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Simon MilesView profile

Associate Professor

• Cold War
• International Relations
• Diplomatic History
• +3 more

Simon Miles is an Associate Professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University , where he has been affiliated since 2017. His research specializes in Cold War diplomatic and military history, with a focus on US-Soviet relations and the relevance of historical lessons to contemporary geopolitics. Ph.D. in History from the University of Texas at Austin (2017) M.A. in International Relations from the London School of Economics (2011) B.A. in History from the University of Toronto (2010) Miles analyzes Cold War-era archives from both Western and Eastern bloc nations to understand superpower cooperation and rivalry. His work challenges prevailing narratives, such as the mythologized Able Archer 83 military exercise, and examines the Warsaw Pact's role in Cold War security dynamics. His current research extends to the lived experiences of Soviet intelligence officers during Gorbachev's reforms. The trajectory of his recent publications highlights a shift from high-level diplomatic analysis (e.g., Johnson and Reagan administrations) to grassroots perspectives within Soviet institutions. His cross-disciplinary approach bridges public policy, history, and political science, often contextualizing Cold War strategies within modern geopolitical frameworks.

Edward Morgan-JonesView profile

Professor

• Constitutional choice and consequences
• Parliamentary and semi-presidential regimes
• Cabinet composition and termination
• +3 more

Edward Morgan-Jones is a Professor of Comparative Politics and Divisional Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Kent's School of Politics and International Relations. He holds a DPhil in Politics from the University of Oxford and has held prior roles as a Research Fellow and Tutor at Keble College, Oxford. His research focuses on political institutions in democracies, including constitutional design, semi-presidential systems, and citizen attitudes toward post-conflict peacebuilding. He co-leads major funded projects like the Inclusive Peace Project (£1.4M) and the Peace Return Project (€2.5M). Notable publications include works on early elections, peace settlements, and comparative governance. He has supervised six PhD students and won the 2019 Kent Research Supervision Prize. Research interests include constitutional choice, parliamentary vs. semi-presidential regimes, cabinet dynamics, and post-conflict institution building. Recent work employs survey experiments to study citizen preferences on borders and peace agreements in divided societies. Key collaborations span global institutions, emphasizing empirical rigor and policy relevance. Education: DPhil in Politics, University of Oxford (2004) Grants: ORA-ESRC Inclusive Peace Project, ERC Peace Return Project Professional Memberships: American Political Science Association, European Political Science Association

Melissa A. ChakarsView profile

Professor

• Eurasian History
• Russian and Soviet History
• Mongolian Studies
• +5 more

Melissa A. Chakars, PhD, is Professor and Chair of the Department of History at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. An expert in Eurasian history, she focuses on the Mongolian and Siberian peoples of Russia, with particular attention to empire, identity, religion, and media. Education BA, Hunter College, City University of New York MA, PhD, Indiana University Research Interests Dr. Chakars’s scholarship interrogates the intersections of Buddhism, ethnicity, and state power across the Russian Empire and Soviet Union. She explores how Buryat, Kalmyk, and Tyvan communities negotiated modernity, socialist transformation, and cultural survival. Her work delves into sacred geography, gendered economic practices, media representations, and minority-language education. Publication Trends Her recent publications reveal a shift from institutional histories of Buryat literature and television toward granular studies of Buddhist networks, repression, and transnational memory. A forthcoming monograph on Buddhism in the Russian Empire and USSR promises to synthesize decades of archival research and ethnographic insight. Books and Editorial Projects Buryat Intellectuals in Empire and Revolution (Routledge, 2025), co-edited with Nikolay Tsyrempilov Modernization, Nation-Building, and Television History (Routledge, 2015), co-edited with Stewart Anderson The Socialist Way of Life in Siberia: Transformation in Buryatia (Central European University Press, 2014); Russian translation 2022 International Experience Dr. Chakars has lived, studied, and conducted research in Ulan-Ude, Vladivostok, Riga, and Ulaanbaatar, cultivating networks that enrich her transnational perspective on Eurasian history.

Tanja PenterView profile

Professor

• History of Ukraine, Russia, and the Soviet Union
• Dictatorship comparison (Stalinism vs. National Socialism)
• Holocaust and civilian victims
• +4 more

Prof. Dr. Tanja Penter is a Professor of Eastern European History at Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg since 2013. Her research focuses on 19th-20th century Ukraine/Russia/Soviet Union, Stalinism vs. National Socialism, Holocaust studies, transitional justice, and memory politics. She leads the DFG-GRK 2840 'Ambivalent Enmity' and directs the Research Centre on Antiziganism. Education/Positions: PhD (1999, Cologne), Habilitation (2008, Bochum), prior roles at Hamburg University and Humboldt University Berlin. Awards include the 2011 René Kuczynski Prize for her book Coal for Stalin and Hitler . Publications span over 70 works, including monographs on Odessa 1917 and Donbas labor history. Key areas include Nazi/Soviet collaboration trials, Holodomor legacy, and post-Soviet victim compensation. She advises on historical commissions (e.g., German-Ukrainian, German-Russian) and contributes to encyclopedic projects on Nazi genocide. Teaching: Exam authority across all history programs at Heidelberg. Consultation hours during lectures: Wednesdays 11:00-12:30.

Mervyn BainView profile

Professor

• Cuban-Soviet Relations
• Latin American Politics
• Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies
• +3 more

Professor Mervyn Bain holds a Personal Chair in International Relations at the University of Aberdeen's School of Social Science. He completed his MA, MLitt, and PhD at the University of Glasgow, specializing in Latin American and Soviet Studies. His academic roles include Head of School of Social Science since 2017 and prior promotions from Lecturer (2004) to Senior Lecturer (2011) before his current position (2019). His research focuses on Cuban-Soviet relations, post-Soviet Russia, and Latin American diplomacy, with emphasis on historical continuity in international alliances. Key projects include studies on Moscow-Havana dynamics, post-Castro Cuba, and colonial-era British-Cuban interactions. He has authored books such as *Moscow and Havana 1917 to the Present* and edited volumes on Cuban international relations. Teaching responsibilities include courses on Soviet foreign policy, Latin American politics, and research methodologies. He leads the Institute for Conflict, Transition, and Peace Research and contributes to interdisciplinary projects like Arctic Domus and Cross-cultural taste initiatives.

Juhan SaharovView profile

Research Fellow

• Political Theory
• Political Science and Administration
• History of Concepts
• +3 more

Juhan Saharov is a Research Fellow in Political Theory at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies, University of Tartu. He holds a Doctorate in Political Science from the University of Tartu (2021) and has extensive academic and administrative experience, including roles as Project Manager at NGOs and visiting fellowships at Stanford University, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, and the Institute of Contemporary History in Ljubljana. His research focuses on conceptual history, political theory, and the history of Soviet Estonia during Perestroika, with particular attention to the evolution of political concepts like 'self-management' and their role in sovereignty transitions. Education includes a PhD in Political Science (2021), MA in Comparative Politics (2008), and a BA in Philosophy (2003). He has presented globally on topics such as expert languages in Soviet Estonia, conceptual innovations during Perestroika, and the role of intelligentsia in late Soviet society. His work bridges political theory, historical analysis, and interdisciplinary methods. Key projects include leading the 'Experts to Revolutionaries' study on intelligentsia roles during the Cold War and contributing to the 'Transitions' comparative political concept project. Awards include the 2021 national doctoral thesis prize for his work on self-management in the Estonian SSR. Publications span peer-reviewed articles in journals like Europe-Asia Studies and Contributions to the History of Concepts , as well as book chapters and edited volumes on Soviet reform dynamics and conceptual history. He actively participates in academic networks like the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES) and the History of Concepts Group (HCG).

Eva Marlene HausteinerView profile

Professor

• Political Theory
• History of Ideas
• Federalism
• +4 more

Eva Marlene Hausteiner is Professor of Political Theory and History of Ideas at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), serving as Chair Holder and Institute Spokesperson for the Institute of Political Science since 2024. She has held this professorship since October 2022, following substitute professorships at the Universities of Passau (2022) and Greifswald (2021/2022). Her educational background includes a habilitation in Political Science from the University of Bonn (2021), a PhD with distinction (summa cum laude) on British imperialism (2013), and a Magister Artium in Political Science, Russian Studies, and Economics from Humboldt University Berlin, University of Potsdam, and La Sapienza University of Rome. Her international experience includes fellowships at Harvard University (John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellow), Princeton University, Columbia University, and NYU. Professor Hausteiner's research focuses on International Political Theory, Federalism, Democracy Theory, Empires and Imperialism, and Political Iconography . Her recent work increasingly addresses contemporary issues like conspiracy theories in digital democracies and dystopian political futures. She has developed a distinctive approach examining federal systems through historical imperial frameworks, while her recent publications reveal growing engagement with current democratic challenges including digital misinformation and political polarization. Her scholarly output demonstrates consistent quality with numerous peer-reviewed articles in journals like Contemporary Political Theory , Journal of International Political Theory , and Politische Vierteljahresschrift . Her monograph Greater than Rome: Neubestimmungen britischer Imperialität, 1870-1914 (2015) established her expertise in imperial political thought, while her habilitation Challenging federalism. Centralism, expansion, and expulsion in federal political thought (2020) extended this to contemporary federal systems. John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellow at Harvard University Center for European Studies Editor for Political Theory and History of Ideas at Politische Vierteljahresschrift Board member of the section 'Political Theory and History of Ideas' of the German Association for Political Science (2010-2022) Professor Hausteiner has demonstrated significant leadership through her role as Institute Spokesperson and her editorial work. Her research has evolved from historical imperial studies to increasingly address contemporary democratic challenges, particularly regarding digital misinformation and political polarization. She has also contributed to public discourse through media appearances in Süddeutsche Zeitung , ZEIT , and Deutschlandfunk Kultur. Her recent work on conspiracy theories during the pandemic demonstrates her ability to connect theoretical frameworks with urgent contemporary issues.

Serhy YekelchykView profile

Professor

• Modern European History
• History of Ukraine
• History of Russia
• +3 more

Dr. Serhy Yekelchyk is a Professor of History and Germanic & Slavic Studies at the University of Victoria, Canada. He holds a BA from Kyiv University, an MA from the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, and a PhD from the University of Alberta. His research focuses on modern Ukrainian and Russian history, with an emphasis on Stalinist culture, national identity formation, and post-Soviet transitions. Cross-appointed between the Departments of Germanic and Slavic Studies and History, he teaches courses on Russian history, Stalinism, and Cold-War cinema. Yekelchyk’s notable works include Ukraine: Birth of a Modern Nation (2007), analyzing the Orange Revolution and Ukrainian nationalism, and Stalin’s Citizens (2014), examining late-Stalinist political rituals. His research also explores spatial politics in Kyiv and the cultural dimensions of Ukrainian independence movements. He has been awarded the Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Title (2007) for his seminal work on Ukrainian nation-building. His recent studies address contemporary conflicts, historical memory, and the evolving narratives of Ukrainian identity in academia and public discourse.

William PriggeView profile

Professor

• Soviet History
• Eastern European Studies
• 20th Century History
• +4 more

William Prigge is a Professor of History at South Dakota State University (SDSU), affiliated with the School of American and Global Studies. He holds a Ph.D. from Marquette University (2005). His research focuses on the Soviet Union post-World War II, particularly the Latvian National Communists and Moldova's political dynamics under Khrushchev, Brezhnev, and Gorbachev. He has been awarded the J. William Fulbright Scholarship twice—in 2003-04 (Riga, Latvia) and 2021 (Chisinau, Moldova). His academic interests include Modern World Civilization, Nazi and Soviet Europe, and Imperialism. Key research areas are the Soviet Republics' post-war evolution, Latvian National Communists' role, and generational struggles within Khrushchev's policies. His work often intersects Cold War dynamics, Baltic nationalism, and Stalinist legacies. Prigge has presented invited workshops globally, including the 13th Annual Vilnius Symposium on Soviet and Post-Soviet Issues (Dec. 2024) and discussions on Soviet 'Friendship of Nations' at Upsala University (Oct. 2019). His publications span books, journal articles, and newspaper analyses, emphasizing revisionist studies of Soviet purges and Latvia's political landscape. No formal advisees or affiliated labs/teams are listed in the provided materials. His grants highlight extended fieldwork in Eastern Europe, and he is a member of the Association for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies.

• International Relations
• Political Geography
• Geopolitics
• +4 more

Dr. Dragan Petrovic is a faculty member at Singidunum University in Serbia, specializing in international relations, geopolitics, and post-Soviet studies. He holds multiple doctorates in Political Geography (2007), History (2015), and International Studies (2022), with academic backgrounds in economics, political science, and sociology. PhD: Political Geography (Faculty of Natural Sciences, Belgrade, 2007) PhD: History (Faculty of Philosophy, Novi Sad, 2015) PhD: International Studies (Faculty of Political Sciences, Belgrade, 2022) His research focuses on Eastern European geopolitics , European migration crises, and Serbian diplomatic relations with global powers. Publications include books on Ukrainian conflicts, EU-Serbia migration dynamics, and Yugoslavia's historical ties with France and the USSR. Recent works examine post-Soviet governance models, Serbia's cooperation with Russia, and climate policy mechanisms.

Vesselin DimitrovView profile

Associate Professor

• Democratization
• Communism
• Cold War
• +3 more

Dr Vesselin Dimitrov is an Associate Professor (Education) and Deputy Head of Department for Education in the Department of Government at the London School of Economics and Political Science. His expertise spans democratization processes, Cold War history, Eastern European politics, and communist regimes. He has authored three books and numerous articles focusing on Bulgaria's political transition, Central and Eastern Europe's post-communist trajectories, and Soviet influence in the Balkans. His work examines institutional dynamics, executive power structures, and the interplay between domestic and international forces in shaping political systems. Dr Dimitrov's research interests include the political evolution of post-communist states, particularly Bulgaria, and the historical legacies of Soviet policies. He has analyzed the transition from communism to democracy, fiscal policy frameworks in Central and Eastern Europe, and Bulgaria's path to EU integration. His scholarship bridges historical analysis with contemporary governance challenges, emphasizing comparative perspectives across Eastern European contexts. He contributes to academic discourse through his publications on topics such as the Sovietization of Eastern Europe, the origins of the Cold War in the Balkans, and the role of executive institutions in post-communist transitions. His work often highlights the complex interplay between local political actors and external geopolitical pressures, offering nuanced insights into regional stability and institutional development.

Huseyn AliyevView profile

Senior Lecturer

• Civil War Dynamics
• Non-State Armed Groups
• Violent Mobilization
• +7 more

Dr. Huseyn Aliyev is a Senior Lecturer in Political & International Studies at the University of Glasgow's School of Social and Political Sciences, specializing in Central and Eastern European Studies (CEES). He joined the University of Glasgow in 2017 after serving as a Research Fellow at the University of Oxford and as an Alexander von Humboldt Post-Doctoral Researcher at the University of Bremen. Dr. Aliyev earned his Ph.D. in Political Science in 2014 from the University of Otago, New Zealand, where his dissertation examined the impact of Soviet institutional legacy on post-communist civil society in the Caucasus region. He also holds a joint Master's degree in Humanitarian Action from Ruhr University Bochum and Uppsala University. His research focuses on civil war dynamics, non-state armed groups, violent mobilization, and the radicalization and demobilization of armed groups. He has particular expertise in security and law enforcement structures in Russia and Ukraine, with regional specialization in Ukraine and the North Caucasus. Since 2014, he has conducted extensive fieldwork in Ukraine, interviewing former and active members of pro-government paramilitary groups. Dr. Aliyev's scholarly output reveals a consistent focus on paramilitary groups in post-Soviet conflicts, with particular attention to Ukraine and the North Caucasus. His work examines how informal institutions, ethnic dynamics, and social networks influence violent mobilization patterns and conflict outcomes. Recent publications increasingly address foreign fighter mobilization and the persistence of pro-state militias after formal conflict termination. Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Standard Grant for "From Russia with War" project (2022-2024) Carnegie Trust Research Incentive Grant (2019) British Academy Small Research Grant (2019) Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (2015-2017) Lord Kelvin Adam Smith Group Leader Fellowship (2017-2020) Dr. Aliyev serves as Principal Investigator for the ESRC-funded "From Russia with War" project examining foreign fighter mobilization in the former Soviet Union. He has supervised doctoral research on North Caucasian governance and teaches courses including War-making and Peace-making in the former Soviet Union, Contested States: The Caucasus since 1991, and Post-communist Russia and the former Soviet Union. His scholarly work appears in leading journals including Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, Terrorism and Political Violence, and Europe-Asia Studies.

• Environmental History
• History of Science in Russia/Soviet Union
• Human-Nature Interactions
• +3 more

Katja Doose is a Senior Researcher in the Department of Geosciences at the University of Fribourg. Her research focuses on environmental history, the history of science in Russia and the Soviet Union, and human-nature interactions in Central Asia. Since completing her PhD in 2018, she has held positions at institutions such as the University of Birmingham and the Graduate Institute in Geneva. Her current projects include leading the SNF-funded 'Myths of equality' (2024–2027), examining gender dynamics in Central Asian science, and the ongoing 'Timescapes of ice' project on Soviet glaciology in Pamir and Tian Shan. Education: PhD from the University of Tübingen (2018), with a dissertation on the 1988 Armenian earthquake's socio-political implications. Earlier work includes contributions to architectural studies of Tashkent and interdisciplinary environmental humanities projects. Research Interests: Environmental history of Soviet and post-Soviet regions Gendered dimensions of field sciences in Central Asia Climate change research during the Cold War Geopolitical dimensions of disaster management Interplay between science, ideology, and environment Current Projects: 'Myths of equality': Analyzes gendered identities in Central Asian field sciences (1870–1970) 'Timescapes of ice': Studies Soviet glaciology practices in Central Asia's Third Pole region Grants & Funding: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) grants for both ongoing projects Interdisciplinary workshop funding for Fedchenko Glacier eco-biography Labs/Teams: Collaborates with Christine Bichsel's research group and international networks in environmental humanities. Active in transdisciplinary initiatives linking natural and social sciences.

• Historical Studies
• Communication and Media Studies
• Policy and Administration
• +1 more

Dr. Alban Webb is an Assistant Professor in Media and Cultural Studies (Media and Film) at the University of Sussex , School of Media, Arts and Humanities. His research focuses on historical media studies, with particular emphasis on BBC broadcasting, Cold War communication, and the intersection of media history with political and cultural dynamics. Webb's research interests span: Historical Studies - Cold War history, BBC archives, and media's role in geopolitical transitions Communication and Media Studies - Broadcasting history, media policy, and transnational communication networks Political Science - Media's influence on international relations and policy development His recent publications analyze the BBC World Service's challenges ( 2024 ), Cold War intelligence listening practices ( 2023 ), and historical media artifacts concerning Soviet Union dissolution. Notable works include London calling: Britain, the BBC World Service and the Cold War (2014 Bloomsbury book), and collaborative projects like the BBC Connected Histories dataset (2022). Scientific awards include: Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (2015) Longman-History Today Book of the Year Award (2015) He has taught courses on Media Theory & Research , Media, Culture & Communications , Media, Memory, History , and Revolutionary Media since 2020.

Olena MartynyukView profile

Visiting Assistant Professor

• Ukrainian Contemporary Art
• Postcolonial Studies
• Soviet Union Dissolution
• +4 more

Olena Martynyuk is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Russian & Slavic Studies at New York University's College of Arts & Science. Born and raised in Ukraine, she holds an MA in Cultural Studies from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (2015) and a PhD in Art History and Theory from Rutgers University (2018). Education: M.A. in Cultural Studies, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy of Ukraine (2015) Ph.D. in Art History and Theory, Rutgers University (2018) Her research examines Ukrainian contemporary art during the Soviet Union's dissolution and its postcolonial emancipation framed through postmodernist and neo-baroque theories. She explores concepts of unrepresentability, embodied spectatorship, and art philosophy, with a focus on the interplay between cultural identity and political transformation. Martynyuk's curated exhibition Painting in Excess: Kyiv's Art Revival, 1985-1993 (Zimmerli Art Museum, 2021) traveled to the Coral Gables Museum in Miami. She is currently co-editing Introduction to Ukrainian Contemporary Art with Alla Rosenfeld (forthcoming, Toronto University Press) and writing a monograph on Ukrainian neo-baroque aesthetics. Scientific Awards: Petro Jacyk Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Ukrainian Studies at the Harriman Institute of Columbia University (2019-2022) She has taught art history and Ukrainian culture at Rutgers University, College of Staten Island, Columbia University, and Hunter College. Her contact email is mo2643@nyu.edu, and her office is located at 19 University Place, Room 207, New York, NY 10003.