Post-Soviet societies, collective memory, and geopolitics

Drawing on my regional expertise, I conduct research on collective memory, national identity, and contemporary perspectives on the Soviet past — particularly regarding Stalin’s legacy in Russia and Georgia. More recently, I have been studying European responses to Russia’s war in Ukraine, including how the war has reshaped perceptions of intergenerational mobility across the continent, how Europeans compare Putin and Stalin, and the variety of perspectives on how the war might end. I have also examined how Russian citizens perceive the consequences of the war, revealing a paradox of optimism amid crisis.

This research connects cultural sociology, political attitudes, and geopolitics, showing how historical memory and contemporary conflicts reshape ordinary people’s sense of their own social position.

Key publications