Riga: A History in Districts
Riga, the capital city of Latvia, boasts a rich history and diverse architectural heritage. Among its many districts, Mežciems, Purvciems, Grīziņkalns, Centrs, and Vecrīga stand…
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Book Review of Defining Latvia: Recent Explorations in History, Culture, & Politics.
Loader, Michael, Hearne, Siobhán, and Matthew Kott. Defining Latvia: Recent Explorations in History, Culture, & Politics. Central European University Press, Budapest, 2022. 364 pp., $9.99…
Book Review of From Pugwash to Putin: A Critical History of US-Soviet Scientific Cooperation by Gerson S. Sher
Gerson S Sher, From Pugwash to Putin: A Critical History of US–Soviet Scientific Cooperation. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, IN, 2019. 318 pp., $80.84 hb. ISBN-13 978-0253042613 …
Warsaw’s Public Transport: History and Current Use
Poland offers a broad network of public transportation with Warsaw serving as the central hub. Traveling to and around Warsaw is simple whether you arrive…
The Silk Road Railway: Will It Ever Happen?
In June 2022, the governments of China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan announced that construction on the long-awaited Silk Road Railway will begin in early 2023. A…
5G Networks in Russia: Development and Trajectories
Technology is constantly evolving, utilizing ever more bandwidth and making ever more connections between people and devices. Because of this, new cellular networks are needed…
Artificial Intelligence in Russia
Artificial intelligence has been rising in practical uses for the past several decades. From smart devices to automated weapons, it has changed the way humans…
Symmetry in State Surveillance: The US and Russia
The growth of technology and Internet-connected devices has made the surveillance of individuals increasingly possible and common. Governments use surveillance to track individuals for a…
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…
US-Russia Cybersecurity Cooperation: Future Paths and Historical Perspective
The rapid development of Internet technology has and will continue to generate unforeseen threats and opportunities. From unprecedented interconnectedness on social media to attacks on…
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…
“Traditional Values” and the 2013 Russian Propaganda Ban
In 1993, the Russian law against sex between men, which had been put into place under Stalin in 1934 and led to the arrest and…
Examining the Threat of the Azov Movement in Ukraine
The Azov movement has gained in reputation and power, not only in their home country of Ukraine, but across the world. The group, which began…
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…
Russian MiniLessons: Холодная война – The Cold War
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.”…
Russian MiniLessons: Summer Camps for Kids and Related Russian Vocabulary
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…
A Comparative Look at Coronavirus Responses in Eurasia
The global health crisis has changed life around the world, but in often very different ways in various places. Even countries located close to each…
Karabakh: Youth, War Zones, and Unrecognized Borders
The views expressed in this interview do not necessarily reflect those of GeoHistory or SRAS. This fascinating interview is presented here as documentation of what…
