Alexander Etkind

Alexander Etkind is Professor in the Department of International Relations at Central European University (Vienna campus), where he has taught since 2022. Previously, he held academic positions at the European University Institute (Florence), University of Cambridge, and European University at St. Petersburg. He earned his PhD in Russian cultural history from the University of Helsinki (1998).

His research spans:

• Current foci: Political dimensions of the Anthropocene, global decarbonization strategies, and security dynamics in Eastern Europe
• Historical expertise: Memory studies, European intellectual history, imperial legacies, and Russian cultural/political development

Etkind has authored influential monographs exploring cultural histories of natural resources, memory politics, and imperial dynamics. His scholarly output consistently engages with themes of power, trauma, and historical consciousness across Eastern European and global contexts.

Honors:

• Fellowship at King's College Cambridge

Academic Leadership:

• Supervised 30+ PhD students across European institutions
• Directed the EU-funded 'Memory at War' project (2010-2013)
• Leads CEU's Open Society Hub for Politics of the Anthropocene (since 2024)