Soft Power: cats, branding and the Ukrainian far right
Michael Cole on how hard-right figures have used cats to soften their image. Continue reading Soft Power: cats, branding and the Ukrainian far right
Two ways of approaching Russia: reviewing new books by Sergei Medvedev and Grigory Yavlinsky
Louis Train reviews new translations of books by Russian politician Grigory Yavlinsky and scholar Sergei Medvedev. Continue reading Two ways of approaching Russia: reviewing new books by Sergei Medvedev and Grigory Yavlinsky
Bulgaria monthly digest: billionaire charged and prosecutor general on the offensive
Bozho Kolov recounts the latest news from Bulgaria, Jan-Feb 2020. Continue reading Bulgaria monthly digest: billionaire charged and prosecutor general on the offensive
They’re Coming for Us: Reviewing Eliot Borenstein’s Plots Against Russia: conspiracy and fantasy after socialism
For years, Eliot Borenstein’s previous book, Overkill: sex and violence in contemporary Russian popular culture, has been my go-to recommendation for colleagues and Russocurious friends who want to learn more about the dominant narratives of modern-day Russia. For readers expecting … Continue reading They’re Coming for Us: Reviewing Eliot Borenstein’s Plots Against Russia: conspiracy and fantasy after socialism
Avj: Bahti
Solveiga Kaļva interviews Bahti, a teenager from the remote Tajik village of Avj. Continue reading Avj: Bahti
North Caucasus Monthly: MinKavkaz abolished and Ingushetia government dissolves
MinKavkaz to be abolished. The resignation of Russia’s government on 22 January will have a direct impact on the North Caucasus (also see below), as the federal Ministry of North Caucasus Affairs (MinKavkaz) is set to be abolished, Caucasian Knot … Continue reading North Caucasus Monthly: MinKavkaz abolished and Ingushetia government dissolves
Dreaming of Leningrad: reviewing Like Water and Other Stories by Olga Zilberbourg
It might be a bit on the nose, but I’d say that Olga Zilberbourg is herself a bit like water: her fiction is nourishing, refreshing, and impossible to hold in your hands before it slips away. In her latest collection, … Continue reading Dreaming of Leningrad: reviewing Like Water and Other Stories by Olga Zilberbourg
In Hungary, Viktor Orbán faces two challenges: his eroding power and a liberal Budapest
After opposition groups scored big in local elections, Hungary’s right-wing prime minister needs to decide where to take his party. In early January, when Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán held a press conference, he faced several unusual questions. Orbán –– … Continue reading In Hungary, Viktor Orbán faces two challenges: his eroding power and a liberal Budapest
What’s up Bulgaria? Water crisis and TurkStream launch
– On December 21st, a state of emergency was declared in Pernik, a mining town in Western Bulgaria about 25 km away from Sofia. Water restrictions had been imposed there in mid-November and later became increasingly … Continue reading What’s up Bulgaria? Water crisis and TurkStream launch
