Russian Worlds: When Culture (and a Major Russian Celebrity) Trumps Politics
This is the first in a series of posts on the concept of "Russkiy Mir."[1] I begin by looking at the International Festival of Literature that was held recently in Tartu,…
After the Swaggering Celebrations, a ‘Now What?’ Moment for Russia
(Eurasia Daily Monitor) The Victory Day parade on the Red Square in Moscow last Saturday (May 9) was a glorious and perfectly smooth affair, which duly filled the hearts of millions…
Moscow Conference on International Security 2015 Part 3: Speeches by foreign defense ministers
This year, there were a lot of foreign defense ministers participating in the Moscow Conference on International Security. In fact, there were so many that the organizers had to take…
New Policy Memo: A New Wave of Russian Nationalism? What Really Changed in Public Opinion after Crimea
(Co-authored with Mikhail Alexseev) How did the dramatic events of 2014, including the annexation of Crimea and the onset of violent armed conflict in eastern Ukraine, transform the opinion of…
Central Asia: Mismanaging Religion
(EurasiaNet) When it comes to religious affairs in Central Asia, authorities are relying on Soviet methods even as they aspire to move away from the Soviet legacy. Religion, especially Islam, is…
Британский народ предельно трезв
Засыпал и просыпался под прямой репортаж BBC c подсчётом результатов парламентских выборов в Великобритании (чуть не написал – Англии, что было бы ошибкой в контексте результатов 2015 года). Читаю я…
How to understand the post-Soviet ‘war of lapels’
(Monkey Cage/WP) (Co-authored with Sean Roberts) A “War of Lapels” is raging as many people in the post-Soviet space must make political choices about what to wear on their jackets on…
Нации и границы: как Россия и Эстония помнят о Второй Мировой
В этом году мир отмечает 70 лет окончания Второй мировой войны – самой кровавой и беспощадной войны человечества. В России торжества проходят с большим размахом: на мероприятия, связанные с празднованием…
Soft Power with a Scalpel
Russian soft power has a new face: biker Alexander Zaldostanov, aka “The Surgeon.” The widely publicized tour of his Night Wolves motorcycle club, with all its carnivalesque and pretentious absurdity through parts…
Commemorating the War: Is Glorification Without Hysteria Possible?
There is one notorious paradox deeply entrenched in the ardent debates about Russia’s May 9th celebration marking the 70th anniversary of World War II. While Russia is eager to use the…
Годовщина Победы: возможен ли праздник без истерии?
Споры вокруг юбилея Победы вызваны еще и тем, что Россия желает взять историю в свое будущее. В Европе многие хотят оставить историю в прошлом, признав войну трагедией, где деление на…
Moscow Conference on International Security 2015 Part 2: Gerasimov on military threats facing Russia
Here’s the second installment of my reporting from the 2015 MCIS conference. This one and the next will focus on Russian views of NATO as the primary source of military threat…