In the lead-up to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin became increasingly vocal about “Slavic brotherhood” and went so far as to say Ukraine’s statehood was a recent creation, invented by Vladimir Lenin and Josef Stalin.
, assistant professor of political science at Iowa State University, offers nuanced context on the ways national and cultural identities have shaped both non-violent and violent politics in the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
Feinstein is available to answer questions on the following topics:
- The cultural and historical relationships between Russia and Ukraine, including the concept of ‘Slavic Brotherhood’ pushed by Russia and post-Cold War alliances in Europe
- What Russia aims to gain and lose with a full-blown invasion of Ukraine and eastern Europe
- How Russia has historically influenced eastern Europe and its neighbors through a variety of tactics
- How U.S. politics have influenced growing tensions in Ukraine and eastern Europe
Feinstein is currently working on a book project “National War and Peace in Post-Soviet Eurasia” to explore why some Soviet successor states experienced secessionist violence after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
RSS