Russia

The Russian Threat to Religious Freedom in Eastern Ukraine
The Russian Threat to Religious Freedom in Eastern Ukraine

While many aspects of the Russo-Ukrainian war—such as the annexation of Crimea, the shootdown of passenger airliner MH17, and the creation of an autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church—have been widely discussed by experts, the plight of religious minorities in occupied eastern Ukraine has largely gone ignored.

The Five Books on Russia You Should Read
The Five Books on Russia You Should Read

Russia has historically been a challenging topic for scholars. Geographically, most of Russia lies in continental Asia, but culturally most…

Trump Should Remember How the Baltic Way Helped Topple Soviet Occupation
Trump Should Remember How the Baltic Way Helped Topple Soviet Occupation

While Crimea may not be returned to Ukraine for decades, Putin’s Kremlin will not last forever. Since the future global political landscape is unpredictable, America has the responsibility as the leader of the free world to provide clear and consistent messaging on issues of freedom and the rule of law. President Trump should know that in the long run Crimean annexation non-recognition will pay off, just as 50 unwavering years of the United States’ Baltic annexation non-recognition policy eventually paid off.

Dostoevsky’s “Russian God”: Russian Attitude Toward Faith and Christianity
Dostoevsky’s “Russian God”: Russian Attitude Toward Faith and Christianity

Fyodor Dostoevsky uses “Russian God” to refer not to European, or Western God, but to unique aspects of Russian Orthodoxy with its unique emphasis on sobornost’.

A Presbyterian in Orthodox Russia: Review of John Burgess’ Holy Rus’
A Presbyterian in Orthodox Russia: Review of John Burgess’ Holy Rus’

In Holy Rus’, Burgess shows what happens when a Calvinist who knows little about Russian Orthodoxy lives (temporarily) in Russia.

The West Overestimates Aleksandr Dugin’s Influence in Russia
The West Overestimates Aleksandr Dugin’s Influence in Russia

Proponents of the “Dugin the mastermind” argument need to substantiate their claims with evidence and ask themselves how effective, if at all, is Dugin at influencing Kremlin elites and Russian foreign policy.

“Be Joyful, the Shield and Protection of our Fatherland”: Russian Nuclear Orthodoxy in the Age of St. Seraphim - Book Review Dmitry Adamsky
“Be Joyful, the Shield and Protection of our Fatherland”: Russian Nuclear Orthodoxy in the Age of St. Seraphim

Dmitry Adamsky’s outstanding Russian Nuclear Orthodoxy explains the religious imagination that has swept not only through the Russian nuclear arsenal since 1991, but also into all levels of the country’s nuclear tirade, military forces, and even Russian foreign policy more broadly.

Why Russia Didn’t Collapse Like Venezuela… For Now - Book Review of Chris Miller’s Putinomics: Power and Money in Resurgent Russia
Why Russia Didn’t Collapse Like Venezuela… For Now: Review of Miller’s Putinomics

Putin’s Russia still has numerous challenges today from corruption to slow economic growth, but Chris Miller argues in Putinomics that the federation should be compared to fellow petrostate Venezuela since both were similar in the late 1990s.

Tyranny & Russian Orthodoxy

In the West, the church has often defined itself by defying the state. In the East, particularly Russia, the church…

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