The Russia Program at GW Annual Conference
Friday, April 18, 2025
Friday, April 18, 2025
The Russia Program conference is a major gathering of leading and emerging scholars specializing in Russian studies. It aims to showcase insights on studying Russia within the context of war and to discuss the implications on Russian society, governance, digital research, and international relations with the Global South.
Conference Program
April 18, 2025
The Elliott School of International Affairs
1957 E St NW, Washington DC
Lindner Commons Room 602
09:00 – 09:15
Opening — Welcoming Remarks
Ivan Grek, The Russia Program Director
09:15 – 10:45
Digital Research in Russian Studies
Strong and Stable? A Big Data Analysis of Russian Civil Society
Ivan Grek, The George Washington University
From Geopolitical Representations to Textual Propaganda and Back
Paul Mathieu, Affiliation Savoie Mont Blanc University, French Institute of Geopolitics
Russian Independent Media Archive as a Dataset
Ilya Venyavkin, Russian Independent Media Archive, Gagarin Center at Bard College
Meta-Analysis of Russian Self-Perceived Military Strengths & Weaknesses from the War in Ukraine: Leveraging LLMs and New Tools for Systematic Insight
Adam Stulberg, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs; Stephan De Spiegeleire, The Hague center for Strategic Studies
Ivan Grek, The George Washington University
From Geopolitical Representations to Textual Propaganda and Back
Paul Mathieu, Affiliation Savoie Mont Blanc University, French Institute of Geopolitics
Russian Independent Media Archive as a Dataset
Ilya Venyavkin, Russian Independent Media Archive, Gagarin Center at Bard College
Meta-Analysis of Russian Self-Perceived Military Strengths & Weaknesses from the War in Ukraine: Leveraging LLMs and New Tools for Systematic Insight
Adam Stulberg, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs; Stephan De Spiegeleire, The Hague center for Strategic Studies
10:45 – 11:15
Coffee Break
11:15 – 12:45
Russia as a Semi-Closed Society
How to Study a Closing Country: Navigating Official Secrecy, Data Distortion, and Propaganda in Contemporary Russia
Ekaterina Schulman, Freie Universität Berlin, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center (Berlin)
Quantitative Indicators of Autocratization: Tracing Regime Transformations through the Russian State Duma
Artur Baranov, Northwestern University
How Dictators Recruit Talent: Evidence from Russia
David Szakonyi, George Washington University
Russian Centralization in the Global Authoritarian Context: Drivers Behind Centralization and Decentralization Strategies
Eleonora Minaeva, European University Institute (Co-authors: Dmitrii Serebrennikov, Institute for the Rule of Law at EUSP; Sergei Ross, Collective Action Think Tank)
Ekaterina Schulman, Freie Universität Berlin, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center (Berlin)
Quantitative Indicators of Autocratization: Tracing Regime Transformations through the Russian State Duma
Artur Baranov, Northwestern University
How Dictators Recruit Talent: Evidence from Russia
David Szakonyi, George Washington University
Russian Centralization in the Global Authoritarian Context: Drivers Behind Centralization and Decentralization Strategies
Eleonora Minaeva, European University Institute (Co-authors: Dmitrii Serebrennikov, Institute for the Rule of Law at EUSP; Sergei Ross, Collective Action Think Tank)
12:45 - 1:30 PM
Lunch
1:30 - 3:00 PM
War Transformations in Russia
Russia’s Gamble: Why the Kremlin Has Not Achieved Its Goals in February 2022
Vladimir Gelman, University of Helsinki
Back to the USSR: How the War in Ukraine Is Pushing the Russian Army Toward Soviet-Era Organizational Models
Alexander Golts, Swedish Institute of International Affairs
Assessing “Critical Patriotism” and the Imperial-Nationalist Imaginary in Wartime Russia
Matthew Blackburn, The Norwegian Institute of International Affairs; Alina Khamatdinova, Washington State University
Vladimir Gelman, University of Helsinki
Back to the USSR: How the War in Ukraine Is Pushing the Russian Army Toward Soviet-Era Organizational Models
Alexander Golts, Swedish Institute of International Affairs
Assessing “Critical Patriotism” and the Imperial-Nationalist Imaginary in Wartime Russia
Matthew Blackburn, The Norwegian Institute of International Affairs; Alina Khamatdinova, Washington State University
3:00-3:30 PM
Coffee Break
3:30-5:00 PM
BREAKOUT SESSIONS.
Interpreting Russian Society at War Time
Interpreting Russian Society at War Time
Well-being under Wartime Sanctions through the Lens of the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey
Sinikka Parviainen, Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies
Support for the Regime vs. Support for Political Alternatives: Evidence from the Panel Survey in Russia
Margarita Zavadskaya, Finnish Institute of International Affairs
Feminist Diaspora Reflecting on Feminism Back in Russia: Connections, Grievances, and Resistance
Veronika Kostenko, Tel Aviv University
Sinikka Parviainen, Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies
Support for the Regime vs. Support for Political Alternatives: Evidence from the Panel Survey in Russia
Margarita Zavadskaya, Finnish Institute of International Affairs
Feminist Diaspora Reflecting on Feminism Back in Russia: Connections, Grievances, and Resistance
Veronika Kostenko, Tel Aviv University
3:30-5:00 PM
Russia and the Global South
Russia, Civilizationism, and the Global South
Paul Robinson, University of Ottawa
Soft Power in Hard Times: Strategic Narratives and Public Opinion on the Russia-Ukraine War in India
Raushan Zhandayeva, The George Washington University; Adam Lenton, Wake Forest University
The African Continent for Moscow: A Land of Opportunity
Jonathan Guiffard, GEODE center, French Institute of Geopolitics
Could the Election of Donald Trump Change the Perception of Russia in Latin America?
Diego Soliz, Independent Researcher
Paul Robinson, University of Ottawa
Soft Power in Hard Times: Strategic Narratives and Public Opinion on the Russia-Ukraine War in India
Raushan Zhandayeva, The George Washington University; Adam Lenton, Wake Forest University
The African Continent for Moscow: A Land of Opportunity
Jonathan Guiffard, GEODE center, French Institute of Geopolitics
Could the Election of Donald Trump Change the Perception of Russia in Latin America?
Diego Soliz, Independent Researcher