CREES NEWSLETTER the Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies

SPRING 2020 THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

CREES NEWSLETTER The Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies

TABLE OF CONTENTS ______

From the Director CREES in Action Director’s Letter Hosting Civic Educators and Leaders from Georgia U.S. Russia Foundation Grant First Annual World Languages Fair Pages 2-3 Welcome to New REES M.A. Student Meet our Rising Stars and New Faculty Affiliate Fulbright Scholar Alexander Zhidchenko Pages 10-13 Laura Searcy, Fulbright ETA in Uzbekistan Pages 4-7 Our Community Faculty News and Updates In Memoriam Student and Alumni News BG John Reppert Become a CREES Donor Kenneth L. Smock Pages 14-16 Pages 8-9 CREES Team From the Director... It is my pleasure to wel- Director Vitaly Chernetsky come you back to a new Spring semester! We begin Assistant Director this new year with excit- Justyna Beinek ing news to share! CREES has won a prestigious grant Outreach Coordinator (nearly $100,000) for 2020 Lisa Giullian from the U.S. Russia Foun- dation, which will fund Office Manager many beneficial initiatives, Amanda Hill strengthen Russian Stud- ies at KU, and enhance and Applications Committee broaden our K-12 outreach and programming. (University of Northern Col- Peter Bobkowski Journalism and Mass Communications As part of the grant, CREES orado) based on his recent will offer four paid FMSO/ book, Map Men: Transnation- Mehrangiz Najafizadeh CREES Security Analyst in- al Lives and Deaths of Geog- Sociology ternships to students. We’ll raphers in the Making of East work collaboratively with oth- Central Europe. As part of the Executive Committee er Area Studies Centers to of- Palij lecture series, the New 2019-2020 fer an interdisciplinary series York-based award-winning of events connected by the Ukrainian writer Vasyl Makh- Chair theme of legacies of the Cold no presented his works of po- Vitaly Chernetsky War, including a scholarly etry and prose. Prof. Michael symposium. REES curricu- Gorham (University of Flori- Slavic lum will be enhanced through da) lectured on a timely topic, Ani Kokobobo new and redesigned Russia-fo- “Trolling, Power, and Politi- Renee Perelmutter cused interdisciplinary and cal Communication in Putin’s History team-taught courses. We aim Russia.” Prof. Kathleen Col- Nathan Wood to highlight the relevance of lins (University of Minnesota) Russian Studies in other disci- gave our final brownbag pre- Political Science plines and fields, develop new sentation on the rise of Islamist Robert Rohrschneider partnerships with Russian col- movements in Central Asia to leagues, and produce open-ac- a large audience. CREES also Library cess research publications and organized or co-sponsored Jon Giullian educational materials, sparking several key events with other renewed interest in Russian partners, including a reading Professional Schools Studies among students. by the widely acclaimed poet Marie-Alice L’Heureux Architecture, Design & Planning In terms of accomplishments, Ilya Kaminsky at the Law- we have much to celebrate. rence Public Library. At Large Our fall lecture series finished We wish to congratulate Alexander Diener strong, with good attendance Prof. Marc Greenberg on being Geography & Atmospheric Science for many events. We had our named Ambassador of Science first ever combined Backus/ by the Republic of Slovenia on Cienciała and Palij lecture, de- November 20, 2019. The U.S. livered by Prof. Steven Seegel embassy in Ljubljana also cited

2 CREES Wins Prestigious Grant from the U.S. Russia Foundation We begin this new year with exciting news! CREES has won a prestigious grant through the U.S. Russia Foundation ($100,000) for 2020, which will fund many beneficial initiatives, strengthen Russian Studies at KU, and enhance and broaden our K-12 outreach and programming!

Prof. Greenberg and the program and teaching interests span mod- Alexander Zhidchenko (Altai at KU for being one of the very ern and contemporary art in State University), a Fulbright few in the U.S. to teach Slovene. Africa and the Arab world, she scholar in the KU Department of We are grateful to Marc Green- also has a strong interest in the History, will give a brownbag lec- berg and Marta Pirnat-Green- Balkans. We also welcome Dr. ture titled, “Everyday Life of the berg for their dedication to build Bolesław Racięski (Jagiello- New Cities of the USSR and the Slovene studies at KU. nian University), a postdoctoral USA in the 1950s-60s.” On March We were thrilled to partic- scholar at KU’s Department of 24, Dr. Markian Dobczansky (Co- ipate in the World Languages Film and Media Studies in spring lumbia University) will deliver Fair on Oct. 19, hosted by the 2020. He will deliver a CREES a lecture titled “Sibling Rivalry: Open Language Resource Cen- brownbag lecture titled “Con- Ukraine and Russia in the Twen- ter, in collaboration with KU temporary Polish Cinema and Its tieth Century.” Area Studies Centers and KU Unexpected Rise to Prominence” CREES will also continue its International Affairs. During the on April 21. tradition of offerings highlight- event, 300 high school students We are truly honored to hear from ing film and other media from the explored world languages and Jarosław “Jarek” Piekałkiewicz, region we study. This semester cultures and discovered how in- professor emeritus of political we’ll screen an award-winning tercultural competence can en- science at KU and a member recent Ukrainian film,Volcano hance different fields of study. of the KU CREES community (2018). As part of our Palij Lec- CREES was honored to host since 1963, on the publication of ture series, on March 4 Stanislav an Open World Delegation of his long-awaited book about his Menzelevsky, head of the research civic educators and leaders from experience fighting the Nazis in Georgia on Sept. 6-14. During World War II Polish resistance their stay, the Georgian profes- fighter. The book presentation sionals collaborated with civic will take place on April 7. educators and leaders and ex- On January 28, please join us to changed ideas for improving celebrate the 2018 Nobel Prize civic education in schools and in Literature for the Polish prose promoting democracy and trans- writer, Olga Tokarczuk, an- parent government. nounced in fall 2019. During the We are pleased to welcome celebration, KU faculty and stu- a new graduate student, Timothy dents will read from Tokarczuk’s Skinner, a Foreign Area Officer, prose in English translation and and a new faculty affiliate of our watch clips from Tokarczuk’s center, Prof. Jessica Gerschultz, Nobel Prize award ceremony and an Islamic art specialist. While lecture from December 10, 2019 Prof. Gerschultz’s main research in Stockholm. On Feb. 4, Dr. continued on page 13...

3 Introducing Fulbright Scholar Alexander Zhidchenko

Alexander Zhidchenko visits an exhibition of everyday life in the 1950s at the Johnson County Museum in Overland Park. In October, the KU Department of History wel- Nikita Khrushchev came to power in 1953. During comed Alexander Zhidchenko, a visiting Fulbright the Khrushchev “thaw,” after 1956, Khrushchev scholar from Russia. A native of Siberia, Zhid- had more opportunities to implement his hous- chenko holds degrees from Omsk State University ing policies. He said that every family needs an and Altai State University. For the last few years, apartment. Therefore, we need mass housing. In he has been employed by the Russian Associa- the 1930s and 1940s many people lived in com- tion of Women’s History Researchers in Moscow, munal apartments, which made daily life very a professional organization of several thousand difficult. During the 1950s and 1960s, new mass scholars in the fields of history, sociology, philol- housing was built in new spaces. They also built ogy and others. Zhidchenko’s research concerns new hospitals, new shops, and laundering ser- popular culture and daily life in new planned cit- vices in these new spaces. People who worked ies in the 1950s and 1960s, comparing Soviet and at the factories, schools, or shops nearby, were American communities. He will conduct research given an apartment for free. In Omsk, where I at KU through the first half of the spring semester. was born, there was an oil refinery built in the CREES visits with him to learn more about his re- 1950s. If we look at this era, we see two styles search. of architecture. During the late Stalin era, neo- CREES: Thank you so much for meeting today. classicism influenced the architecture or building Could you please tell me about your research? styles. The new blocks of housing that were built Zhidchenko: My research project consists of in the late 1950s and later were in a constructiv- three parts. The first focuses on the everyday life ism style, which was very economical. in the 1950s in the new planned cities in the Soviet CREES: How did the economic conditions and Union. housing needs change in the 1990s?

4 Zhidchenko: Beginning around 1994-1995, Arvada, Colorado; Garden City, Ohio, which was many factories closed – actually, almost all. In built in the 1950s; Artesia, California; and Levit- smaller cities where there’s only one main fac- town, New York. For example, in Levittown homes tory, the closing of a factory meant no jobs. were mass-produced to meet the demand for af- This was very difficult if you lived near a fac- fordable family housing for veterans, who returned tory that closed. In bigger cities, when a factory home from World War II. closed, many people could find other sources of For my third question, I will compare everyday income. I studied in Novosibirsk. Near this city, life in new urban areas in the United States and there was an area set aside for scientists, inside in the U.S.S.R. I am also interested in researching a forested region. They built four-floor housing the urban space for women, including facilities for units. They built Novosobirsk State University childcare, laundry, and other services that women and in this city lived only scientists. It was called utilize. In the Soviet Union, car service space was Akademgorodok or “science city.” Now there are not a place for men to gather, as only 10% of fami- new investors, entrepreneurship, and it’s a good lies in the 1950s owned a car. This is quite different place. The university is still one of the best uni- from the U.S., where many men drove cars by the versities in Russia. 1960s. CREES: How have housing needs changed for CREES: This sounds like very interesting re- the generation living today? search! I wish you all the best in your research over Zhidchenko: It’s interesting to explore how to the coming months. change these cities for the new generation. The Zhidchenko: Thank you! I would like to express city space was originally built for those who my thanks to my mentor, Dr. Eve Levin in the KU lived in the 1950s. This generation has the inter- Department of History. She has helped me with net and interacts with others globally. How will any questions I have about histography, my re- new changes to the city space reflect the needs search, and utilizing resources at the library. She is and aspirations of the current generation? I am also close colleagues with my supervisor, Dr. Na- now beginning to research my second question, talya Pushkareva in Russia. She is the President of conducting exploratory research on new cities the Russian Association of Women’s History Re- and new urban areas of the United States. I’ve searchers in Moscow. chosen some cities: Henderson, Nevada;

Omsk Oil Town in the 1960s.

5 Pushing Boundaries in Uzbekistan: Kiddos, Boxing, and Triumphant Horse-Riding TV Moments

I had four major goals for my Fulbright English information I received prior to leaving, I had been Teaching Award experience before coming to Uz- expecting my students to be older teenagers. Af- bekistan: be a great teacher, study a local martial art, ter the initial whiplash of failed grammar lessons learn Uzbek, and participate in a ko’pkari game (an that fell on the deaf ears of hyperactive children, exclusively male sport played on horseback with a I had to readjust, tear down the walls of how to goat carcass). “academically” present information, and relearn a Surprisingly, the first goal turned out to be the very important and long-neglected skill - how to most challenging. No amount of graduate school re- be silly. With the support of an incredible staff of search presentations in Linguistic Anthropology or teachers and the director at my school, I have been even years of previous experience teaching abroad able to do more interactive activities and am cur- prepared me for the moment when a teeming group rently working with my older students on putting of bright-eyed fifth graders excitedly requested I on a (creatively altered) play of Hansel and Gre- sing them a song at my new school in Andijan, Uz- tel. It is a huge amount of DIY work, especially bekistan. To be honest, as a non-kindergarten-teach- without any major art stores, but I can’t wait to see er-type, I initially felt miles outside of my element how it turns out. Now I can’t imagine having been in my placement at a public school. Because of the placed anywhere else.

Laura Searcy spends time with her students at a Halloween class party that included mask-making and classic Halloween music.

6 Saddling up at the ko’pkari game. The Chairman awarded Laura Searcy a carpet after taking a wild ride across the ko’pkari game. As for my second goal, upon arrival I had my “Turist bilan bir kun” to shoot a TV episode heart set on learning Kurash, Uzbek wrestling, but about it. At first it appeared I wouldn’t be per- the gender/social dynamics with my male coach mitted to participate. It was clear that no one had didn’t prove that to be successful. It was truly a taken my request seriously or asked permission. blessing in disguise, because the local guy friends Although it’s an incredibly dangerous game, the I made in Andijan set me up with an elite boxing chairman reluctantly allowed it and they brought school and it was a much better fit for me. Awk- me a horse. Immediately after I got on, I felt that wardly swinging in front of professionals is a hum- this horse was not like the horses I grew up with. bling experience, but I am so honored and grateful My horse wildly took off at full speed, running for it. I have been simultaneously teaching, train- faster than any horse I’d ever been on, across the ing, and learning some Uzbek along the way. mountain valley. Finally, my ko’pkari dream became a reality on The chairman apparently decided I should November 9th, when I became the first woman per- win that game because I was a “strong girl” and mitted by the chairman of ko’pkari in Central Asia I was awarded a carpet, one of the prizes for con- to participate in a game. I went to the village Gul- testants. I may not have grabbed the goat carcass momo, outside of Tashkent, with the TV crew of for that win, but I was very proud.

7 In Memoriam of John C. Reppert: a Legacy of Service by Randy Masten

CREES Alumnus and founding member of the During his military career, General Reppert was as- KU Veterans Alumni Network Advisory Board, signed to the US Embassy in Moscow on three sep- Brigadier General John C. Reppert, US Army (Ret.), arate occasions, culminating in the position of U.S. passed away on October 11, 2019 at the age of 78. Defense Attaché in June 1991, shortly before the John was born on September 16, 1941 in Anna, Illi- failed coup of August 1991. Following the collapse nois. After graduating from high school, he attended of the Soviet Union on Christmas Day that year, Kansas State University and John and his wife, Pat, graduated with a Bache- were the first American lor’s in Journalism in 1963. diplomats from the US He remained in Manhattan Embassy to visit three of to earn his Master’s and to the newly-emerged coun- court Patricia Ann Rash. tries from the former So- The couple married and viet Union. moved to Illinois, where he John recalled, “My chal- ran the family newspaper lenge as a Soviet/Russian until being drafted into the FAO was to operate inside Army in January 1966. Fol- the mind of the senior offi- lowing Officer Candidate cials with whom I worked School and training as a Sig- in Moscow and the other nal Corps officer, Lieutenant parts of the country. When Reppert was assigned to you know their history Saigon in 1968. In Vietnam, and laws as well as they he directed communications do, they take you quite se- for General Westmoreland’s riously. When you know headquarters, the American their geography and liter- Embassy, and the largest US ature, they accept you as a Air Force base in the country. person of culture, and you earn their respect. Ulti- Following his tour of duty in Vietnam, Cap- mately, when you speak their language in a man- tain Reppert was selected for training and duties as ner that they forget they are speaking to a foreign- a Foreign Area Officer (FAO). Part of his training er, many of the normal defensive mechanisms are included two years at the University of Kansas to abandoned.” earn a Master’s in Soviet and East European Stud- After retiring from the Army, General Reppert ies. General Reppert recounted, “I had a wonderful served as the Executive Director for Research at the time in Lawrence with the Soviet & East European Belfer Center at the Kennedy School of Government Studies program. I had great professors in history, at Harvard University and twice served as the Dean international relations, geography, economics, and of the College of International and Security Studies language. The strength of the program, however, at the George C. Marshall Center in Garmisch, Ger- was its breadth and diversity.” John went on to earn many. John led a life of service to our Country and his doctorate in International Relations from the was a good friend, confidant, and mentor to those George Washington University. who had the opportunity to know him.

https://beta.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/oc_58.pdf Oxford Cup Roll No. 058, http://crees.ku.edu/sites/crees.ku.edu/files/docs/CREES%20Newsletter%20Fall%202010.pdf KU CREES Newsletter, Fall 2010

8 CREES Remembers Kenneth L. Smock by David Smock

Kenneth Leroy Smock, longtime analyst with the Cen- tral Intelligence Agency, passed away in Fairfax, VA, on No- vember 21, 2019, at the age of 77. Ken was born September 23, 1942, in Manhattan, KS. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, KS, in 1965 before marrying his beloved wife, Jan (Menhusen) on June 5, 1966. They made their first home at the University of Kansas, where Ken attained a Master of Arts in Slavic and Soviet Studies in 1974 after serving honorably in the Army in Vietnam and Germany for three years. Ken and Jan then moved to Manassas, VA, in 1976 where he lived for the next 40 years. Ken began his professional career as an analyst with the Central Intelligence Agency in 1974. Over the next 31 years, Ken worked in various leadership positions, bringing his tireless dedication, expertise, and depth of knowledge on Central Europe and the Balkans to countless important events of the day as well as in mentoring many junior an- alysts. He helped formulate and implement Presidential policy on improving US-Soviet defense relations as well as Mr. Smock is preceded in death by his the subsequent transition of East European countries from wife, parents, and brother Edward. Sur- communism toward democratic, pluralistic, and free-market vivors include two sons, Robert (Sarah) systems. Later, Ken provided on-the-ground intelligence and David (Lisa); grandchildren, Cora, support and led an interagency team involved in developing Lydia, and Thomas; and brother Keith and implementing the peace agreement for the Bosnian War. (Lyn). Outside of work, Ken’s greatest passion was his family. Ken was a man of singular intelli- Family road trips to visit relatives and explore new landmarks gence, integrity, and warmth who will be became an annual and cherished tradition. After retirement, dearly missed by his family and friends. Ken enjoyed traveling across the country with his wife as she Memorial contributions may be given conducted genealogical research. He was a voracious reader to the Lewy Body Dementia Associa- as well as an avid supporter of the DC area sports teams and tion or to the Center for Russian, East his beloved Kansas Jayhawks. His warm laugh, witty puns, European & Eurasian Studies at the and gentle nature will live on in all who knew him. University of Kansas.

9 CREES Hosts Civic Educators and Leaders from Georgia The Open World Leadership Center, an agency Other activities included enriching discussions of the U.S. Congress, sent a delegation of Geor- with Mark Skoglund, Director of the Kansas Gov- gian civic educators and leaders to Lawrence ernmental Ethics Commission; Lisa Larsen, May- from September 6-14, 2019 to collaborate on or of Lawrence; Ron Keefover, President of the best practices for improving civic education in Sunshine Coalition; Dr. Joseph O’Brien, School Georgia. of Education (specialist in middle and secondary The Center for Russian, East European and social studies education); and Dr. Barbara Bal- Eurasian Studies (CREES) successfully host- lard, Senior Associate Director at the Dole Insti- ed the delegation - its first delegation from the tute of Politics. Caucasus. Prior to their arrival in Lawrence, the The delegates gained practical professional participants completed an orientation in Wash- knowledge to take back to Georgia. They were ington, D.C. Delegates had policy meetings with particularly pleased to visit three schools in Law- Members of Congress including meeting with rence - Schwegler Elementary School, Billy Mills staff from the office of Representative Sharice Middle School, and Free State High School for Davids (KS-3). classroom observations, tours, and meetings with During their week-long stay, the Georgian students and school administrators. professionals traveled to Lawrence, Kansas City Another crucial part of their program includ- and Topeka to collaborate with civic educators ed their stay in the homes of local residents who and leaders, visit schools, and meet with local served as hospitality hosts. Those who interacted leaders and representatives of government. The with the delegates were impressed by their dedica- delegates exchanged ideas for improving civic tion to their work and country. education in schools, and promoting democracy Each of these delegates is engaged in amazing and transparent government. work to strengthen civic education in schools and Delegates met with State Senator Marci Fran- build democracy in Georgia. It was such a plea- cisco, former State Senator Chris Steineger, and sure to meet each of these professionals and learn with staff from the office of Governor Laura Kel- about their meaningful work,” said Lisa Giullian, ly and Representative Sharice Davids (KS-3). Outreach Coordinator at CREES.

The Georgian delegates met with Don Gifford, Coordinator of Civic Engagement for the Kansas Department of Education. Featured left to right: Vladimer Apkhazava, Don Gifford, Sofiko Lobzhanidze, Revaz Apkhazava, Marina Ushveridze, Tamar Pruidze, and Shalva Mekravishvili.

10 The delegates observed Dr. Joe O’Brien’s C & T 541 course and enjoyed discussion with students in the KU School of Education. Dr. Joe O’Brien is an Associate Professor in middle/secondary social studies.

Vladimir Apkhazava, one of the delegates, is Sofiko Lobzhanidze, Professor of Educational an award-winning teacher, who started a “Demo- Sciences, Tbilisi Ilia State University; Tamar Pru- cratic Revolution” project at his school. Students idze, Manager of Regional NGO Network, Mo- were awarded points for volunteering, resolving mavlis Taoba/Future Generation Program, Project problems at school or in their community, or for Harmony International; and the delegation’s fa- their work to inform their local government about cilitator Marina Ushveridze, Chief of Party, Mo- critical issues. mavlis Taoba/Future Generation Program, Project As a result of the program, students improved Harmony International. the availability of safe drinking water at school, More than 27,000 current and future leaders trash bins were placed throughout the village, from Russia, Ukraine, and others in the Balkans, a new much-needed pedestrian road was built, Caucuses, Central Asia and Eastern Europe have bridges were repaired, and the village infrastruc- participated in the Open World program. Open ture was improved. Irrigation channels were also World supports legislative diplomacy efforts for cleaned which resulted in a better harvest. These Members of Congress by conducting exchanges results instill faith in the young generation that that establish lasting professional relationships their efforts matter. between emerging leaders and their U.S. coun- Delegates included Vladimir Apkhazava, an terparts. Program participants are provided with award-winning Civic Education Teacher; Shalva extensive exposure to American politics, account- Mekravishvili, Developer of Civics Curriculum able governance, and citizen diplomacy, while be- for all schools in Georgia; Revaz Apkhazava, Pol- ing home hosted by American families. To learn icy Advocacy Officer and Executive Board Mem- more about Open World, please visit www.open- ber for the nonprofit Education for All – Georgia; world.gov.

11 First Annual World Languages Fair at KU Draws Hundreds of Students to Explore Foreign Languages and Cultures

CREES was pleased to participate in KU’s first annual World Languag- es Fair, organized and hosted by the KU Open Language Resource Cen- ter, in collaboration with KU’s Area Studies Centers, KU International Affairs, and in partnership with the Kansas World Language Associa- tion, the Foreign Language Associ- ation of Missouri, and the Kansas Department of Education. On Octo- ber 19, 2019 nearly 300 middle- and high-school students took mini-lessons in a variety of languages, attended presentations on world cultures, and learned how intercultural Professor Oleksandra Wallo teaches students some basic language and competence can enhance different culture skills in the Ukrainian language. fields of study. The world region covered by CREES was well represented, offering mini-lessons and presentations on the languages and cultures of Croatia, Czechia, Poland, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine. Presentations were given by faculty from the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Johnson County Community College, Bene- dictine College, Pittsburg State Uni- versity and Fort Hays State Univer- sity. Teachers from all over Kansas also attended the day-long event with their students, where they could peruse information on language-re- Lisa Giullian, CREES Outreach Coordinator, teaches some everyday lated scholarships, study abroad phrases and the numbers in the Czech language. opportunities and internationally- Student participants were selected in May 2019, after submitting focused student organizations. an application to attend earlier in the spring. Those interested in attending next year’s World Language Fair 2020 can look for upcom- ing application information this spring at https://olrc.ku.edu.

12 CREES Welcomes New MA Student Timothy Skinner and Faculty Affiliate Professor Jessica Gerschultz Jessica Gerschultz is an Associate Professor in the My name is Timothy Skinner (Tim) and I Department of African am 31 years old and a native of Indiana. I met and African-American my wife of three years, Natasha, in high school Studies. She received her and we currently live on Fort Leavenworth. I PhD in Art History from graduated from West Point in 2011 and am a Emory University in 2012. Captain in the United States Army. I am pursu- Professor Gerschultz’s re- ing a masters in Russian and Eastern European search and teaching inter- Studies because I have always held a keen interests span modern art (with est in the region, its people, and its history and an emphasis on tapestry believe that it will continue to be an area of spe- and fiber art), gender and cial significance to world events. Before com- materiality, and feminist art history and methodolo- ing to Fort Leavenworth I lived in Manhattan gies. She was an American Council of Learned Soci- KS, Columbus GA, and El Paso TX. My wife eties Fellow in 2016 for the writing of her first book and I enjoy traveling and exploring new places, Decorative Arts of the Tunisian École: Fabrications of working on crafts together, and taking our dog, Modernism, Gender, and Power (Pennsylvania State Nyxie, wherever we can. University Press, 2019). She was a 2018 Hans-Robert Roemer Fellow at the Orient-Institut Beirut, a German his own right. center of the Max Weber Foundation, for research for For another Palij Lecture, we welcome back her second book Fiber Art Constellations. She is par- Oleksandr Mykhed, the writer and scholar from ticularly interested in tracing artistic exchanges across Kyiv who was a CEC ArtsLink writer-in-residence the Arab world, Africa, and former Soviet-bloc coun- at KU in 2015; on March 16 he will lecture on the tries to write a feminist history of modern tapestry. TV show Servant of the People that ultimately gave Professor Gerschultz’s recent publications take a us President Zelensky. In cooperation with several comparative approach that includes artists from East- other partners on campus, we are bringing to KU ern Europe. Her article in the journal ARTMargins Prof. Harlow Robinson (Northeastern University) (2016) argued for a critical approach to the study of with a talk based on his newly published biography New Tapestry and examined the work of Safia Far- of Lewis Milestone, a prominent Hollywood direc- hat, Magdalena Abakanowicz, and Jagoda Buic. She tor who came to the US at the age of seventeen authored an essay for the Institute of the Present, a as a Jewish immigrant from the Russian Empire. Bucharest-based research platform, analyzing the col- We are also honored to support Jewish Studies in laborative tapestries of Jolanta Owidzka and Georgette bringing to KU Prof. David Shneer (University of Saliba in the early 1970s (in press). She looks forward Colorado) to speak on Jan. 30 on the representation to strengthening her knowledge base through participa- of the Holocaust in wartime Soviet photographs. tion in CREES events. These are just some of the highlights of the exciting semester ahead of us. We are very fortunate Director’s Letter Continued... to have amazing staff and faculty who are dedicat- department at the Dovzhenko Center, Ukraine’s na- ed to developing and sharing knowledge about the tional film archive, and currently a Fulbright fellow at region we study. May our future scholarly accom- Berkeley, will give a talk about filmmaking in Ukraine plishments and efforts make a positive difference in the 1920s and introduce a screening of In Spring in the world! Thank you so much, as always, for (1929), a recently restored film by Mikhail Kaufman, your continuing support of CREES and its mission. brother of Dziga Vertov and a fascinating director in

13 Faculty News and Updates

Peter Bobkowski (School of Journalism) gave a At the latter, he co-curated the visual art exhibi- presentation at the conference of the Polish Com- tion accompanying it. He is looking forward to munication Association (PCA). This year, the 5th a busy spring 2020, including a conference he is Congress of the PCA was Sept. 19-21 at the Uni- co-organizing with Prof. Edyta Bojanowska at versity of Warsaw. The conference theme was “Me- Yale University, The Other Europe: Changes and dia and Power.” Bobkowski’s paper, “Credibility Challenges since 1989. as a Threshold Concept for Assessing and Teach- ing Journalism and Professional Communication Alexander Diener (Geography) had several no- Students,” focused on his research around J302’s table articles published including “The Varied development and implementation. Bobkowski also Geographies of Historical Citizenships” (Global represented the KU School of Journalism’s Ph.D. Citizenship Review 3-4th Quarter in press 2019) program to master’s students and graduate advisors pp. 28-35; with Batbuyan Batjav “Axial Develop- attending the conference. ment in Mongolia: Intended and Unintended Ef- fects of New Roads” (Mobilities v.14 n.6, 2019) Vitaly Chernetsky’s (Slavic Languages and Litera- pp. 778-794; and with Yerken Turganbayev “Ka- tures) article “Sofiia Andrukhovych’sFelix Austria: zakhstan’s Evolving Regional Economic Policy: The Postcolonial Neo-Gothic and Ukraine’s Search Assessing Strategies of Post-Socialist Economic for Itself” came out in Canadian Slavonic Papers. Development” (Eurasian Geography and Eco- Earlier he helped the producers of the film adapta- nomics v.59 n. 5-6, 2018) pp. 657-684. His edited tion of this novel by translating the script into En- volume chapter was published, “Border Control glish as they sought international collaboration. The as a Technology of Social Control” with Joshua film, titledViddana (Devoted), was released wide- Hagen in Deflem, Mathieu, ed.The Handbook of ly and successfully in Ukraine in January 2020. In Social Control (Malden, MA: Wiley Blackwell, September, he gave guest lectures in Edmonton, 2019) pp. 403-415. Canada at MacEwan University and at the Canadi- an Institute of Ukrainian Studies. In November, he Alumni & Student News presented on the cinematic repre- Gwyn Bourlakov (History PhD 2019) started sentation of the her new position as Wing Historian at the 301st Donbas conflict Fighter Wing (AFRC) at the Naval Air Station/ at the conference Joint Reserve Base (NAS/JRB) in Fort Worth. Five Years of War in the Donbas: Jennifer Byrne (REES) received a CREES/ Cultural Respons- FMSO Internship for Spring 2020. es and Reverber- ations at Colum- Ekaterina Chelpanova (Slavic Languages and bia University, Literatures) was awarded a graduate student and participated travel grant from the Hall Center to carry out in the American archival dissertation research. Literary Transla- tors Association convention, the ASEEES convention, and in the Greenwich Eco- nomic Forum.

14 Professor Marc Greenberg was named a 2019 Ambassador of Science by the Slovene Ministry of Education, Science and Sport in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Marc Greenberg is featured front row, second from the right, with other award winners. Photo courtesy of Government of the Republic of Slovenia

Marc L. Greenberg (Slavic Languages and Litera- Jaroslaw Piekałkiewicz (Political Science) an- tures) was given the Ambassador of Science Award nounces his newly published book, Dance with by the Ministry of Science, Education & Sport of Death: A Holistic View of Saving Polish Jews the Republic of Slovenia on November 20, 2019. during the Holocaust (Hamilton Books, 2019). He is the first non-Slovene to earn the title, which Prof. Piekałkiewicz, professor emeritus of polit- signifies a lifetime of accomplishment in science ical science, has spent nearly two decades work- or scholarship. According to text from the award ing on Dance with Death. The book examines at- program, Prof. Greenberg wrote the first mono- tempts by Polish Christians to save Polish Jews graph on Slovene historical phonology, authored a during the brutal German WWII occupation Slovene grammar handbook, and co-founded one of Poland. Prof. Piekałkiewicz is likely the last of the first open-access journals in Slavic studies. Polish resistance fighter to write a book about The U.S. embassy in Ljubljana also noted KU’s his experience fighting the Nazis in World War Slovene program to be one of the very few in the II. His book draws on detailed research, his own U.S. to teach Slovene, thanks to the dedicated ef- experiences as a resistance fighter, and describes forts of Prof. Greenberg and Marta Pirnat-Green- achievements, failures and traitors. berg to build Slovene studies at KU. Prof. Green- berg received his award at a ceremony, where he Norman Saul (History) is pleased to announce was joined by his daughter Lea Greenberg and the a new edited book, New Perspectives on Rus- former U.S. ambassador to Bosnia Herzegovina sian-American Relations, edited by William Ben- and Slovenia, Victor Jackovich. ton Whisenhunt and Norman E. Saul. London and New York: Routledge, 2019. This book includes eighteen articles on Russian-American relations from leading historians and introduces readers to exciting new scholarship.

15 Giving to KU CREES CREES General Fund The Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Supports a wide range of educational and outreach Studies has been a national leader for the study of activities. Among its dedicated sponsors are the Os- the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe since wald P. Backus/Anna Cienciała Memorial Fund 1959. The Center is a degree-granting program for visiting lecturers in Polish Studies, the Bramlage/ within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Willcoxon Family Foundation Fund, which pro- the University of Kansas. vides scholarships to KU REES MA students who have strong connections to the state of Kansas, and the Norman E. Saul Fund. Named after KU Histo- Many of our activities are enhanced through private ry Emeritus Professor Norman E. Saul, the Saul fund donations to the Center for Russian, East European supports REES students with travel grants to collec- & Eurasian Studies. Special events, renowned lec- tions or to REES-related conferences for professional turers, scholarships and study abroad opportunities development. are just some of the ways your donations can help us to maintain our Center’s vitality. We hope that Palij Family Fund you will contribute generously to strengthen the Supports visiting lecturers in Ukrainian studies, and Center’s programs by sending your gift today. Your the Ukrainian Studies Prize for an outstanding student gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law. Thank specializing in Ukrainian. you for your support! George C. Jerkovich Fund Supports the development of KU’s South Slavic li- FOR ONLINE DONATIONS brary collection; and provides awards to outstanding A secure online donation can be made to CREES students with a demonstrated interest in the study of via the KU Endowment website at: Croatian or Serbian history, literature, folklore, or cul- crees.ku.edu/give-crees ture.

FOR DONATIONS BY MAIL Roy & Betty Laird Fund If you would like to make a donation by check or This fund is named after the late Professor Roy D. money order, please make your check payable to Laird, a longtime member of the REES and Political KU CREES and mail your donation to: Science faculties, and Ms. Betty Laird, whose continued support of CREES activities includes sponsoring the annual Roy & Betty Laird Essay Contest. Monies donated to support this fund will primarily contribute Center for Russian, East European & to the advancement of Russian Studies. Eurasian Studies Bailey Hall, 1440 Jayhawk Blvd., Room 320 Jarosewycz Family Fund Lawrence, KS 66045-7574 The Jarosewycz Family Fund provides scholarships for students who have shown commitment and scholarly interest in Ukraine and Ukrainian Studies.

Alexander Tsiovkh Memorial Fund This fund is named after the late Alexander Tsiovkh, a longtime professor of Ukrainian Studies at KU. Mon- ies donated to this fund are used to support students of Ukrainian Area Studies at KU.

SPASIBO Fund The Gerald E. Mikkelson Fund supports and sus- tains the Siberia and St. Petersburg components of KU’s instructional profile.