In conjunction with Global Austin, the Center for Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian Studies (CREEES) presents a talk by Dr. Igor Okunev: "How Geography Influences Russian Foreign Policy.”
About the speaker:
Igor Okunev, PhD, Vice-Dean and Associate Professor in the Department of Comparative Politics, Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (MGIMO) Dr. Igor Okunev received his B.A. in Linguistics & Intercultural Communication from St. Petersburg State University, M.A. in History from Manchester University, and PhD in Political Science from MGIMO University. He lectures on topics of political geography and comparative politics at MGIMO University. Dr. Okunev is the author of two books, Geopolitics of Microstates and Capital Cities in a Critical Geopolitics Mirror, and coauthor of textbooks Comparative Politics and World Regional Studies (all in Russian). Dr. Okunev has also published on issues of political geography, geopolitics, federalism studies, and comparative politics. He currently serves as executive secretary of the journal Comparative Politics Russia. In 2014, the Russian International Affairs Council recognized him as the best young journalist in international relations. He also serves as Program Coordinator of the International Political Science Association Research Committee on Geopolitics (IPSA RC-41).