United Russia: Ruling Party
United Russia was founded in December 2001 primarily as a vehicle to support Vladimir Putin, who had assumed the presidency of Russia after Boris Yeltsin’s…
Read MorePolitics
Right Cause, Wrong Path?
Established in November of 2008, Right Cause (Правое Дело) is one of Russia’s youngest political parties. Right Cause formed from a merger of three smaller…
The Chinese in Russia’s Far East: A Clash of Civilizations in Vladivostok
As an American of Chinese descent, I’ve always had an interest in China. In 2008, I lived in Beijing, China studying Mandarin Chinese and business….
Road Map to Solidarity: Part II
Continued from Part I. They have stated that their only criteria for membership or cooperation are opposition to Putin’s regime and the non-promotion of violence…
Road Map to Solidarity: Part I
The Russian liberal democratic organization Solidarity (Солидарность) was founded in December 2008 by a range of opposition activists. These included several members of the political…
Right Cause Searches for Right Path: Part IV
Part I Part II Part III Part IV «Капитализм для всех»: предсказуемая внешняя политика “Capitalism For All:” consistent foreign policy Современная страна, национальная экономика не…
Right Cause Searches for Right Path: Part III
Right Cause’s problems started early. Shortly after it was formed, Yevgeny Chichvarkin, the flamboyant young founder of Russia’s largest mobile phone retailer, was accused of…
Right Cause Searches for Right Path: Part II
Continued from Part I. Right Cause has positioned itself as a pro-business party in favor of free market reforms, privatization, and protecting the interests of…
Right Cause Searches for Right Path: Part I
Established in November of 2008, Right Cause (Правое Дело) is one of Russia’s youngest political parties. Right Cause formed from a merger of three smaller…
President Obama’s NES Speech in Russian Translation
Simultaneous interpretation and written translation are two very different arts. A translator working on a text-to-text translation might take several days to complete and polish…
Russian MiniLessons: Южная Осетия – South Ossetia
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…
Russian MiniLessons: Органы = Security Forces (FSB and Spies)
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…
US Elections Come to Moscow
The 2008 US elections promise to bring historic results. Not only will the next president be the first sitting senator elected since John F. Kennedy…
The Medvedev Economy
The Russian economy is due for a major shift. Much of the rapid growth from the past eight years has come from something called “unused…
Putin and the “Problem of 2008”
An Annotated Overview of Quotes about Putin’s Decision to Head United Russia’s Party List in the Coming Elections As political analysts endlessly mulled the “Problem…
Pride 2007: The State of Moscow’s Gay Movement
When I first arrived at Tverskaya Square just after noon on May 27th, all I could see were police uniforms. The police and OMON, the…
A Comparative Look at Hate Crime in Russia and the U.S.
In recent years, as an important issue in foreign relations between the United States and Russia, the United States has focused on bringing attention to…
Security Forces Sweep Bishkek Clean
Bishkek entered its ninth straight day of protests on April 19 with the promise by opposition leaders to dramatically increase the number of demonstrators in…
Kyrgyzstan’s Latest Revolution
The March 2005 overthrow of President Askar Akayev in Kyrgyzstan did not immediately revolutionize Kyrgyz politics. The Kyrgyz people initially heralded their “Tulip Revolution,” but…
Russian Political Culture Since 1985
The traditional view of Russian political culture has been that, due to historical experience, Russians have favored strong autocratic rule. After nearly seventy years of…