Prof @TuftsPoliSci. Post-communism, nationalism, identity, citizenship, memory, religion. New bk: 🇷🇺 and 🇺🇦 : Entangled Histories, Diverging States (Nov'23)
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Nov 2, 2023 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Many commentators who ignore 🇺🇦society, but Ukrainians holding interesting & nuanced views on many topics & these views shaped & will continue 2shape political processes in 🇺🇦. Here are some interesting findings from recent polls on democracy during wartime. 1/
Ukrainians in all regions agree that it's appropriate to criticize the govt during wartime for mistaken/incorrect actions.
Dec 28, 2022 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
russian ethnic minorities whose ancestors & families were victims of russian colonialism murder 4 "greater🇷🇺." Not a unique case in global history of colonialism, but how stable r such preferences? I would say it depends on broader political reality. 1/ 🧵
Not too surprising that association w/"stronger/more prestigious" group as a way to increase one's self-worth happens. That this "prestigious" view victimized you (or your ancestors) makes it tragic, but that's a separte point. But this self-association can be broken if 2/
Nov 27, 2022 • 13 tweets • 4 min read
Today was 1932-1933 #Holodomor remembrance day. 90 years ago Stalin's regime intentionally starved some 4 million Ukrainians. 🇷🇺 atrocities in current war have many parallels but most direct one (using grain/food as weapon then & now) may not be the most important parallel.🧵1/
Key parallel is that both then & now 🇷🇺 is engaged in mass killing in order to subjugate 🇺🇦 & make its people conform to ideological project rulers in Moscow chose to embrace. All Ukrainians who do not fall in line - no matter the number - can be killed. 2/
Nov 19, 2022 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Ukrainian media interviews with people from liberated territories should be translated & shared more widely. These interviews convey essence of occupation & resistance. Store clerks displaying sponges in blue & yellow colors. Chechens burning hair on the head of man they detained
Collaborator eavesdropping on conversations of his colleagues in cancer hospital, then compiling list of Ukrainian patriots 2 give to the russians. Ukrainian flag hoisted 3 times on cell tower in occupied village, with russians eventually blowing up the tower to bring down flag.
Oct 24, 2022 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
Misguided (& shameful) letter by a group of progressive Democrats full of wrong assumptions & naive & dangerous recommendations. Let’s consider. A 🧵 1/
🇷🇺 was “forced to dramatically scale back the stated goals of the invasion.” What?? No it didn’t. Putin still wants to destroy Ukrainians state sovereignty & nationhood. Zero evidence behind their statement. 2/
Sep 25, 2022 • 20 tweets • 4 min read
1/ Arguments that it's unreasonable to expect russians to protest cuz putin's regime is so brutal & how parallels with Maidan protests in 🇺🇦don't work cuz Yanukovych was not nearly as bad/brutal r only partly valid. Let's dig in a bit. A🧵
2/ Key difference was not lack of brutality of Yan regime but presence of institutional opposition (in legislature, local councils etc) in 🇺🇦. While it was important & ultimately enabled institutionalized transition post-Yan 2new govt, success of Maidan was due 2 people not elite
Sep 18, 2022 • 24 tweets • 7 min read
Hi new followers! Since u followed me after #APSA2022 where @kath_stoner, @darelasn, Olena Nikolayenko & I disputed Mearsheimer’s claim that NATO expansion made Putin 2 attack 🇺🇦, I put together🧵summarizing my comments. Thx @PopovaProf & @dandrezner 4 live-tweeting panel! 1/21
My broader argument was that accurate analysis of the war needs to take seriously 2 things not taken seriously by great power politics realist analysis: 1) dynamics of domestic politics in 🇷🇺 & 🇺🇦, especially identity politics, and b) Ukrainian agency. 2/21
Aug 12, 2022 • 15 tweets • 3 min read
Current debate over #visabanforrussians - whether it unduly victimizes "good 🇷🇺" & unjustly imposes collective responsibility, or whether it is warranted cuz russians do in fact bear collective responsibility for their govt action - echos a similar debate from early 1990s. A 🧵1/
In late 1980s-early 1990s in the Baltic states push for indepdence from USSR was supported by some "good" russians (who supported Baltic popular fronts) and opposed by other russians (who supported pro-USSR "Interfronts"). 2/
Aug 11, 2022 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
If 🇺🇦 consults with 🇺🇸/NATO on use of long-range weapons, hit on Crimean air base has another implication: the west is not buying 🇷🇺 bs that Crimea is 🇷🇺 proper. It's not. It's illegally annexed territory, "referendum" & formalization of annexation notwithstanding. And so...1/
🇷🇺 bluff, gaslighting & threats 2 go nuclear r exposed 4 what they r - bs, or, in Russian, понты. 4🇷🇺 it's a smart move 2 annex territory (hence "referendum" plans 4 Kherson & Zaporizhzhia) & then claim that nuclear umbrella will extend 2 these territories cuz they're now🇷🇺 2/
Aug 10, 2022 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
When applying for tourist visa there’s presumption of intent to immigrate & applicant needs to prove they don’t have this intent. There can be (quite reasonable) presumption that 🇷🇺 visa applicants are pro-war/Putin & requirent to rebut this presumption to get EU visa. Then 1/
Those Russians in the EU who display war symbols & harass 🇺🇦 refugees should be promptly deported for violating visa issuing conditions. This is not discrimination for “political opinion” but protection from re-victimization of already victimized 🇺🇦 refugees. 2/
May 7, 2022 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
This utterly bizzare Victory Day performance from Russia reminded me of something we had in high school in late Sovier era - agitbrigada (agitation, or propaganda brigade). A short 🧵
Agitbrigade's purpose was to put on a musical theater performance in school auditorium for - yes, you guessed it - Victory day. Must have been 1985 (40 yrs anniversary). Spots in agitbrigada were highly thought. But not due to high degree of patriotism. 2/
Mar 4, 2022 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
How do I say it clearly. Putin already believes the west is out to get him and always was. This was the thrust of his crazy pre-invasion speech. Many ppl in 🇷🇺 believe this too - that they are not fighting war against 🇺🇦 but war to defend Russia. Crazy but true. 1/2/ so what Lindsay Graham said, “undiplomatic” as it is, doesn’t change much. Putin said - read his speech - that even western advisors on anticorruption reforms were proof that US is masterminding against 🇷🇺 and it was just a matter of time before it struck 🇷🇺 by way of 🇺🇦
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