Events
Book Discussion: The Orthodox Church and Russian Politics
November 14, 2011 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm
Irina Papkova will present the major findings of her recent book, "The Orthodox Church and Russian Politics," which was jointly published by Oxford University Press and the Woodrow Wilson Center press in April 2011. The book examines church-state relations in post-Soviet Russia, and questions popular assumptions about the close nature of the relationship between the Orthodox church and the Putin regime in particular.
The Arab Spring and its Impact on the Situation in Africa and Russian-U.S. Bilateral Cooperation in the Region
November 07, 2011 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm
Ukraine at Twenty: How Strong is the Young State? How Resilient Society?
October 31, 2011 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm
Greene will examine the strength of Ukraine’s society and state after twenty years of independence, in light of a modern understanding of state power and societal resilience. He will also discuss how internal and external actions could help improve the mobilization of strategic resources – improving national security and societal development.
All is Near
October 27, 2011 // 6:00pm — 8:00pm
Kennan Institute/Harriman Institute Ukrainian Literature Series - Cosponsored by the Washington Group
Privatization in the Russian Federation: The Rise of Market-Based Systems in Modern Russia
October 24, 2011 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm
President Medvedev recognizes that a well-conceived economic program, designed to create an independent broad based and self-sustaining private sector will improve Russia's position and image as a global superpower. The improvement in the quality of life for the average Russian is also an essential element, both economically, politically and socially for the Russian Federation. In Russia, the continuing development of privatization must be part of an overall reform package involving continued de-regulation, progressive taxation and a strong and viable monetary policy.
Counting Coup? Evolving Memories of August 1991 in Russia
October 17, 2011 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm
August 19, 2011 marked the 20th anniversary of the 1991 coup attempt in Russia. Harley Balzer argued that the combination of “strong opposition, resistance, subversion, and bureaucratic inertia” were crucial in defeating the Communist party leaders’ attempt to seize power from Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in August 1991. As memories fade and the Russian government seeks to undermine belief in popular political efficacy, the prevailing narrative of August 1991 suggests that an ill-conceived and poorly executed attempt to seize power failed because of its leaders’ incompetence, their serious miscalculation of public opinion, or Gorbachev’s failure to support political allies whose actions he had previously endorsed.
Book Discussion: Citizens in the Making in Post-Soviet States
October 11, 2011 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm
The political outlook of young people in the countries of the former Soviet Union is crucial to their countries’ future political development. This is particularly relevant now as the first generation without firsthand experience of communism at first hand is approaching adulthood. Based on extensive original research and including new survey research amongst young people, this book examines young people’s political outlook in countries of the former Soviet Union; it compares and contrasts Russia, where authoritarianism has begun to reassert itself, and Ukraine, which experienced a democratic breakthrough in the aftermath of the Orange Revolution.
The Caucasus Region: Shaping a New Status Quo
October 03, 2011 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm
The presentation is focused upon the transformation of the Caucasus region from one of periphery to one of the focal points of Eurasian, European, and Transatlantic security. The speaker examines roles played by the United States, Turkey, Iran, and the European Union (as well as by international organizations such as OSCE, NATO, and the UN) in the Caucasus since the dissolution of the USSR. The speaker will pay particular attention to Russia and its desire for playing an exclusive role in Caucasus geopolitics. The presentation stresses the new status quo that has emerged from the August War of 2008 (including a new political agenda for South Ossetia and Abkhazia, new Western strategies on engagement/non-recognition, the impact of the August War on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution, and the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement).
The Evolution of Soviet Policies towards Dissidents
September 26, 2011 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm
The talk will focus mainly on the factors that went into Soviet decision-making regarding policy towards dissident groups, and how the factors varied depending on the time period and the nature of each group. The speaker will also make use of archival materials that show how seriously the Soviet leaders took dissident issues and how the Politbureau was sometimes divided and even paralyzed for a year or two over what to do about them.
BRICS: Shaping the New Global Architecture
June 28, 2011 // 1:00pm — 5:30pm
João Augusto de Castro Neves, Fyodor Lukyanov, Inderjit Singh, Da Wei, and Francis A. Kornegay spoke at The Wilson Center on the new grouping of nations known as BRICS and how this consortium of countries will shape the future global architecture.