Civil Society
Civil society and its resilience under authoritarian pressure, in Russia and beyond: how people defend human rights and free expression, how the state works to silence them, and why independent voices and grassroots initiative still matter for a democratic future
Russian world that they sponsor
Russian authorities held another forum devoted to the so-called “Russian World.” Official media reported that the fifth “World Congress of Compatriots” was held in Moscow. The congress was…
Genocidal Doublethink: The Kremlin and the Holodomor
On Saturday, November the 7th, once the biggest holiday in the Soviet Union with the possible exception of Victory Day, the blue and gold Ukrainian flag was everywhere,…
Abnormality of Russian values
In recent years, the world is more and more perplexed at what is happening in Russia. The Russian parliament is adopting more ridiculous, absurd and sometimes inhumane laws.…
Main Features of the Russian Mentality
Free Russia Foundation has asked Ksenia Kirillova, a Russian journalist, and contributor of the "New region" newspaper to analyze the main characteristics of Russian general mentality and the…
Democratic Coalition: what next?
After a total wipe-out of Democratic Coalition candidates in this year's Russian regional elections, questions arise as to the further political strategy of Russian Democrats confronting Vladimir Putin's…
We are good at keeping quiet—about many things…
A conversation between Irina Kosterina and Sergei Oushakine, Princeton, New Jersey, 2015. Part 2. Serguei Oushakine is Associate Professor of Anthropology and Slavic Languages and Literatures and Director…
We do not learn from the past, we live in it
A conversation between Irina Kosterina and Serguei Oushakine, Princeton, New Jersey, 2015. Serguei Oushakine is Associate Professor of Anthropology and Slavic Languages and Literatures and Director of the…
Undesirables
A few days ago, Russia’s Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian Parliament, adopted a new federal law. It was quickly coined the “law on undesirable organizations.” The…
Crimean Tatars—fishbone in Moscow’s throat
Regime and motives have changed, but again, same as 70 years ago, the Kremlin is trying to solve the Crimean Tatar problem with force. It is forbidden for…
The Bolotnaya case. Three years with no right for justice
May 6, 2015 marks the third sad anniversary of the events on Bolotnaya Square in Moscow. On that day, on the eve of Vladimir Putin’s inauguration as the…