Russian 297P - ST-MemoryWars Ukraine & Russia

On February 24, 2022, Russia began the invasion of Ukraine, a neighboring state and a "brotherly nation," as it is often referred to in Russia. The conflict rapidly unfolds, with crushing economic and political sanctions imposed on Russia, oil prices hitting record highs on international commodity markets, and millions of Ukrainian refugees fleeing into Europe. This course attempts to understand the causes of this conflict by situating it in the post-Soviet political and cultural context and exploring the narrative logics used by Russian state officials and state-affiliated media to justify the war. In this interdisciplinary seminar, we will explore these recent events by drawing on research in anthropology, political science, and media studies as well as current media materials.