The Slavic Connexion

On this episode, attorney and business consultant Daniel Satinsky shares about his new book, which tells the story of American participation in the dismantling of the Soviet economy and the creation of the Russian market economy in the 1990s. Creating the Post-Soviet Russian Market Economy: Through American Eyes is based on more than 100 interviews with citizen diplomats, entrepreneurs, bankers, consultants, and aid program administrators active in Russia in those years. The book chronicles the real-life experiences of these Americans as they participated in building new sectors of the post-Soviet Russian economy in finance, investment, stock trading, real estate, restaurants, public relations, law, and media (television, radio, newspapers, and movies) at a time of historically unprecedented collaboration and interaction between Russians and Americans. ABOUT THE GUEST Daniel Satinsky is an attorney, business consultant, and independent scholar. He first visited the USSR in 1984 and was active in business there and in Russia from 1990 to 2014. He is the co-author of "Hammer and Silicon: The Soviet Diaspora in the U.S. Innovation Economy" (2018). He is also former president of the board of the U.S.-Russia Chamber of Commerce of New England (1998-2014) and a Davis Center associate. He holds a master's degree from the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy and a JD from Northeastern University Law School. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on February 16, 2024 via Zoom. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Host/Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Host/Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce Assistant Producer: Basil Fedun Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Assistant Producer: Eliza Fisher Assistant Producer: Katherine Birch Social Media Manager: Faith VanVleet SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by kaleidoplasm, Holizna, Crowander, Blue Dot Sessions, Ketsa, Eazy) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Daniel Satinsky.

On this episode, Pjotr Sauer shares his firsthand experiences and reflections on reporting on Russia both before February 24, 2022 from within the country and then after, reporting from outside of the country. He elaborates on the difficulties for all journalists in navigating the challenges and constraints in Russia and expands on the plight of his friend and colleague Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street journalist who has been officially imprisoned by Russian authorities for one year as of March 29, 2024. Thank you for listening! ABOUT THE GUEST Pjotr Sauer is a Russia affairs correspondent for the Guardian. His work can also be found in The Moscow Times, The Telegraph and Het Parool. He has been a guest on the BBC, NOS, Al Jazeera, among other outlets. He is on Twitter @pjotrsauer. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on November 09, 2023 via Zoom. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Guest Host/Producer: Anton Shingarev Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Basil Fedun Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Charlie Harper, Damiano Baldoni, Alex Productions,) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Pjotr Sauer.

On this episode, Valeria Sobol of the University of Illinois Urbana Champaigne talks with us about her 2000 book "Haunted Empire." Dr. Sobol guides us through the tapestries of Imperial Russia, where crumbling estates and eerie figures cast long shadows over the pages of history. Drawing on her meticulous research and profound insights, she unveils the intricate interplay between Gothic motifs and the imperial legacy, offering a captivating exploration of power, trauma, and the uncanny in Russian literature. ABOUT THE GUEST Valeria Sobol is Professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She is the author of Febris Erotica and a coeditor of Interpreting Emotions in Russia and Eastern Europe. Check out her book Haunted Empire on the Cornell Press website: https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501770104/haunted-empire/#bookTabs=2. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on December 15, 2023 via Zoom. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Host/Assistant Producer: Eliza Fisher Host/Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Assistant Producer/Videographer: Basil Fedun Social Media Manager: Faith VanVleet Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Audiorezout, Beat Mekanik, Damiano Baldoni, Alex Productions) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Valeria Sobol.

On this episode, independent journalist Terrell Jermaine Starr shares his experiences covering Ukraine since Russia's invasion in 2022 and explaining to Americans the importance of the nation for global security, democracy, and humanity broadly. "We all need to be invested in each other's safety and security... Ukraine is the exact place I feel that I need to be to tell the story of how we can be better human beings to one another, and that's what my journalism is about." The #Connexions Experts speaker series is dedicated to providing accessible and engaging discussions for a general audience on critical issues pertaining to media, technology, and information globally. ABOUT THE GUEST Detroit native Terrell Jermaine Starr is an independent American journalist widely known for his coverage of the current Russian invasion of Ukraine. He is the founder and host of Black Diplomats, a weekly podcast reporting on foreign affairs and Eastern European politics. A former Fulbright grantee, Terrell is currently a nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center. Conversant in Russian, Ukrainian, and Georgian, he is a recognized authority on Ukraine-U.S. relations, Georgian politics, Central Asia, and American democracy. Visit his website https://terrellstarr.com/ and follow him on Twitter @terrelljstarr. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on March 6, 2024 at The University of Texas at Austin. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Basil Fedun Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png

On this episode, we speak with Lieutenant Colonel Martin Wroblewski, PhD, a seasoned officer in the German Army with deep insights into the intricacies of European security dynamics. We delve into the German role in NATO and in the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. LTC Wroblewski shares his expertise on the importance of developing interoperability within NATO forces, the strategic partnership between America and Germany, the critical role of information operations in modern warfare, and strategies for enhancing resiliency in the face of evolving threats particularly in the cyber domain. Thanks for listening! ABOUT THE GUEST LTC Dr. Martin Wroblewski is a native of Germany and a graduate of the University of Bonn, Germany. LTC Wroblewski joined the German Army as an active duty officer in 2016. He graduated from Infantry School in Hammelburg, German Army Officer School in Dresden and the German PSYOP Officer Qualification and Advanced Course in Mayen. Additionally, he attended various courses on Human Intelligence, Behavior Analysis, Advanced Target Audience Analysis as well as several PSYOP- and INFOOP-related trainings at the NATO School in Oberammergau. During his service at the Bundeswehr Operations Communication Center in Mayen, he served as an Information Environment Analyst and as the Sub-Unit Leader Target Audience Analysis of a Psyop Company. In 2019/2020 LTC Wroblewski was deployed with the 6th German Contingent to Enhanced Forward Presence in Rukla, Lithuania. There he held the position of Chief Information Operations. After returning from deployment his duty focus was on the refinement of TAA processes, eFP-related instructor duties, and product development in regards to hybrid threats with a regional emphasis on eastern Europe. In June 2021 he successfully completed the PSYOP Qualification Course at USAJFKSWCS. Starting in September 2021 he serves as an XO with the 6th Psychological Operations Battalion (Airborne) in Fort Liberty (previously Fort Bragg), NC. LTC Wroblewski holds a Master of Arts in Medieval and Modern History, Constitutional, Social and Economic History as well as Modern English Language and Literature from the University of Bonn, Germany. In 2016 he graduated from the PhD program at the University of Bonn in History after an extensive research project with the German Foreign Ministry. Before his career as an active duty officer, LTC Dr. Wroblewski had several years of experience as a private school teacher and public relations consultant. His military awards and decorations include the German and Lithuanian Deployment Medal, the German PSYOP Badge in bronze as well as other medals and awards. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on December 22, 2023 at The University of Texas at Austin. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Assistant Producer/Host: Basil Fedun Supervising Producer/Host: Nicholas Pierce Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Assistant Producer: Eliza Fisher Social Media Manager: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Gloria Wang SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Beat Mekanik, Alex Productions, Dirk Dehler, Linn Friberg, Joey Hendrixx) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin....

On this episode, renowned historian John Connelly from the University of California, Berkeley, talks with us about the growth of fascism from democracy, the roots and justification narratives of anti-semitism in Germany and elsewhere, and the development of nationalism in modern history across Europe. Thanks for listening! ABOUT THE GUEST John Connelly is the Sidney Hellman Ehrman Professor of History and Director of the Institute for East European, Eurasian, and Slavic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his BSFS from Georgetown University, an MA (in Russian and East European Studies) from the University of Michigan, and a Phd from Harvard University. His scholarship focuses on the history of East and Central Europe, with special concern for problems of religious and ethnic identity in multinational space. He has published Captive University: The Sovietization of East German, Czech and Polish Higher Education (Chapel Hill, 2000),From Enemy to Brother: The Revolution in Catholic Teaching on the Jews (Harvard UP, 2012), and From Peoples Into Nations: A History of Eastern Europe (Princeton, 2020), and is at work on a history of democracy in Europe, 1076-present.. https://history.berkeley.edu/john-connelly PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on December 1, 2023 at the 2023 ASEEES Convention at the Philadelphia marriott Downtown. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Host/Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Host/Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Assistant Producer: Eliza Fisher Social Media Manager: Faith VanVleet Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Beat Mekanik, Kevin Bryce, Makaih Beats, Ketsa, Broke for Free) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: John Connelly.

On this episode, poitical scientist Serhiy Kudelia of Baylor University speaks with us about multiple topics on Ukraine from the prospects for Ukraine in the long-term, depending on continued western support, to the political effects of the war on Ukrainian leadership. Dr. Kudelia discusses the likelihood of Ukraine gaining any security guarantees from the West and under what conditions Putin might deploy strategic nuclear weapons or perhaps advance his military campaign beyond Ukraine. Thanks for listening! ABOUT THE GUEST SERHIY KUDELIA is associate professor of political science at Baylor University. His research and teaching deal with the study of political regimes, revolutions, armed conflicts and political violence. His primary research focus is Ukraine and his articles appeared in numerous academic journals including Comparative Politics, Journal of Democracy, Current History, Post-Soviet Affairs, Problems of Post-Communism, East European Politics and Societies, Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics, Communist and Post-Communist Studies, Demokratizatsiya, Russia in Global Affairs and in several edited volumes. His book "The Strategy of Campaigning: Lessons from Ronald Reagan and Boris Yeltsin" co-authored with Kiron Skinner, Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Condoleezza Rice was published by the University of Michigan Press in 2007. Based on his extensive expertise in Ukrainian politics Dr. Kudelia has also offered commentary to a variety of news outlets including BBC, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Voice of America, Al-Jazeera, NHK, Radio China International, Open Democracy, The Moscow Times, Kyiv Post and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on December 02, 2023 during the 2023 ASEEES Convention at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Co-Host: Basil Fedun Co-Host: Faith VanVleet Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Assistant Producer: Eliza Fisher Social Media Manager: Faith VanVleet SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Nul Tiel Records, Kaleidoplasm, Broke for Free, Beat Mekanik, Joey Hendrixx) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Serhiy Kudelia.

On this episode, Francesca Lockhart, cybersecurity professor at The University of Texas at Austin, talks about her unique and prescient cybersecurity clinic that she developed on the Forty Acres after leading the Homeland Security Unit at the Texas Department of Public Safety. Francesca also discusses the role of state and local security units in protecting critical infrastructure and the importance of area studies for the national security community. Thanks for listening! ABOUT THE GUEST Francesca (Chessie) Lockhart is the Cybersecurity Clinic Program Lead at the Strauss Center for International Security and Law. Before joining the Strauss Center, she managed the Homeland Security Unit at the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division, overseeing several strategic intelligence analysis programs covering counterterrorism, counterintelligence, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure protection for the State of Texas. Previous roles at the Department of Public Safety include supervising intelligence support for region-specific criminal investigations and serving as lead analyst on the counterintelligence program. Francesca received her bachelor’s degree from UT Austin in government, where she was a Brumley Next Generation Undergraduate Scholar at the Strauss Center and an Undergraduate Fellow at the Clements Center for National Security. She also held the Lowell Lebermann Scholarship through the Forty Acres Scholars Program. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on November 9, 2023 at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, UT Austin. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Host/Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Host/Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Makaih Beats, Beat Mekanik, Alex Productions, Shaolin Dub) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Francesca Lockhart.

On this episode, Dr. Togzhan Kassenova joined Taylor and Nick for a conversation about the destructive impact of Soviet nuclear testing in Kazakhstan and the figurative fallout of the dissolution of the USSR which resulted in Russia providing security guarantees to "divorced" states in exchange for the surrender of Soviet weapons of mass destruction. Check out Dr. Kassenova's book for more about Kazakhstan's complex nuclear history under the USSR and beyond: https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=33596 Use code KASSENOVA20 to receive a 20% discount in North and South America and code CSFS22AS for all other regions of the world. Thanks for listening! ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Togzhan Kassenova is a Washington, DC-based senior fellow with the Project on International Security, Commerce, and Economic Statecraft (PISCES) at the Center for Policy Research, SUNY-Albany and a nonresident fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She is an expert on nuclear politics, WMD nonproliferation, strategic trade controls, sanctions implementation, and financial crime prevention. She currently works on issues related to proliferation financing controls, exploring ways to minimize access of proliferators to the global financial system. Kassenova holds a Ph.D. in Politics from the University of Leeds and is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS). From 2011 to 2015 Kassenova served on the UN secretary general’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on December 3, 2023 at the 2023 ASEEES Convention in Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Host/Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Host/Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Beat Mekanik, Alex Productions Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Togzhan Kassenova.

On this first episode of 2024, we reflect on the War in Ukraine and Ukraine's prospects for continued political and military support in 2024 and beyond with Carnegie Endowment's senior fellow and renowned military analyst Michael Kofman. ABOUT THE GUEST Michael Kofman is a senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he focuses on the Russian military and Eurasian security issues. Prior to joining Carnegie in 2023, he served as Director of the Russia Studies Program at the Center for Naval Analyses, where he conducted research on the capabilities, strategy, and military thought of the Russian Armed Forces. Widely recognized as one of the leading authorities on the Russian military, and the Russo-Ukrainian War, Kofman has led foundational work in the field, and is routinely cited in major publications. He also regularly advises senior government and military officials. Aside from his work at Carnegie, Kofman is also a Principal Research Scientist at CNA, an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security, and a Contributing Editor at War on the Rocks, where he hosts The Russia Contingency, a bi-weekly podcast on the Russian military and war against Ukraine. He previously served as a program manager, and research fellow, at the National Defense University. Past fellowships have included the Modern War Institute at West Point, and the Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on December 3, 2023 at the 2023 ASEEES Convention in the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Host/Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Host/Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Beat Mekanik, Jon Shuemaker, Broke for Free) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Michael Kofman.

On this episode, Eliot Borenstein returns for a fun conversation about the political and historical themes in pop culture and the abundance of Marvel, Harry Potter, LOTR, etc. fan fiction that emerged post-socialism. We hope you enjoy! ABOUT THE GUEST Eliot Borenstein is Professor of Russian & Slavic Studies at New York University. His most recent books include Plots against Russia: Conspiracy and Fantasy after Socialism (winner of the 2020 Wayne S. Vucinich brook prize and the 2020 AATSEEL book prize), and Marvel Comics in the 1970s: The World Inside Your Head (2023). PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on December 01, 2023 at the 2023 ASEEES Convention in Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Host/Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Host/Assistant Producer: Eliza Fisher Assistant EP/Host: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Alex-Productions, Holizna, Beat Mekanik) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Eliot Borenstein.

On this episode, cyber expert Gavin Wilde joined us to talk all things cyberwarfare. He defined the term and its distinction from information warfare; shared the reasons why he believes studying Russia is important for this complex, actively developing, and hard-to-measure battlefront; and touched on the differences between the US and Russian military cyber and information operations and structures. Follow Gavin on Twitter/X @gavinbwilde. Thanks for listening! PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on December 2, 2023 during the ASEEES Convention at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. Join us in Austin, TX for the 2024 #Connexions Conference, March 18-20, 2024, where we will be focusing on information warfare, cybersecurity, and extremism online. For more information visit https://connexions.ai. ABOUT THE GUEST Gavin Wilde is a senior fellow in the Technology and International Affairs Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he applies his expertise on Russia and information warfare to examine the strategic challenges posed by cyber and influence operations, propaganda, and emerging technologies. Prior to joining Carnegie, Wilde served on the National Security Council as director for Russia, Baltic, and Caucasus affairs. In addition to managing country-specific portfolios, he focused on formulating and coordinating foreign malign influence, election security, and cyber policies. Wilde also served in senior analyst and leadership roles at the National Security Agency for over a decade, after several years as a linguist for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The insights he generated for counterintelligence, policymaking, and warfighting consumers included co-authorship of the Intelligence Community assessment of Russian activities targeting the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Wilde is a nonresident fellow at Defense Priorities and an adjunct professor at the Alperovitch Institute for Cybersecurity Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. He previously assessed geopolitical risk for multinational corporations as a managing consultant at Krebs Stamos Group, a cybersecurity advisory. His commentary has been featured in War on the Rocks, Lawfare, Just Security, Barron’s, New Lines Magazine, and elsewhere. Wilde holds a BA in Russian Studies from the University of Utah and graduated with distinction from the National War College with an MS in National Security Strategy. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Host/Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp (@mashamashenka ) Host/Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Alex Productions, Broke for Free, Joey Hendrixx, Cruxorium) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Gavin Wilde.

In this episode, Bartek Gajos discusses his in-depth research into memory politics during the Soviet period and today, specifically the weaponization of history by the Russian regime, the past's influence on present actions taken by great powers, NATO expansion and EU enlargement, the "armageddon option" taken by Western G7 leaders at Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the questions surrounding Polish-Ukrainian relations. Bartek appropriately quotes Nietzsche: "... the past must be forgotten if it is not to become the gravedigger of the present." Thanks for listening! PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on December 1, 2023 at the ASEEES 2023 convention in the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown hotel. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Host/Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Host/Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Alex Productions, OKAM, Dirk Dahler, KAZKA) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Bartłomiej Gajos.

On this episode, Taylor and Misha speak with Mikhail Rubin, journalist and co-founder of Proekt Media, the lead investigative media outlet in Russia. Thanks for listening! ABOUT THE GUEST Mikhail Rubin has covered Russian policy processes for nearly 13 years. During this period, he has had the opportunity to work as a Kremlin pool reporter for the popular print and web-media outlets Izvestia and RBC. He has also worked as a TV-journalist with Rain (Dozhd), hosting a program about the underbelly of Russian politics. Now, he finds himself at what he believes to be the most interesting Russian investigative media outlet – The Project. Follow Proekt Media on social media and subscribe to their website: https://www.proekt.media/en/home/. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on November 30, 2023 at the 2023 ASEEES Convention in Philadelphia, at the Marriott Hotel. Thank you to ASEEES for welcoming us! If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Assistant EP/Host: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Assistant Producer/Host: Taylor Helmcamp Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Makaih Beats, Ketsa, Holizna, AlexProductions, Metre) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Mikhail Rubin.

In this episode, Nick and Eliza talk with widely respected historian and sociologist Marlène Laruelle about the concept of illiberalism and its spread across Europe. Dr. Laruelle explains how she frames the relatively new term as a cluster of ideologies that is challenging liberalism in its various forms, mostly based around two key arguments: (1) the need for sovereignty, and (2) the idea that traditional hierarchy must be reinforced and protected. She also talks about Russia's rebranding of itself as an anti-colonial power in order to appeal to the Global South which she holds has been a successful and efficient tactic that resonates with nations opposed to European and Western overreach. Thanks for listening! ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Marlène Laruelle is the Director of the Illiberalism Studies Program and former Director of the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at George Washington University. She works on the rise of populist and illiberal movements in post-Soviet Eurasia, Europe and the US. Trained in political philosophy, she explores how nationalism and conservative values are becoming mainstream in different cultural contexts. She focuses on Russia's ideological landscape and its outreach abroad. She has been also working on Central Asia's nationhood and regional environment, as well as on Russia's Arctic policy. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on November 3, 2023 via Zoom. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Hosts: Eliza Fisher, Nicholas Pierce Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by King Elizaebeth, Makaih Beats, Juanitos, Eaters, Holizna, Ketsa) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Marlène Laruelle.

On this episode, Adam Klein, director of the Strauss Center for International Security & Law, shares his insights on the concerns around security versus freedom of speech; his work covering the confluence of law, surveillance, and emerging technologies; and his unique perspectives on global affairs. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on November 6, 2023 at the LBJ School for Public Affairs, UT Austin. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Host/Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Sneaky Club, Shaolin Dub, Alex-Productions) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Adam Klein.

On this episode, Dr. Michael Dennis, a leading expert on the Chechen Republic, tells the multifaceted story of the Chechen fight for independence, including the consequences of the Chechen Wars, the rise of the Kadyrov family, lessons learned by the Russian Army, impacts on the Putin regime's decision-making in crises, and Chechnya's role in Ukraine. Dr. Dennis also talks about the future of the North Caucasus and the different actors' stakes in this fraught region. Thanks for listening! This event was part of the #Connexions Experts speaker series which is dedicated to spreading nuanced knowledge about conflict areas in the greater Eurasian region. The Experts series is in lead up to the #Connexions 2024 conference which will take place from March 18-20 at The University of Texas at Austin. Watch the event here: https://www.youtube.com/live/w6Fh76DnmdI?si=MC6lu6CRY-15RWTk ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Michael Dennis is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and a leading expert on Chechnya, the North Caucasus insurgency, and the Russo-Chechen Wars. In addition to over twenty years of research in the region, Dr. Dennis spent over five years living with Chechen rebels and refugees in the Pankisi Gorge along the Chechen border with the Republic of Georgia, and displaced Chechen communities in Azerbaijan, Belgium, Poland, and Turkey, exploring the conditions under which displaced populations attitudinally support political violence. His post-doctoral research focused on Chechen attitudes towards foreign fighters in Ukraine and Syria. During the Second Russo-Chechen War (1999 to 2009), he served as a volunteer aid-worker the International Rescue Committee (IRC) tasked with leading a team to help re-build water, sanitation, and education infrastructure in war-torn Chechnya and provide subsistence support to tens of thousands of Chechen refugees living in the neighboring republic of Ingushetia. From 2004 to 2011, he co-directed the Chechnya Advocacy Network, an international humanitarian non-government organization created to improve human rights and security in Chechnya, provide legal and asylum procedure assistance for Chechen refugees, conduct research on issues related to the Russo-Chechen Wars, and raise awareness and funds to improve infrastructure, physical and psychological rehabilitation, and education in the Republic of Chechnya. Dr. Dennis’s research has been published in Security Studies and referenced in Foreign Affairs, and he recently completed an academic book manuscript based on his decades-long work with Chechen refugees. He holds a Ph.D. in Government from The University of Texas at Austin, an M.A. in Political Science from Miami University (Ohio), and studied at Novgorod State University in Russia, and the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He is a former Fulbright Scholar and speaks Chechen and Russian. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on November 3, 2023 at The University of Texas at Austin. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Host/Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by AKMV, Ketsa, Mindseye, Shaolin Dub) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no...

On this episode, Dr. Michael Dennis, a leading expert on the Chechen Republic, tells the multifaceted story of the Chechen fight for independence, including the consequences of the Chechen Wars, the rise of the Kadyrov family, lessons learned by the Russian Army, impacts on the Putin regime's decision-making in crises, and Chechnya's role in Ukraine. Dr. Dennis also talks about the future of the North Caucasus and the different actors' stakes in this fraught region. Thanks for listening! This event was part of the #Connexions Experts speaker series which is dedicated to spreading nuanced knowledge about conflict areas in the greater Eurasian region. The Experts series is in lead up to the #Connexions 2024 conference which will take place from March 18-20 at The University of Texas at Austin. Watch the event here: https://www.youtube.com/live/w6Fh76DnmdI?si=MC6lu6CRY-15RWTk ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Michael Dennis is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and a leading expert on Chechnya, the North Caucasus insurgency, and the Russo-Chechen Wars. In addition to over twenty years of research in the region, Dr. Dennis spent over five years living with Chechen rebels and refugees in the Pankisi Gorge along the Chechen border with the Republic of Georgia, and displaced Chechen communities in Azerbaijan, Belgium, Poland, and Turkey, exploring the conditions under which displaced populations attitudinally support political violence. His post-doctoral research focused on Chechen attitudes towards foreign fighters in Ukraine and Syria. During the Second Russo-Chechen War (1999 to 2009), he served as a volunteer aid-worker the International Rescue Committee (IRC) tasked with leading a team to help re-build water, sanitation, and education infrastructure in war-torn Chechnya and provide subsistence support to tens of thousands of Chechen refugees living in the neighboring republic of Ingushetia. From 2004 to 2011, he co-directed the Chechnya Advocacy Network, an international humanitarian non-government organization created to improve human rights and security in Chechnya, provide legal and asylum procedure assistance for Chechen refugees, conduct research on issues related to the Russo-Chechen Wars, and raise awareness and funds to improve infrastructure, physical and psychological rehabilitation, and education in the Republic of Chechnya. Dr. Dennis’s research has been published in Security Studies and referenced in Foreign Affairs, and he recently completed an academic book manuscript based on his decades-long work with Chechen refugees. He holds a Ph.D. in Government from The University of Texas at Austin, an M.A. in Political Science from Miami University (Ohio), and studied at Novgorod State University in Russia, and the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He is a former Fulbright Scholar and speaks Chechen and Russian. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on November 3, 2023 at The University of Texas at Austin. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Host/Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by AKMV, Ketsa, Mindseye, Shaolin Dub) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no...

On this episode, we talk with Financial Times' Moscow bureau chief Max Seddon who speaks about his personal path to journalism in Putin's Russia, the state of the country's economic system, the political ineffectiveness of Russian oligarchs, and much more. Thanks for listening! ABOUT THE GUEST Max Seddon has been the FT's Moscow bureau chief since 2021 and leads coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He was previously a correspondent in the Moscow bureau, where he wrote about the tug-of-war over money and power between the Kremlin, Russian oligarchs, and state companies, as well as topics from the Orthodox Church to football. Before that, he covered Russia and Ukraine for BuzzFeed News and the Associated Press. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on October 24, 2023 via Zoom. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! PRODUCTION CREDITS Assistant EP/Host: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher Recording, Editing, and Sound Design: Michelle Daniel Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce SlavX Editorial Director: Sam Parrish Main Theme by Charlie Harper (charlieharpermusic.com) and additional background music by kaleidoplasm, Holizna, Crowander, Blue Dot Sessions, Ketsa, Eazy) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Max Seddon.

On this episode, Slovakian politician and academic Martin Klus talks with us during a trip to Texas about the state of the Slovak Republic following the recent elections favoring a more Moscow-friendly government. Slovakia's move towards the pro-Russia camp in which Victor Orban's Hungary sits will make things difficult for its eastern neighbor Ukraine and easier for Putin in the European space. Per statistics that Dr. Klus cited as a fellow at the Bratislava-based think tank GLOBSEC, 55% of Slovakians believe that the war in Ukraine was started by an actor other than Russia, which is a direct effect of Russian propaganda through social media platforms, in particular TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The European Commission introduced the Digital Service Act which Dr. Klus hopes will help to mitigate the negative effects of free speech for trolls and hate speech-propagating bots. Thanks for listening! Related episodes: "Milan Rastislav Štefánik: The Slovak National Hero and Co-Founder of Czechoslovakia" https://www.slavxradio.com/stefanik ABOUT THE GUEST Martin Klus is a Slovak political scientist and theorist. Prior to entering Slovak politics and since leaving office recently, he worked as university lecturer and political analyst, providing political analyses and commentaries for renowned domestic and foreign media. Dr. Klus holds a PhD in Theory of Politics and an MBA. He entered communal politics in Banská Bystrica in 2014. Between the years 2016 and 2020 he was a Member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, Vice Chairman of the NCSR EU Affairs Committee and member of the NCSR Foreign Affairs Committee, even the NCSR Deputy Speaker during last six months of his tenure. He held the position of Vice Chairman of the NATO PA Subcommittee on NATO Partnership, as the first Slovak appointee in such position. In March 2020, he served as the State Secretary for EU affairs at the Slovak MFEA as both the GAC minister and the Sherpa to the Prime Minister. Besides EU Affairs, his contemporary agenda and research consists of Disinformation and Hybrid Threats, Human Rights, Crisis Management and Consular Affairs. He is now returning to academia, to resume his post as associate professor at the Higher School of Economics and Management in Bratislava, Slovakia. PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on October 19, 2023 in Austin, Texas. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavxradio@utexas.edu and we will be in touch! CREDITS Host/Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig (@cullanwithana) Host/Supervising Producer: Nicholas Pierce Assistant EP: Misha Simanovskyy (@MSimanovskyy) Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar Assistant Producer: Taylor Helmcamp Production Assistant: Faith VanVleet Production Assistant: Eliza Fisher Recording, Editing, and Sound Design: Michelle Daniel Music Producer: Charlie Harper (@charlieharpermusic) - Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Eme Hache, Joey Hendrixx. Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (@MSDaniel) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Martin Klus.