Realizing the growing ignorance about Russia and the successor states following the collapse of the USSR, Wittenberg created an interdisciplinary program for students interested in studying Soviet and post-Soviet history, art, language, literature, geography, economics, sociology and the politics of the region.

The program, known as Russian Area Studies, aimed to produce intelligent citizens and participants in society who have a thorough understanding of Russia and the other new nations, regardless of their intended vocations.

That was 15 years ago, and since then, more than 120 students have majored or minored in Russian Area Studies. In honor of such successes and to celebrate the program’s 15-year anniversary, the Russian Area Studies department recently hosted a commemorative conference featuring prominent Russian scholars from around the country and the globe.

Titled “Ten Years Later: The Development of Russian Civil  Society,” the conference brought together leading analysts, including Anders åslund from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing cooperation between nations and promoting active international engagement by the United States.

The organization, through its Carnegie Moscow Center, also helps to develop a tradition of public policy analysis in the states of the former Soviet Union and improve relations between Russia and the United States.

Also invited to the Nov. 3 conference were Alexander Domrin of the Moscow Institute of Legislation and Comparative Law, Robert Sharlet of Union College, Henry Hale of Indiana University, and Susan Linz and Vladimir Shlapentokh, both of Michigan State University.

Wittenberg Russian Area Studies faculty members George Hudson, professor of political science and director of the program, Joseph O’Connor, professor of history, Olga Medvedkov, professor of geography and department chair, Lila Zaharkov, associate professor of languages, David Wishart, professor of economics and department chair, and Jerry Pankhurst, professor of sociology, also participated in the day-long conference in Hollenbeck Hall. In addition, more than 50 students were in attendance as well as 31 registered participants from other universities.

Among the topics discussed were Russian law, Russian economic policy and the current state and future of Russian civil society.
“This was a wonderful way to celebrate our Russian Studies program,” Hudson said. “The papers presented here will be published and will form significant contributions to our understanding of Russia today.”