Shasha Seminar for Human Concerns: Understanding Russia

Friday, October 11, 2019

 

Registration

Beckham Hall

3:00–7:00 p.m.

 

Public Lecture: “Russia and America: What Is To Be Done?’

Andrew Meier '85 (New School)  MeierA@newschool.edu

Memorial Chapel

4:00 p.m.

 

Reception

Zelnick Pavilion

5:30–6:30 p.m.

 

Dinner

Beckham Hall

6:30–8:00 p.m.

 

Saturday, October 12, 2019 

 

Breakfast

Beckham Hall

8:30–10:00 a.m.

 

Panels

Usdan Center, Daniel Family Commons

10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

 

Culture 

10:00–11:10 a.m.

This panel will discuss the prickly relationship between art and power in Russia. What contributions of Russian culture still speak to us in 21st century America?

Chair:  Susanne Fusso (Wesleyan) sfusso@wesleyan.edu

Lindsay Ceballos ’07 (Lafayette College)  lindsay.ceballos@gmail.com

Elizabeth Papazian ’91 (U of Maryland) papazian@umd.edu

Emily Wang ’08 (Notre Dame U) ewang3@nd.edu

 

Break

11:10–11:30 a.m.

Daniel Family Commons Lobby

 

History 

11:30 a.m.–12:40 p.m.

What narratives do Russians construct to explain the traumas of 20th century Russian history? Which controversies remain unresolved?

Chair:  Roman Utkin (Wesleyan)  rutkin@wesleyan.edu

Amy Randall ’89 (Santa Clara U) arandall@scu.edu
Victoria Smolkin (Wesleyan)  vsmolkin@wesleyan.edu

Ilya Vinkovetsky ’88 (Simon Fraser U.)  ivink@sfu.ca 

 

Lunch

Beckham Hall

12:40–1:40 p.m.

 

Politics

1:40–2:50 p.m.

To what extent does public opinion constrain Kremlin decision making? How are elite factions positioning themselves to handle the transition to post-Putin Russia?

Chair:  Anthony Richter ’84 (Open Society Foundation) anthony.richter@gmail.com

David Abramson ’87 (State Department)  abrahand@msn.com

Danielle Lussier ’98 (Grinnell College) Lussierd@grinnell.edu

Lauren McCarthy ’01 (UMass Amherst) mccarthy@legal.umass.edu

Elizabeth Plantan ’10 (Harvard) Elizabeth_plantan@hks.harvard.edu

 

Break

2:50-3:10 p.m.

Daniel Family Commons Lobby

 

Business and Careers 

3:10–4:20 p.m.

This panel will discuss the trajectory of Russia’s economic development, the prospects for foreign investors, and the range of careers available to graduates in Russian studies. 

Chair:  Nancy Herzog ’90 (National Endowment for Democracy) Nancy@NED.ORG

Ian Hague ’83, P’18 (Firebird) IHague@fbird.com

Kate Hardin ’90 (IHS Markit) Kate.Hardin@ihsmarkit.com

Lydia Tomkiw ’11 (Fund Fire/Financial Times) Lydia.tomkiw@gmail.com

 

Summation and Farewell 

4:20–5:00 p.m.