Institute of Modern Russia

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Nation

IMR on Innovative Approaches to the History of Russia and the Post-Soviet Space

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03 April 2012

Caterina Innocente

The return of neo-Stalinism and the conservative, Soviet philosophy of history, which (according to public opinion polls and blogs) can be observed in education and among many Russians, challenges a number of important changes that took place in the Russian mentality during the 1990s. Subverting the dominant paradigm of Russian history proved to be incredibly difficult: this powerful ideological machine and the worldview that comes with it were formed over the course of 150 years—from the writings of Nikolay Karamzin through government schools; from the ‘vaccination’ of Stalinist Marxism to late-Soviet Russocentrism and the perceived necessity of a sovereign ruler.

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Nation

The New Imperial History

IMR on Innovative Approaches to the History of Russia and the Post-Soviet Space

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03 April 2012

Caterina Innocente

The complexities of the Russian future require new approaches to the the nation's past. These can be found in the New Imperial History project, created by a group of leading Russian historians including Ilya Gerasimov, Aleksander Semyonov, Marina Mogilner and Sergei Glebov. This project explores the myths found in outdated historiography, recognizing the multiplicity of past with view to the pluralism of the future. Ilya Gerasomov and Aleksander Semyonov recently spoke to IMR's Caterina Innocente about their work and some fresh perspectives on Russian history and the post-Soviet space.

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Law

Is Russian Police Reform Doomed? Lessons from Estonia and Georgia

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29 March 2012

Ekaterina Mishina

Ekaterina Mishina describes the recent transgressions of the Russian police in Kazan, analyzes the successful police reform in Estonia and Georgia, and explains why the levels of public trust in the police achieved in those countries are impossible in Russia today.

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Economics

A Bright Tomorrow for Putin's State Oligarchy

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27 March 2012

Pavel Ivlev

One of the most corrupt entities in the Russian economy is the state corporation. Provided with special charters, these companies control a massive portion of Russian industries—and state assets. IMR's Pavel Ivlev examines the history of state corporations and explains why, with Putin's return to the presidency, they may be here to stay.

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World

Conference on Russian and U.S. Media Asks Is the Cold War Over?

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27 March 2012

Journalists and political experts from Russia and America recently gathered at the Harriman Institute in order to discuss how each country portrays the other in their respective media. Surprisingly, according to many of the speakers, little has changed since the end of the Cold War.

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World

Trade or Human Rights?: Debating Priorities in US-Russia Relations

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23 March 2012

On March 21st,  the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs held its first hearings on Russia after the presidential elections. Despite official recognition of the election results, the return of Vladimir Putin to the presidency caused debate on Capitol Hill. Some congressmen believed that the United States should work toward optimizing trade relations, while region experts urged the government to continue fighting against human rights violations.

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Politics

Andrei Piontkovsky: Putin Has No More Than Two Years Left

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22 March 2012

Olga Khvostunova

According to leading political analyst Andrei Piontkovsky , the majority of people who voted for Vladimir Putin were politically passive and poorly informed. He recently spoke to IMR’s Olga Khvostunova about Putin, the March elections, and the future of the opposition movement.

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Economics

Putin Plans, Russia Pays

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12 March 2012

Pavel Ivlev

Vladimir Putin has returned to the post of president, with the official result of 63% of the vote, a set of unprecedented social promises, and without a clear program for the economy. According to IMR’s Pavel Ivlev, the shape of the economic policy in Putin's third term is one of the greatest controversies of this political season.

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Nation

The Nail in the Coffin of Russian Democracy

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07 March 2012

Olga Khvostunova

On March 4th, Vladimir Putin was elected for his third term as Russian president. Despite Putin’s seemingly overwhelming victory, independent observers reported voter fraud and the Russian opposition continued protesting in Moscow and other major cities. International leaders were wary in offering their congratulations to the president-elect. Olga Khvostunova reviews reactions to Vladimir Putin's election in the Russian and Western press.

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Law

Estonia: Small Country, Great Achievements

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05 March 2012

Ekaterina Mishina

In the two decades since restoring its independence, Estonia has proved to be a very successful reformer. The Little Country That Could got its epithet from Mart Laar, the former Prime Minister and current the Minister of Defense in Estonia. Laar is considered to be the father of the economic reforms that served as the catalysts to the country’s rapid development over the course of the past 20 years. Laar's reforms were acknowledged as the most successful and comprehensive in the region and are used as a model for other countries with transitional economies.