The Jordan Center for the Advanced Study of Russia was established in 2011 thanks to a generous gift from the family of NYU alumni Boris and Elizabeth Jordan. The Jordans are a family of Russian-Americans with strong links in the worlds of business, culture, and religion on both sides of the Atlantic and a tradition of cultural sponsorship and philanthropy. The gift satisfied the twin goals of the donors: to promote knowledge and understanding of Russia past, present, and future, making Russia central to a global conversation; and to situate this ambition in a world-class research university in a vibrant center of business and the arts. The gift is their permanent testament to their roots in both countries, their commitment to their alma mater, and their nurturing of knowledge and the arts.
The gift is also testament to the achievements and future of Russian studies at NYU. NYU’s Russia-related faculty has been growing in stature, with a relatively young and dynamic faculty offering fresh and innovative perspectives of Russian history, culture, politics, and society. Our graduate students are growing in number and are occupying their positions in the academy nationwide. NYU’s Russia-related faculty and students are spread out over a wide array of departments and schools of the University. The function of the Center is to offer them a gathering point and a locus for greater and more concerted interaction and productive endeavor. Their disciplinary diversity will be focused on Russia, thereby enhancing the impact and influence of the University in the region and internationally, and offering to the public new perspectives on Russia in all its aspects.