<strong>The</strong> <strong>International</strong> Newletter <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communist</strong> Studies Online <strong>XIII</strong> (<strong><strong>20</strong>07</strong>), <strong>no</strong> <strong>20</strong> 40 65), and its focus on the hierarchical structure, mechanisms <strong>of</strong> administration and system <strong>of</strong> subordination in the Comintern apparatus. <strong>The</strong> major task <strong>of</strong> providing the research with academic relevance is two-folded. First, the methodological approach has from the very beginning intended to put the pieces together by using different archival collections (Moscow, Berlin, London, Stockholm), in order to obtain an “inside” perspective on the LAI. Thus, a position like this has made it possible to distinguish the space <strong>of</strong> human agency in the organization, and to break away from stereotypes and fixed models. Secondly, previous research has in principal neglected the purpose and functions <strong>of</strong> the front organizations; instead, focus has mainly been put either on the relations between the national <strong>Communist</strong> Parties and Moscow, or for that matter, the organisational structure <strong>of</strong> the Comintern apparatus in Moscow. At last, the history <strong>of</strong> Comintern and international communism is a vital part <strong>of</strong> twentieth century social and political history, and if neglected, the risk is as journalist Anne Applebaum (<strong>20</strong>03) once pointed out, that the writing <strong>of</strong> the history <strong>of</strong> the “short twentieth century” becomes somewhat warped. Research Questions & Limitations Below follow a couple <strong>of</strong> questions, acting as analytical threads during the research process: - Why a league against imperialism? - Which characteristics do the political, social and individual networks reveal in relation to LAI, and how did the Comintern try to use them? - Which actors, both individual and institutional, were <strong>no</strong>tably active within the network? - How did the LAI follow and adjust to the instructions <strong>of</strong> the Comintern headquarters in Moscow, and vice versa? - Did a situation <strong>of</strong> struggle and rivalry develop between individuals in the LAI and other bodies engaged in the anti-imperialist work? - What position and relevance did front organizations such as the LAI have in, and for, the Comintern? <strong>The</strong> thesis deals with the years 1924 to 1933. <strong>The</strong> major focal point is set on LAI’s <strong>International</strong> Secretariat in Berlin, its organisational and individual composition, and the relations with Comintern headquarters in Moscow. This limitation has been adopted in order to concentrate on the axis Berlin – Moscow – Anti-imperialism. Sources, Archives & Timetable As previously mentioned, the major bulk <strong>of</strong> empirical material is stored in the Comintern archive. So far, four research trips have been done to Moscow. 85 Documents and files representing the apparatus <strong>of</strong> the Comintern (LAI, Political Secretariat, Political Commission, Agitprop Department, Eastern Secretariat, Executive Committee <strong>of</strong> the Comintern [ECCI], Western European Bureau, ECCI Presidium, personal files etc.) have been investigated. Other archives and their collections that provided useful information, are the Federal Archives Stiftung Archiv der Parteien und Masse<strong>no</strong>rganisationen der DDR (SAPMO) in Berlin, Germany, 85 Research has been carried out in cooperation with supervisor Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Holger Weiss, Dr. Risto Marjomaa, and assistant Dr. Tatjana Androsova.
<strong>The</strong> <strong>International</strong> Newletter <strong>of</strong> <strong>Communist</strong> Studies Online <strong>XIII</strong> (<strong><strong>20</strong>07</strong>), <strong>no</strong> <strong>20</strong> 41 which provided new interpretative angles, or strengthened some aspects lacking in the Comintern archive, especially in a contextual sense. <strong>The</strong> National Archive in London, Kew, possesses a large amount <strong>of</strong> material on LAI. This material supplied, like the SAPMO sources, relevant contextual information, but it also shows how the English Home Office, Scotland Yard and MI5 perceived the LAI. Finally, a collection <strong>of</strong> material related to LAI has been found in the National Archive in Stockholm, the Labour Movement Archive and Library in Stockholm (ARAB), Stockholm City Archive (SCA), and the Swedish Security Police Archive. Research on the thesis started in summer <strong>of</strong> <strong>20</strong>04. So far, three working papers have been published on the topic, see http://www.abo.fi/fak/hf/hist/forsk_komintern_work.htm, on the topic. <strong>The</strong> main activity at the current stage (November <strong>20</strong>06) consists <strong>of</strong> putting the pieces together, evaluating the sources, and writing a first draft <strong>of</strong> the thesis manuscript.