Warsaw: Palimpsest of the Polish Nation
Palimpsest: (n) a manuscript or piece of writing material on which later writing has been superimposed on effaced earlier writing. Warsaw, Poland’s centrally-located capital, is…
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.
Krakow: Poland’s Cultural Capital
Krakow was the Polish capital from 1038 to 1596 or approximately from the Kingdom of Poland’s historical founding through its golden age. Even after the…
YouTube Conflicts: Youth Debate Ukraine
There have been a number of videos published by youth and student groups from all sides of the Ukrainian conflict. Many of these have been…
Crimea: Prosperity in Unity or Separatism?
“Prosperity in Unity” is the official motto of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, a parliamentary republic that exists within Ukraine and occupies most of the…
Ukraine: Between Russia and Europe
Ukraine is no longer “The Ukraine.” For centuries, the definite article was considered appropriate, given the land’s history and the name’s meaning. However, given recent…
Transdnestria: A European Nowhere
Transdnestria, or The Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (which is the full name its government uses) lies mostly within in a single narrow valley on the east…
Moldova: Divided on the Edge of Europe
The republic of Moldova may to some appear to be something of an afterthought – a small, landlocked nation on the far eastern periphery of…
Kiev: At the Center of a Divided Country
The ancient city of Kiev continues to thrive as the most populous city of Ukraine. Much like other post-Soviet capitals, Kiev’s future looks bright, despite…
Lviv: A Turbulent Time Capsule
With a population that is 88% ethnically Ukrainian, Lviv is one of the strongholds of what can be considered Ukrainian culture. Although it may have…
Odessa: A City Born Again and Again
As the third largest city in Ukraine, Odessa has a rich and eclectic history. Located on the Black Sea, about 450 km south of Kiev,…
Turkmenistan: A Rich, Desert Land
Turkmenistan consists mostly of sparsely-inhabited desert, but has still found itself contested between civilizations throughout history. Over the past century, it has been particularly associated…
South Ossetia: Old Territory, New Problems
South Ossetia is one of the world’s newest independent states according to Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and the microstates of Tuvalu and Nauru. According to all…
Tbilisi: The Immortal City
These days, a visitor to Tbilisi might be struck by the calm, southern European atmosphere that pervades this hilly capital. The old city of Tbilisi,…
Georgia: New State, Deep Roots
The Republic of Georgia, a small nation in the South Caucasus, covers territory which has seen the rise and fall of many empires and kingdoms…
Bishkek: “A Place Below the Mountains”
Bishkek is capital of one of Central Asia’s poorest countries. However, it is also a modern, dynamic, and constantly evolving city with a rich history…
Abkhazia: Grandeur to Ruin… and Back Again?
Abkhazia: Grandeur to Ruin… and Back Again? With its precipitous mountains, subtropical climate, and pristine beaches, one would expect Abkhazia to be the Black Sea…
Kazakhstan’s Capitals: Two Cities of History and Modern Business
I. Almaty – The Old Capital Almaty is a beautiful city perched among the mountains in Southern Kazakhstan. Its name comes from the Kazakh word “alma” which…
People’s Front: Party Platform
People’s Front is a new political party in Ukraine, founded in March 2014 by Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and former Parliament Chairman Oleksandr Turchynov. Yatsenyuk…
Bloc of Petro Poroshenko: Party Platform
Bloc of Petro Poroshenko is united behind President Petro Poroshenko’s goals for Ukraine. The party’s primary objectives include Ukraine’s membership in the EU, a peaceful…
Prospects for Bloc of Petro Poroshenko and People’s Front
Ukraine’s New Ruling Political Parties Ukraine’s two most powerful political parties, Bloc of Petro Poroshenko and People’s Front, are both new political formations. Both were…