Join the New Review/Novyi Zhurnal in co-partnership with the Columbia University's Harriman Institute for a roundtable discussing how American Slavists fell in (then out) of love with post-Soviet Russia.

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Americans began connecting with post-Communist Russia. Policymakers, journalists, and scholars were motivated not only by their professional interests to form these new ties, but also by pure human curiosity and inspiration. They worked together with a circle of liberal Russian intellectuals such as journalists Yury Schekochikin, Anna Politkovskaya, Galina Starovoytova, Professor Galina Belaya, Ekaterina Genieva, and others. During Perestroika, Yeltsin’s presidency and Gaidar’s reforms, American Slavists, journalists, and film-makers took an active part in the American-Russian multi-cultural dialogue. They participated directly in the observation, analyses, official advising, and research, as well as in giving their genuine support for the process of building a New Russia. They researched and established special expertise in political, social, economic, and cultural fields. They visited the countryside, trying to understand the Russian lifestyle, Russian culture, and Russian "soul." They “fell in love” with Russia—though, shortly afterward, they were plunged into disappointment and frustration.

This round table will be composed of American Slavists who were active participants in this process. They will discuss the following questions: What do they think about that period of time after over two decades have passed? How do they feel today about their hopes, ideas, and projects of the 90s? What do they think about the real value of those years as well as present-day perspectives on Russia?

Participants:

Moderator: Nadezhda Azhgikhina, Vice President of the European Federation of Journalists and co-founder of the “Free Word’ Association

Jonathan Alpert, film director, co-founder of the DCTV

Ellen Chances, Princeton University

Jamey Gambrell, translator

Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor-in-chief of "The Nation"

Piskounov Eugene, NTVA/ART Distribution Inc., CEO

Carol Ueland, Drew University

Lynn Visson, United Nations, retired

Grace Warnecke Kennan, National Committee on American Foreign Policy (NCAFP), Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Harriman Institute at Columbia University