N. Korea ranks near the bottom of Freedom House’s rankings for democracy and human rights, scoring 3/100. The Dear Leader"" in The Orphan Master’s Son is Kim Jong Il

AMB Ivanovski will discuss North Macedonia's political challenges, EU accession, and energy dependence amid Russia's Ukraine invasion in the 2024 Choncoff Lecture at the ASU Melikian Center.

Jennifer Keahey's book 'Decolonizing Development' compares Latvia and South Africa's post-authoritarian efforts to decolonize production and trade, integrating political economy with ecocultural and Indigenous insights against global crises like authoritarianism and climate change.

Explore Russia's foreign policy in global health security, highlighting its wartime diplomacy and strategic shifts in response to sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic. It emphasizes Russia's alignment with China and efforts to engage the Global South in health strategies.

Between the Devil and the Host' explores the phenomenon of witchcraft in Poland, offering insights from over 200 witch trials. It is the first English work detailing historical witchcraft perceptions in Poland. Ostling's academic background enriches his interpretation.

Alexei Navalny, a prominent Russian activist, died in 2024 after being poisoned with Novichok in 2020. He exposed his assailants with journalists' help, was arrested upon returning to Russia in 2021, and featured in a documentary exploring his motives and the dangers he posed to Putin.

Kyrgyzstan is witnessing a shift from its tradition of 'street democracy' to creeping authoritarianism under President Sadyr Japarov. Influenced by Putin's style, Japarov's government advances legislation reducing Parliament's role and curbing dissent, raising concerns about democracy's future in the country. theconversation.com

Shokoofeh Azar, an Iranian refugee in Australia, wrote 'The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree' in Persian. This novel, set post-1979 Iranian Revolution, was shortlisted for significant literary awards.

Alexander McConnell discusses Soviet antiwar activism with Olga Medvedkova, focusing on her 1983 arrest. They explore historical and contemporary antiwar movements in Russia, highlighting differences in political contexts and activist strategies. digitalscholarship.umich.edu

ASU Melikian Center and Hugh Downs School host a civil discussion on U.S. foreign policy and European security, focusing on Eastern Europe and Eurasia, moderated by Jennifer Linde and Clark Olson.

As Ukraine's president since 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky has become the face of Ukraine's resistance to continued Russian aggression, and President Putin's attempts to redraw the map and rewrite history.  US citizens who support the cause of democracy against authoritarianism still find inspiration in his moral clarity and his courage in speaking truth to power.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 disrupts cooperation among Arctic states, affecting climate change, security, and Indigenous issues. Geographer Jessica Graybill discusses the geopolitical and socioeconomic impacts, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary approaches in regional studies.