Kate Graney, a professor from Skidmore College and expert on politics in the former Soviet Union, will present “Europe a Generation After the Cold War: Hopes and Portents” at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, to the Oswego campus community via Zoom.
Political science professor Helen Knowles, who invited Graney to make this presentation, noted that the crisis in Ukraine will factor prominently in this analysis.
"The talk will be a good background for anyone who wants to understand the wider context of the current Russian invasion of Ukraine," Graney said. "I will be talking about the choice that post-Soviet countries faced after 1991 between joining Europe and Russia, and the factors that have influenced their behavior. I will also be talking about the concept of 'Europe' in general and about why becoming part of 'Europe' means so much to Ukraine."
This session will discuss the legacies of communism; the erosion of the post-war liberal project; the question of racial, ethnic and religious multiculturalism in Europe; and the role of Russia in Europe’s past, present and future.
Much of the discussion will be drawn from Graney’s 2019 book, "Russia, The Former Soviet Republics and Europe Since 1989."
Even with the historic context, "many scholars of the region are also scrambling to make sense of what’s happening and searching for answers and clarity that just aren’t there yet," Graney noted. "I’d also advise folks to try to ingest a variety of news source that represent voices on the ground in Ukraine and that center Ukrainian scholars."
Since receiving her bachelor’s degree from the College of the Holy Cross and her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Graney has taught political science, international relations, intergroup relations and gender studies at Skidmore College.
In addition to her specialization on the former Soviet Union, Graney also teaches courses on European politics, international human rights, gender and international relations, and comparative racial politics. She is the author of two books and several articles, and currently serves as the director of the gender studies program and the interim director of the Center for Leadership, Teaching and Learning at Skidmore.
Graney's talk, hosted by Oswego's Political Science Department, dovetails with the induction of the Pi Sigma Alpha honor society.
"I am grateful for the invitation and look forward to addressing the new Pi Sigma Alpha graduates and the Oswego community," Graney said.
To attend the presentation, navigate to the Zoom event. For more information, email helen.knowles@oswego.edu.