Book Presentation: Sergei Medvedev, Professor at the Faculty of Arts at Charles University in Prague
At this event, Sergei Medvedev will present his latest book, A War Made in Russia, which was just published by Polity Press. In it, the author argues that Russia’s war on Ukraine was not started by President Vladimir Putin out of a personal whim or obsession. Rather, Medvedev claims, the war was the culmination of not only two decades of authoritarian degradation and post-imperial ressentiment but also Russia’s entire imperial history. That is why, by and large, Russians have embraced the war with enthusiasm, seeking to revive their country’s military glory and colonial past.
The book presentation will be followed by a public discussion driven by these three questions:
- How stable is the current pro-war consensus among Russia’s elites and society?
- What end states could result from the war, and what are the scenarios for a post-war and post-Putin Russia?
- What can the West do to influence the outcome of the war and shape the future of Russia?
Sergei Medvedev is an affiliated professor at the Faculty of Arts at Charles University in Prague. From 2004 to 2020 he worked as a professor at HSE University in Moscow. A graduate of Moscow State University and Columbia University in New York City, Medvedev has held multiple research and academic positions in Russia, Germany, Italy, and Finland.
Moderator and Discussant:
Stefan Meister, Head of the Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia, DGAP
The event will be held in English. Please register here. You will receive a confirmation email containing details about joining us on October 12.
If you have any questions, please contact DGAP’s events team (events@dgap.org).