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A fresh international chat show from the University of Texas at Austin meant to share research, ideas, and culture from the Slavic world and beyond in digestible episodes. Each week we feature faculty, students (both undergraduate and graduate), and speakers of note from other institutions and countries. The Slavic Connexion is a graduate student production of the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies within the College of Liberal Arts at UT Austin... It's not typical Texas ...
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The Slavic Connexion
Dr. Jasmin Muajnovic, a political scientist focused on democratization and social movements in the Western Balkans and a host of the podcast "Sarajevo Calling", joins Samantha and Cullan for an in-depth discussion on the state of democracy in the region in 2020. This is a great walkthrough of the elite maneuvering and politics in the Western Balkan…
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The New Yorker's Moscow correspondent, Joshua Yaffa, joins us from Moscow in fact to talk about the conditions in Russia during the pandemic, his latest book Between Two Fires, and the oft-debated Russian interference in US elections. Additionally, Yuri Levada's work and coining of the term "Wily Man" figures prominently into this discussion having…
On this episode, we discuss the ongoing political crisis in Kyrgyzstan, resulting from the disputed October 4th elections, with Nazgul Kulova, a resident of Bishkek (the capital of Kyrgyzstan) and a policy analyst in the mining sector. As a former government official at the State Agency for Mineral Resources, she has worked with various internation…
We're back to Belarus with this episode, but this time we take an in-depth look at the still-thrumming situation from the dictator's perspective with one of the foremost experts on the region, Dr. David Marples. Dr. Marples talks about the potential end of the dictator while rounding out the context for the current revolution, allowing us to see ju…
Dr. Susan Crate returns to the show to share her 1990 journey to Tuva, the geographic center of Asia. At this time, Tuva had only recently opened up to foreign travelers and the oblast (region) experienced heavy upheaval across the domains of the former Soviet Union. This moment also proved to be a turning point for the revitalization of lost or hi…
Admittedly, this is not a very Slavic episode, but we would like to balance the scales a little bit and discuss the existential crisis America is facing as well as we approach the 2020 presidential election. A New York Times article a few days ago said that though the United States makes up only 4% of the world's population, our Covid deaths accoun…
On this episode, former BBC journalist Leonid Ragozin joins Tom from Latvia to discuss the perception of Russia in the West, the origins of Western xenophobia towards Russia, his view of Vladimir Putin in 2000, and his experience working as an independent journalist on the investigations of high profile figures murdered in Ukraine. We hope you enjo…
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The Slavic Connexion
In this episode, Matt discussed with Dr. Maria Snegovaya the leading issues of the day in the Slavic region. Namely, the aftermath of Russia's recent regional elections, the Kremlin's response to Alexei Navalny's poisoning, and the ongoing spectre of Russian intervention in Belarus's post-election crisis. Connect with Dr. Snegovaya on Twitter: @MSn…
Bulgaria, Belarus, books—oh my! In this exciting episode hosted by Matt and newbie host Katherine, Assistant Professor Kiril Avramov the University of Texas at Austin sits down to discuss his new book, “Russia’s Hidden Armies,” the recent detainment of Russian mercenaries in Belarus, and the anti-corruption protests currently raging within Bulgaria…
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Tom and Matt have the great opportunity to speak with Libyan national Mohamed Abufalgha and expert on the conflict that has been going on for several years now in this oil-rich, war-torn country. Mohamed helps us unpack the Russian-Libyan connection and exactly how many countries have their fingers--and fighters--in Libya. We hope you enjoy! For so…
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"Rival Power: Russia's Challenge to the West in the Balkans" with Dimitar Bechev (BALKAN CIRCLE series)
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The Balkan Circle is a weekly seminar (during the academic year) which features lectures, presentations, exhibits, or open interactive dialogues that focus on any (and all) aspects of historical, political, economic, social and cultural phenomena in the (so-called) Balkans. The seminar is free and open to the public and will be held every Friday fr…
Our guest today is Dr. Tomasz Samojlik, an environmental historian and researcher at the Mammal Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Białowieża. His research focuses on Poland's Białowieża Primeval Forest, one of the last remaining primeval forests in Europe. In addition to his research, Dr. Samojlik spoke with us about his work …
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On this episode, Tom speaks with UT's own Professor Sparrow about his 2015 book on legendary multi-administration US National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft who sadly passed away recently on August 6th, 2020. This is a great conversation, remembering the unassuming but brilliant strategist who was so integral during the late Cold War period. Hope…
In this episode, Matt spoke with Dr. Mark Galeotti about the pressing issues of the day in Eurasia: the suspected poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the ongoing protests in the far-eastern city of Khabarovsk, and the Kremlin's view on the post-election crisis in Belarus. Using his keen understanding of the Kremlin's decision-mak…
On this episode recorded August 21, 2020, Matt and Lera speak with Alexei Navalny's close co-collaborator on anti-corruption in Russia, Maxim Mironov. They discuss the current situation with Alexei Navalny's alleged poisoning and also Russian state corruption in a broader, global context. NOTE: We apologize for audio difficulties with our guest due…
Is this the end of Europe's Last Dictator? In this episode, Matt spoke with Aliaksandr aka Ales Herasimenka, a researcher at the University of Westminster and previous guest on the show about the ongoing presidential elections in Belarus, where embattled president Alexander Lukashenko faces the most organized opposition in the history of his 26 yea…
BBC's Seva Novgorodsev joins us once more just in time for his 80th birthday! This time, we gather around Zoom, but the conversation is, as always, entertaining and unexpected--one never knows where Seva will lead us and what he will teach us. We hope you enjoy! If you wish to check out any of Seva's books and his latest audiobook "Настоящий джентл…
Former CIA officer Stephen Slick joins us to talk about his nearly three decades in intelligence, spent largely overseas in Ukraine, the Balkans, and East Germany. Professor Slick also discusses his return Stateside to a position in Langley just one week before 9-11 occurred and his present role as an educator at the University of Texas at Austin i…
Dr. Susie Crate returns to The Slavic Connexion! This time, Dr. Crate spoke with SlavX host Katya about her experiences collecting ethnomusicological material from 1989–1990 in the Kharkiv oblast in Eastern Ukraine, then still part of the Soviet Union. This work was part of a larger project to collect and preserve songs unique to particular village…
Renowned geopolitical strategist Peter Zeihan (www.zeihan.com) graciously joins us via Zoom for an intensive breakdown of the current world order and his predictions for the future concerning the economic and political directions of America, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and other nations. This is a true international whirlwind, and a must-l…
В этом эпизоде Мэтт беседует со знаменитой российской журналисткой Жанной Немцовой о многих темах, от ее времени в Америке до Украины. Надеемся, вам понравится слушать! Фонд Бориса Немцова за свободу: https://nemtsovfund.org/ Летняя школа журналистики и социокультурных исследований: https://summerschool.nemtsovfund.org/apply/ Статья о коронавирусе …
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Columnist, radio host, and Hoover Institution fellow Dr. Markos Kounalakis joins us via Zoom to talk about California's early response to Covid-19, the cognitive dissonance of beautiful Hungary, his experience in Central and Eastern Europe in the late 80s/early 90s as a journalist, and much more! And if you haven't yet and are looking for a decent …
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"It Is What It Is": Western Media, the End of the USSR, and Russia Today (with Jeff Trimble)
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Jeff Trimble, Moscow Bureau Chief for US News & World Report during the late Soviet period, talks to us about his wild experiences reporting from behind the Iron Curtain and witnessing the dissolution of the USSR. A radio professional as well (and earnest space aficionado and Star Trek fan) he certainly brings some extra finesse to yet another Zoom…
Joining us via Zoom from self-isolation in Moscow, New Jersey native Joseph Crescente talks to us about his area of expertise as the media literacy fellow at the US Embassy/American Center in Moscow. This is a fascinating and relevant discussion on how to navigate the media landscape in today's COVID-19 information-rich and facts-poor environment. …
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If you're at all a Russophile and you've never visited Russia Beyond (rbth.com), find out what you've been missing as we connect with the editor-in-chief of this amazing, culturally-focused international publication that now boasts 5 million readers worldwide. (Also, the alternate title for this episode is "Pants Challenge", courtesy of Tom -- you'…
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The Slavic Connexion
Joining us via Zoom is the authority on public diplomacy from University of Southern California, Nicholas Cull. Having written the primary resource on the subject as used by the US State Department, Dr. Cull defines public diplomacy for us and expounds on how it has changed and will continue to change in this digital age. (Note: this is one of Tom'…
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Музыкальное путешествие со специальным гостем Артемием Троицким
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Artemy Troitsky was scheduled to come to Austin and visit us at the University of Texas just a few weeks ago, but of course, due to enforced travel restrictions and a host of unforeseen coronavirus complications, his visit has been postponed until the Fall of 2020, hopefully. However, we decided to check in with him via Zoom, anyway, and he was gra…
Back for more via Zoom, Tom Garza joins Matt and Tom once again to discuss Russian rock during the late USSR period to modern-day Russia, the power of nostalgia, and the role of music in COVID-19. And this time legendary music critic Artemy Troitsky also joins from Estonia. To listen to the previous episode in this short series, follow this link: h…
On this episode, Tom, Matt, and Graham reunite to discuss more about Covid-19, the continuing oil drama between Russia and Saudi Arabia, and the ways in which the pandemic will permanently affect our world. As Dave from 2001 A Space Odyssey said, "Everything is going extremely well." NOTE: This episode was recorded on March 31, 2020 via Zoom. Thank…
On this episode, we meet with freelance journalist Aliide Naylor who joins us for our first Zoom interview from London to discuss her experiences in Russia, Ukraine, and her newly released book on Putin and the Baltics. This is our 80th episode, and we want tthank you for listening wherever you are in the world. We hope you enjoy! ABOUT THE GUEST: …
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Soviets, Slovaks, and the Pope (with James Felak) // The Post-Socialist Effect (with Kateřina Kolářová)
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At this time, we understand the world is in chaos, but it's still a good idea to take a break from the headlines every once in a while and feed your Slavic mind! (Almost as important as washing your hands and responsible social distancing!!) So, while we get our Zoom on, please enjoy some of our squirreled away interviews that we've saved for such …
On this episode, Tom and Matt are joined by returning guest Graham Reblitz to delve into the meaty headlines of the day: Russian politics, the conflict between Russia and Saudi Arabia, and the WHO-declared pandemic that is sweeping the globe. NOTE: This episode was recorded on March 11, 2020 at the University of Texas at Austin. Thanks for listenin…
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"Our Generation" (featuring Christian Ray Flores... and his music)
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Christian Ray Flores is an entrepreneur, world traveler, and philanthropist who was an international music "supernova" during the 90s in post-Soviet Russia. Though he may have, by his own estimation, been a short-lived phenomena in Russia he continues to make tremendous impact globally to this day. From charities to start-up ventures to churches to…
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The Slavic Connexion
On this episode we have the privilege of speaking with History professor and Eisenstein expert Dr. Joan Neuberger who among many things is also co-host and co-creator of 15-Minute History podcast and the public history project Not Even Past. ABOUT THE GUEST: Dr. Neuberger received her PhD from Stanford University in 1985. She is currently a profess…
On this episode, we have the pleasure of getting to know the president of UT's International Affairs Society, Graham Reblitz, who brings his broad, cosmopolitan perspective to our studio and discussing everything from geopolitics in Europe to sports on the international plane. ABOUT THE GUEST: Graham Reblitz Graham is a senior from Lakewood Ranch, …
On this episode, we have the privilege of speaking with a modern-day archaeologist Dr. Adam Rabinowitz and archaeology grad student Susan Crane. Both take us into the ancient world of Romania through their exciting (and sometimes not-so-exciting) archaeological expeditions and unbelievable discoveries. ABOUT THE GUESTS Adam T. Rabinowitz Adam Rabin…
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The Slavic Connexion
Dr. Mark Pomar, Russia expert and senior fellow at the Clements Center for National Security, revisits the studio to speak with us about modern-day politics and foreign policy in the US. Drawing on his extensive experience and service to the US government, Dr. Pomar gives us a deeper look into US-Russia relations and the future of the international…
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Bridging the Gap: From Campus to Career (with Tom and Tracy)
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In this episode, Tom and Tracy team up to talk with three former CREEES and LBJ dual degree grad students who are successfully applying their classroom experience to the real world in very big ways. If you're a student eyeing that scary drop-off after graduation, then this episode is totally for you. Let our fabulous UT CREEES alumni Michael Deegan…
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The Quintessential S. Ansky // The Sprit of Sakha (ASEEES)
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At the 2019 ASEEES Conference, PhD student Raya Shapiro shares with SlavX host Samantha about their research on the Jewish émigré playwright and author S. Ansky. And then, anthropoligist Jenanne Ferguson from the University of Nevada talks about the language of Sakha (Yakut) and the intrinsic spirit of all languages. ABOUT THE GUESTS: Raya Shapiro …
Russia and Japan have yet to reconcile when it comes to the islands in the Pacific. Professor Akaha gives us his take on the relations between these two nations in the aftermath of the Cold War. Then, in the second half of the episode, Dr. Smeltz from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs explains her findings from surveys that reveal Russians stil…
Dr. Sabina Amanbayeva (Oklahoma City University) takes us into the magical world of Winnie the Pooh... but in the Soviet Union, unpacking the ways in which the Disney show translated into a very different and yet similar production in the USSR. In the second segment of this episode, Dr. Sunnie Rucker-Chang (University of Cincinnatti) discusses the …
Wrapping up our ASEEES conference series, we have a super fun couple's episode with the dynamic duo of Alexander Prokhorov and Elena Prokhorova from Moscow State University who talk about their personal journeys and how they ended up at teaching at College of William & Mary. THE GUESTS: Elena Prokhorova and Alexander Prokhorov EDITOR'S NOTE: Episod…
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The Slavic Connexion
If you're like us, you probably don't know too much about Albania--that little former Soviet satellite state that we certainly couldn't have picked out on a map in high school (maybe not even after 4 years of college). But Albania is a very unique nation and although not Slavic, as Tom says, "it's close enough for the Slavic Connexion". Through the…
In this episode, we trek back in time to the late Habsburg Empire and post-World War I Eastern Europe with Dr. Hsia. And then we discuss Slavic Folklore in modern young adult literature with Dr. Martiniuk who talks about the romanticized Russian symbols used by authors everywhere of all backgrounds. We'll get into the issues behind using such symbo…
From the ASEEES Conference in San Francisco, Professor Chad Bryant of UNC Chapel Hill speaks with us about Czech cultures and in the second half of the episode, Professor Laura Todd of the University of Nottingham lets us in on her research on early 1980s MTV and the Yugoslavian rock scene. ABOUT THE GUESTS: CHAD BRYANT (UNC Chapel Hill) Chad Bryan…
In this episode, Lera talks with anthropologist Craig Campbell talks about his interest in the river life of Siberia, the age of the Anthropocene, and how "time is profoundly weird." ABOUT THE GUEST: Dr. Craig Campbell is associate professor of anthropology and Slavic studies at UT Austin. A Canadian, he received his PhD from the University of Albe…
During the ASEEES conference, Ukrainian history expert Dr. Magosci talks with Cullan about Carpatho-Rusyn nationality and his pivotal role in forming this movement as a specialist in this region of the world. ABOUT THE GUEST: Paul Robert Magocsi is professor of history and political science at the University of Toronto, where since 1980 he also hol…
SlavX host Lera gets the chance to talk with Professor Vladimir Golstein from Brown University at the 2019 ASEEES conference in San Francisco. Check it out! ABOUT THE GUEST: Vladimir Golstein holds his M.S. in Computers from Moscow Institute of Management, his B.A. in Philosophy from Columbia University, and his Ph.D. in Slavic Languages and Litera…
On this episode, Aigul Adzhieva (Айгуля Аджиева) a TV producer from Kyrgyzstan, joins Matt for a discussion about media challenges today, bride kidnapping, and the role of journalists in her country. Enjoy! ABOUT OUR GUEST: Aigul Adzhieva is a TV producer from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and 11 years of working experi…
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As Winter claims the Slavic world (much of it anyway), we thought we'd take a trip south of the equator with this episode on Venezuela with yet another special guest from the History department Latin American expert Marcus Golding. ABOUT THE GUEST: Marcus Golding is a doctoral student in History at the University of Texas at Ausin. He specializes o…
