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The 21st Anniversary

Forgotten Lessons of August 1991

Details: 22 August 2012; Vladimir Kara-Murza

The anniversary of the Russian democratic forces' victory over the August 1991 attempted Communist/KGB coup d’état has rekindled a debate on the missed opportunities of the 1990s. Just eight years after the August revolution the putsch organizers’ ideological heirs managed to return to power. Political commentator and historian Vladimir V. Kara-Murza discusses the reasons for the pro-democracy leaders’ post-1991 failure, and the importance of historical lessons for Russia’s present-day opposition.

Details: Nation

The Education Controversy

New Russian law on education to significantly cut school and university opportunities

Details: 10 September 2012; Olga Khvostunova

New legislation in Russia, scheduled to be implemented before the end of the 2012, is expected to result in drastic changes in the country's education system. These changes will affect all educational levels, from pre-schools to universities, with foreseeable reforms in both the schooling and school funding of such institutions. IMR analyst Olga Khvostunova and independent journalist Xenia Prilepskaya review the upcoming reforms.

Details: Events

The Future of U.S.-Russia Relations

Details: 20 August 2012

What should Romney administration do to support Russians on their march away from authoritarianism and towards true democracy? Why is the current human rights and political situation in Russia cause for American concern? Please join the Institute of Modern Russia and the Foreign Policy Initiative as we discuss these and other questions on August 28th at the University Club of Tampa.

Details: Nation

Olympic Anxiety

Details: 16 August 2012; Olga Khvostunova

The recent London Olympics saw an historic first: Russia’s failure to place among the top three countries in gold medals won; the U.S., China, and Great Britain all ranked higher. Elite sports and politics are interconnected, and the Russian team’s letdown highlights the current regime’s shortcomings. IMR's Olga Khvostunova discusses the implications of the Russian authorities’ unfulfilled promises.

Details: Politics

Russia’s New Parties: First Results of “Political Reform”

Details: 14 August 2012; Vladimir Kara-Murza

The first hundred days of Putin's “new” presidency have been marked by a severe tightening of the screws. Laws on public rallies, defamation, and “foreign agents,” hastily rubberstamped by the Federal Assembly and signed by the President, further restrict civil society’s ability to function. Yet, a significant concession forced on the Kremlin by its opponents at the height of the December protests – liberalized rules for registering political parties – continues to stand, and may even come to fruition this fall. IMR first addressed the resurgence of Russia's opposition parties in Olga Khvostunova's article "Party Renaissance." Historian and political commentator Vladimir V. Kara-Murza discusses Russia’s new multiparty system.

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