History
The Wilson Center and History
Illuminating the Kazakh Nomadic Culture: American Travelers (1870-1920)
May 28, 2013 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm
Kazakhstan is rich in natural resources and ancient, unique cultures that have long attracted attention of Western travelers. Early American travelers made significant contributions in preserving Kazakhstan’s history as witnesses to its nomadic culture and through their photographs, drawings, and diaries. Saule Satayeva includes Kennan Institute namesake George Kennan who, together with American painter George Frost, wrote evocative essays and created numerous drawings and photographs. more
Communism on Tomorrow Street: Mass Housing and Everyday Life after Stalin
May 20, 2013 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm
This book examines how, beginning under Khrushchev in 1953, a generation of Soviet citizens moved from the overcrowded communal dwellings of the Stalin era to modern single-family apartments, later dubbed khrushchevka. Arguing that moving to a separate apartment allowed ordinary urban dwellers to experience Khrushchev’s thaw, Steven E. Harris fundamentally shifts interpretation of the thaw, conventionally understood as an elite phenomenon. more
Rediscovering the Umma
May 10, 2013Ina Merdjanova, former Southeast Europe policy scholar, releases her latest monograph Rediscovering the Umma. Merdjanova adopts a historical perspective in exploring the transforming Muslim identities on the Balkans in a political environment influenced by domestic, as well as international factors. Merdjanova examines the changing and evolving role of women both in the public and private spheres in Muslim communities throughout Southeast Europe,and challenges preconceived notions of Islam.
Fall 2013 CWIHP Internship Opportunities
May 08, 2013The Wilson Center's Cold War International History Project (CWIHP) is currently accepting internship applications for the Fall 2013 academic semester.
The Logic and Limits of Political Reform in China
May 07, 2013In the 1990s China embarked on a series of political reforms intended to increase, however modestly, political participation to reduce the abuse of power by local officials. Although there was initial progress, these reforms have largely stalled and, in many cases, gone backward. If there were sufficient incentives to inaugurate reform, why wasn't there enough momentum to continue and deepen them? This book approaches this question by looking at a number of promising reforms, understanding the incentives of officials at different levels, and the way the Chinese Communist Party operates at the local level. The short answer is that the sort of reforms necessary to make local officials more responsible to the citizens they govern cut too deeply into the organizational structure of the party.
East European Studies Short-term Research Scholarships
May 02, 2013The Wilson Center's European Studies Program is now accepting applications for the EES Short-term Grant competition, which is open to academic experts and practitioners, including advanced graduate students, engaged in specialized research requiring access to Washington, DC and its research institutions. Grants are for one month and include residence at the Wilson Center. Candidates must be U.S. citizens, in order to be considered eligible for this grant opportunity. The deadline for this grant cycle is: June 1, 2013.
Illuminating the Kazakh Nomadic Culture: American Travelers (1870-1920)
May 28, 2013 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm
Kazakhstan is rich in natural resources and ancient, unique cultures that have long attracted attention of Western travelers. Early American travelers made significant contributions in preserving Kazakhstan’s history as witnesses to its nomadic culture and through their photographs, drawings, and diaries. Saule Satayeva includes Kennan Institute namesake George Kennan who, together with American painter George Frost, wrote evocative essays and created numerous drawings and photographs.
Communism on Tomorrow Street: Mass Housing and Everyday Life after Stalin
May 20, 2013 // 12:00pm — 1:00pm
This book examines how, beginning under Khrushchev in 1953, a generation of Soviet citizens moved from the overcrowded communal dwellings of the Stalin era to modern single-family apartments, later dubbed khrushchevka. Arguing that moving to a separate apartment allowed ordinary urban dwellers to experience Khrushchev’s thaw, Steven E. Harris fundamentally shifts interpretation of the thaw, conventionally understood as an elite phenomenon.
Cultural Impact of Isadora Duncan in the USA and Russia: Past and Present Studies
June 21, 2013 // 10:00am — 11:00am
This presentation will show the evolution of Duncan studies in the United States and Russia during the last century and reveal political factors which impeded the research of this outstanding personality and her work.
e-Dossier No. 39 - Poland and Romania: The Loyal Republic and the Maverick
CWIHP is pleased to announce the release of fourteen new documents translated into English for the first time. Adam Burakowski introduces this collection drawn from the Archives of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs focused on Poland's troubled relations with Romania. The documents show that interactions within the Soviet Bloc were much more complicated than many analysts have assumed.
Monuments and Memorials: Meaning and Mania
Charles Tampio provides insight into the meaning and stories behind the great landmarks in Washington D.C. Laura Deal introduces the new Cold War Digital Archive website.
A. Ross Johnson
Research Fellow, Hoover Institution; Adviser to the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Project, Hoover Archives; former Director, Radio Free Europe
A. Ross Johnson is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, adviser to the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) Archive Project at Hoover, and senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.Johnson was a senior executive of RFE/RL from 1988 to 2002, serving as d...