A Guide to Energy Security in the Caucasus
The South Caucasus region (Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia) is a key corridor between European markets and the energy-rich Caspian Basin. The region itself is also…
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When Football Mattered: Yugoslav Resilience and the Tito-Stalin Split, 1948-1952
This project examines Yugoslav history between June 1948 and July 1952, beginning with the Tito–Stalin Split and ending with Yugoslavia’s symbolic football victory over the…
Culture & Propaganda: POWs from the Russian Empire in Austro-Hungarian WWI Camps
During the First World War, Austria-Hungary extended its long-standing policy of fostering and co-opting nationalist movements to its prisoner-of-war (POW) camps. While it may seem…
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 …
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…
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…
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 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…
Putin and Pompeo Meet
This issue presents Russian news broadcasts on issues of policy and politics with full transcripts and full side-by-side translations. It is aimed at providing vocabulary…
Sergey Lavrov on US-Russia Relations
This resource looks at Russian news broadcasts and presents each with rhetorical and contextual analysis as well as a brief vocabulary list aimed at intermediate-level…
President of Kazakhstan resigns; Garbage reform in Russia; “Crimean Spring” Day Celebrated
This resource looks at Russian news broadcasts and presents each with rhetorical and contextual analysis as well as a brief vocabulary list aimed at intermediate-level…
Russian for Wonks: Sanctions-Related Russian Vocabulary
Sanctions against Russia have been a complex and ever-changing US-led effort. Some other countries, most prominently the EU, have also enacted sanctions, but there is…
The Cultural Diplomacy of the FIFA World Cup
Sports has long been a vehicle for cultural diplomacy. This summer, Russia hosted the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Early June brought a plethora of foreign…
Russia’s Arctic Development: Problems and Priorities
What climate change and arctic development means for Russia, the environment, and the international community. The Arctic region is a vast area whose economic potential,…
What Do The Escalations in US-Russian Sanctions Mean?
The US Congress has recently passed sweeping new sanctions on Russia. Today, they were signed into law by President Trump. Both the sanctions and Russia’s…
Are Tensions Likely for the Russian Diaspora in Kyrgyzstan?
Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the post –Soviet region has faced a number of challenges including widespread diasporas, fluid national identities,…
Could the Baltic Crisis Lead to Wider Conflict?
Recent years have seen a hardening of relations between the United States/NATO and Russia. Russian actions in Ukraine—especially the…
Four Reformers in Russia’s Shock Therapy
In the wake of the 1990’s, the future of nascent post-Soviet Russia was in the hands of four groups of reformers, who were entrusted with…
Understanding Russia’s Interests in North Korea
The first few months of 2016 have seen important developments for the long term stability of Russia’s far eastern neighbors. North Korea is at the…
Why is Russia in Syria?
To say that Syria is in the news a lot right now would be a gross understatement. The whole world’s foreign policy seems to be…