One neglected aspect of the Gorbachev perestroika era in Russia [1985-1991] was the remarkable "pedagogy of cooperation" (or pedagogika sotrudnichestva) movement, a renewal of the experimental tradition in education. Central to this was Edward Dneprov, a brilliant and forceful individual whose views and personality substantially shaped the Gorbachev-era educational reform movement. Dneprov, who served as Russian Minister of Education (1990-1992) was also a product of his times and his training as an historian. These characteristics informed but also limited his ability to understand the forces at work resisting educational change--especially the resilience of "the culture of the classroom."