticism, particularly regarding his interpretations of economic and social data and his perspectives on the overall progress and development of Russian society over time. His research and publications have contributed significantly to the field of Russian historical studies, offering detailed quantitative analyses and provoking discussion about the complex processes of social and economic change in Russia. He remains an active scholar and continues to publish research on Russian history.