How Russia Joined the Council of Europe: The Role of Values, Politics, and Law - Jeff Kahn

The story of Russia’s membership in the Council of Europe now has a beginning, a middle, and an end. What can we learn about the values of this international organization from Russia’s participation in it? Was Russia’s membership “worth it”? Any attempted answer must produce more questions: from which perspective – Russia’s, the Council’s, other Member States’ – should the effects of Russian membership be evaluated? How did the Council of Europe change Russia (if Russia was, indeed, changed) and how did Russia change the Council of Europe? This lecture examines the beginning of this story to identify the details in Russia’s drive for membership that may have planted seeds for its later expulsion. - About the Speaker: Jeffrey Kahn is the University Distinguished Professor of Law at Southern Methodist University.