The SRAS Newsletter
A Resource for Students, Educators, and Anyone Curious about Russia| | 
The leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Gennady Zyuganov, at a May Day Parade with young Pioneers in 2008. |
Welcome from SRAS!
A new year is usually a time to look forward. So why have we chosen to focus on Communism for our first newsletter of the new year? Communism is not just history in Russia. In 2008, the Communists received 18% of the popular vote in the presidential election, with 27% in some districts, and nearly 40% at some polling stations. What sort of future do more than 13 million communist supporters envision for their country? What do modern Communists hope and promise to accomplish? We approached these questions by letting the Communists answer for themselves. This month, SRAS presents an original, complete translation of the political platform used in the Communists' 2008 presidential bid. We also present a full side-by-side translation of the Central Committee Report as presented at the 13th Party Congress of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (presented shortly after the beginning of the current financial crisis). In other news, readers will find video footage of the election of Russia's new Patriarch, and a Russian Mini-Lesson that explains that election and an older article from SRAS that may give insight into the theology of the new Patriarch. There are new Russian films available in the US with English subtitles, new scholarships and financial aid for those hoping to study abroad this summer, new resources for those studying Russian, and more. It's a new year and a new, exciting (if we do say so ourselves) newsletter from SRAS. To subscribe to this free newsletter, send an email with "Subscribe SRAS" in the subject field to jwilson@sras.org. News and Announcements 2009 Boren Fellowships should be applied for before February 11! Mumyi Troll tours America! The popular Russian band is currently in the eastern states, and will be reaching the western ones soon. See their site and Google their name and your desired location to find tickets. Russian Life magazine is happy to announce that, due to generous sponsorship from the Russkiy Mir Foundation, the magazine will be distributed for free to thousands of U.S. classrooms. Several funded programs for Russian teachers interested in improving the professional skills have been announced. Islam in Eurasia is a new project from Harvard University which seeks a better understanding of Islam in Eurasia -- especially Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Muslim regions of Russia. The University of Chicago is planning to bring one Visiting Scholar in the humanities from Russia and one from Central Europe for a residency in winter and spring quarters in 2010 and in the years following. Academia.edu is a facebook-style site bringing together Russian studies and Ukrainian studies researchers in an open format. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Обзоры: Learn About Russia and Eurasia
through the News | These news reviews strive to paint an accurate and balanced picture of life in Russia and to deliver information on important events affecting Eurasia. | Russia-Related events in:
UK; SW; AZ; CA, 2, 3;
CO; DC, 2; DE; HI;
IL, 2, 3; IN; KS;
MA, 2; MI; NC, 2, 3;
NJ; NY, 2, 3, 4;
OH, 2; PA, 2, 3;
More Cultural Events
in the US! |
Russian Society
Religion, media, history, education, and more. News from Eurasia
Financial crisis in Eurasia; OSCE leaves Georgia; Georgia's report on the 5-Day War; Kyrgyzstan hit by DOS attack. - Foreign Relations
US, EU, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Communism and the Bear of History (2 parts)
SRAS presents, in its first freely available English translation, the official political platform used by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation for the 2008 presidential campaign.
CPRF Central Committee Report (7 parts)
What do the Communists think about the financial crisis? The war in Georgia? The Internet's place in politics? This report, delivered by Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, covers lots of topics. Presented in a side-by-side translation that will be of interest for both its politics and official translation. Opposition Politics in a Time of Crisis
Russian opposition parties and politicians became more vocal and active as the global economic crisis hit Russia. While it's died down some, here's how the Russian media has reported on the phenomenon and the parties. Russian Agriculture, Rural Social Issues
The Communists perform very well electorally in Russia's rural agricultural areas. This issue of the Russian Analytical Digest addresses the economic and social condition of Russia's countryside, how it has changed since the collapse of the USSR in 1991 and presents a survey on the material and psychological state of Russia's rural households. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
SRAS Summer Work Study
Offering intensive Russian lessons, professional translation and research experience, and a living stipend while in Moscow. SRAS has a full range of study programs. Click here! Scholarships and Grants
An updated list of current Russia-related scholarship cycles. Thousands of dollars are available for study abroad. Summer RSL
Spend this summer studying Russian in St. Petersburg, Irkutsk, Bishkek, Nizhny Novgorod, Moscow, or Vladivostok! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kirill Elected Patriarch (youtube video)
Watch video of the live broadcast that was seen by thousands of Russians on national TV. The results of voting are read and Kirill accepts the post. In a second youtube video, you can watch the vestment process and hear Kirill's first words thereafter (in Russian). The Russian Declaration of Human Rights
This article and the document it concerns were written in 2006. However, as Metropolitan Kirill, who was assumed by many to have been the declaration's primary author, was recently elected Patriarch of All Russia, the document has renewed pertinence. Books and Film
The following are a handful of books and films that have come to our attention. The films are Russian movies that have recently been released in standard DVD-format. The books cover Russian politics, foreign relations, religion, and economy. CFR Russian-American Relations Symposium
(streaming audio, three parts)
As the Obama administration is beginning to get its foreign policy off the ground, the Council on Foreign Relations held a three part series on the issue of Russian-American relations.  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Putin Opens Davos
Vladimir Putin was chosen to give opening remarks at Davos, one of the world's largest and most important annual economic summits. The following links lead to full video of the speech in the original Russian, a full English translation of the speech, and a full Russian transcript.
Обязанности кошки в доме
Our Image of the Month is a fast vocabulary-building lesson this month. Find out what a house cat's "duties" are, chuckle a bit, and learn a few words with us! Выборы Патриарха – Election of the Patriarch
As the Russian Orthodox Church has nominated and elected its new patriarch, this month's Russian Mini-Lesson explains the process, terminology, and some of the history behind it. If you have views or material you would like to contribute to the newsletter, please contact us. To subscribe to this free newsletter, send an email with "Subscribe SRAS" in the subject field to jwilson@sras.org. |
