Latvia: A Case Study of Colonization and Independence
Latvia is a small country on the Baltic Sea coast. Although it has maintained a distinct language and culture for hundreds of years, it has…
Read MoreArticles by Josh Wilson
Josh has been with SRAS since 2003. He holds an M.A. in Theatre and a B.A. in History from Idaho State University, where his masters thesis was written on the political economy of Soviet-era censorship organs affecting the stage. He lived in Moscow from 2003-2022, where he ran Moscow operations for SRAS. At SRAS, Josh still assists in program development and leads our internship programs. He is also the editor-in-chief for the SRAS newsletter, the SRAS Family of Sites, and Vestnik. He has previously served as Communications Director to Bellerage Alinga and has served as a consultant or translator to several businesses and organizations with interests in Russia.
Origins of Russia: Moscow Becomes an Empire (Prehistory to 1584)
Moscow is not just a city. It was a fort that became a city, that became a state, that became an empire, that became a…
Armenia: A Global People
The Modern Republic of Armenia lies in the turbulent south Caucuses. Although the Armenians as a people have existed for thousands of years, they have…
Armenia’s Foreign Policy and Security Issues for 2023
The most important issue in Armenia’s regional relations is the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Armenia is a landlocked country flanked by two historical adversaries, Turkey and Azerbaijan,…
Nagorno-Karabakh: The Volatile Core of the South Caucasus
The Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh is one of four frozen conflicts that emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Legally recognized as a part of…
Kyrgyzstan: A GeoHistory Study Guide
Kyrgyzstan is a small, strikingly mountainous country near the center of the immense Eurasian landmass. Influences from diverse empires can be felt there today: Mongol,…
Georgia: A GeoHistory Study Guide
What Georgia might lack in size it makes up for in personality. Over the millennia, the nation we now call Georgia has been part of…
Uzbekistan: A GeoHistory Study Guide
When the Silk Road passed through Uzbekistan, its cities grew to some of the world’s largest, most prosperous, and most learned. Many of the great…
A Traveler’s Guide to Russian Banks
Many traveler’s handbooks, in the 1990s and even into the 2000s, warned foreigners to be wary of ATMs in Russia. A lot has changed since…
The Ukraine Border Crisis: Seven Questions Answered
For the past two months, the international community has been watching the Russian-Ukrainian border crisis unfold. The following article will try to gauge whether active…
Russian for Wonks: Demographics and Childbirth
Russian demographics have been a major policy issue for the Russian state since its formation in 1991. It has also been well covered in both…
Russian, US Top Diplomats Meet: In Side-by-Side Translation
Both Russia and the US are testing the waters for a possible meeting between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Today, on…
Renting in Russia: Language, Legalities, and Culture
The word for “landlord” in Russian is actually the same as the word for “host” – . Renting in Russia, whether apartments or rooms, comes…
VESTNIK: Call for Papers, Editorial Board, Policies, and Processes
Vestnik was launched by SRAS in 2004 as one of the world’s first online academic journals focused on showcasing student research. We welcome and…
Putin’s New Year Message to Russians in Translation
While Americans gather around TV screens to watch a ball drop on Times Square to bring in the New Year, Russians gather around to watch…
Russian MiniLessons: Подтасовка результатов выборов – Rigging Elections
The following bilingual Russian MiniLesson is meant to build your vocabulary by providing Russian phrases within English text. Hover over the bold Russian to reveal…
Moscow’s Reopening and COVID Response: A View from the Ground
As of Tuesday, June 23rd, after nearly three months of quarantine measures, Moscow has reopened. The city was able to mobilize phenomenal resources and put…
The Dacha in Modern Russian History and Legislation
The Russian word “дача” is often translated into English as “summer residence” or “cottage,” but the best translation is simply a transliteration to English: “dacha.”…
The Logistics of Social Change and Times of Crisis
With quarantine foremost on everyone’s minds, many are asking how current events will change society. Many articles have been published. Yet, very few bother to…
2020 Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly in Side-by-Side Translation
Vladimir Putin’s annual Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly of 2020 may go down in history as one of Russia’s most important. In the address,…
