Decolonising Russia and Russian history: Changing attitudes in Russian Studies with Prof. Luke March

Decolonising Russia and Russian history is controversial, but the brutal war in Ukraine is driving a reassessment of the study of Russian history and is changing attitudes that have held sway for decades. The influence of a Russian imperial mindset on the lens through which Russian history is interpreted may finally be shattering, to lead to a new interpretation of Russia as a classical European colonial power. Professor Luke March describes how governments and academics are changing their attitudes to Russia, driven by Putin's aggression in Ukraine. The study of Russian history is set to be transformed, as the 'soft touch' of the 90s is replaced with a 'decolonisation' of Russian studies. This will not improve either Russia's PR, nor history's judgement of it's actions and motives. Luke March is the Personal Chair of Post-Soviet and Comparative Politics and Deputy Director of the Princess Dashkova Russian Centre at Edinburgh University. He is an expert in the politics of the former Soviet Union (especially Russian and Moldovan politics, political parties in the FSU, democratisation, and institution-building); Russian nationalism, Russian foreign policy discourse; the radical left in Europe; populism; contemporary communism. And one of the most authoritative commentators on the current situation in Ukraine.