Presentations by the MCC Fellows at the Melikian Center about the courses addressing issues of Eastern Europe and Eurasia that they have developed during their 2024-2025 fellowship at ASU.

The Bolshevik takeover of Russia created an alternative Russia in exile that never laid down its arms. For two decades, expelled White Russians sought ways to retaliate against the Soviet Union and return home. Their irreconcilability was galvanized by a superstructure, the dominant military organization, the Russian All-Military Union (ROVS).

Throughout history, dictators have constructed secret police agencies to neutralize rivals and enforce social order. But the same agencies can become disloyal and threatening. This book explores how eight communist regimes in Cold War Europe confronted this dilemma. 

A discussion about disinformation and the role it is playing in Eastern Europe and how Eastern Europe is portrayed, featuring current fellows and an alum of the Hubert H. Humphrey program for communications and journalism.

Against the backdrop of the (meta)physical landscape of collective disaster, a new generation of Ukrainians aspires to imagine the future.

Elana Jakel, a scholar in Russian/Soviet History, manages a program on Ukrainian Jewry at the US Holocaust Museum. Her research was supported by multiple fellowships, and she is proficient in Russian, Ukrainian, and Yiddish.

Dr. Danforth, a scholar with expertise in U.S.-Turkish relations, has an extensive background in history and has contributed to major publications on topics related to Turkey, U.S. foreign policy, and the Middle East.

Michael Kraus, professor of political science at Middlebury College, specializes in Russian and East European studies and holds a doctorate from Princeton.

Bruce Menning, adjunct professor at the University of Kansas, discusses Soviet military strategies during World War II in his talk titled 'Time-Distance-Mass.'

Discussion on the Russian Revolutions of 1917, focusing on modern interpretations and historical reclaiming by elites in Russia, Ukraine, and the USA, relating it to current experiences.

The Russia Disruption series in April 2021 is hosted by the Phoenix Committee, Santa Fe Council, and ASU Melikian Center, focusing on Russian, Eurasian, and East European studies.

Russia is accused of assassinating political opponents. Alexei Navalny, poisoned with Novichok, was detained upon his return to Russia, sparking widespread protests and arrests. This raises questions about Russia's political system and Putin's power.