East meets West Speaker Series
The “East meets West” speaker series is an opportunity for U.S. scholars to hear directly from their academic counterparts from Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. Political scientists, historians, sociologists, pollsters, international security experts, communication science specialists, journalists, and diplomats based in Europe and Eurasia present research and analysis regarding current events and issues from across the region and engage in dialogue with their U.S.-based colleagues.
Information about events, commentary, and faculty media appearances related to Russia's war on Ukraine can be found here.
Recent Events:
A panel discussion with Nika Lelizarova (YOUkraine Research Project Lead), Tetiana Skrypchenko (Head of Rating Group), Serhiy Koledov (Consul General of Ukraine), Walter Tunn (CEO of Selfreliance Association), and Olga Kamenchuk (Northwestern University): "The Way Home? Perspectives and Challenges of Ukrainian Refugees Living Abroad"
November 13, 2023
This group of panelists, who specialize as global and local experts of Ukrainian refugee crises, shared their thoughts on questions such as: What has been of the experiences of refugees in Europe and the United States? What challenges have they faced? What are their hopes for the future of Ukraine and their intentions to return? How has the Chicago area welcomed them?
A panel discussion with Olga Kamenchuk , Nikola Jovic and Milan Krstic (Belgrade University): "East /West Divide and Demand for Democracy: Serbia at the Crossroads"
November 4, 2022
Professor Kamenchuk discussed Serbia's mental models of democracy, liberal and illiberal, and compared to Western Europe and Russia prior to Russia's war on Ukraine. Nikola Jovic, researcher and assistant professor at the Department of Political Science and Milan Krstic, assistant professor at the Department of Political Science, based on survey data collected in Serbia in 2020 and 2022, looked at trends the public opinion and values are taking since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Co-sponsored by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs Conversations
East Meets West Speaker Series with Joanna Szostek: "News Media and (In)security in Ukrainian Border Regions: An Assessment of Threats and Vulnerabilities."
February 24, 2022
Professor Joanna Szostek (School of Social & Political Studies, University of Glasgow) discussed the threat of disinformation campaigns and related challenges in Ukraine's border regions.
East Meets West Speaker Series with George Mchedlishvili: "US Withdrawal from Afghanistan and Implications for Security in the Caucasus and the Greater Black Sea Region"
September 28, 2021
Professor George Mchedlishvili (European University, Tbilisi, Georgia; International Black Sea University; and Tbilisi State University) discussed the implications of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan for security in the Greater Black Sea Region.
A Dialogue with Olga Kamenchuk and Vladimir B. Zvonovsky: "Political Confrontation in Russia: From Protests to Elections and Back"
March 10, 2021
Professor Vladimir Zvonovsky (Samara State University of Economics, Russia) examined how a small group of active Russians are set up for a long political confrontation with the regime but the majority remains in a state of learned helplessness, fearing that regime change may worsen the economic situation.
A Dialogue with Olga Kamenchuk and Andrei Vardomatski: "Belarus 2020: Roots of Anti-Regime Mobilization"
November 16, 2020
Professor Andrei Vardomatski (Warsaw University, NOVAK Laboratory, Belarusian Analytical Workroom) discussed the ongoing and unprecedented anti-regime mobilization with a focus on analyzing what motivates protestors.