Kathryn David, Author at NYU Jordan Center

In Putin’s Vision of Ukraine’s Past, A Warning About Russia’s Future

On 12 July 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin published a historical essay titled “On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians.” He frames the essay as a follow-up to a comment he made on “Direct Line,” the annual call-in show where Putin answers questions from constituents. On this occasion, Putin characterized Russians and Ukrainians as “a single people” [Rus. voobshche odin narod]. Expanding on his original comment, the Russian president offers a version of historical events suggesting that today’s ruptures between Russians and Ukrainians have no basis in reality, but are instead rooted in artificial divisions constructed and exploited by both foreign powers and the Soviet Union.

Easter in Russia: Between Church and State, a New Divide Has Risen

The enormous variances in how priests chose to observe Easter this year in Russia hints at the broader context that frames the divide between those following church-related COVID restrictions and those ignoring them: the complex relationship between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian state.

First as Tragedy, then as Kitsch: A Bitter Harvest Review

In the middle of a party, Stalin inexplicably shouts “Damn those Ukrainians!”

Edward Cohn explores “prophylactic policing” in the Soviet Baltics

On April 1, 2015, the NYU Jordan Center for the Advanced Study of Russia welcomed Edward Cohn for a colloquium on “A Soviet Theory of Broken Windows: Policing and the KGB’s Struggle With the Baltic States.” Cohn, Associate Professor of History and chair of the Russian, Central, and Eastern European Studies concentration at Grinnell College, was introduced by Arturas Rozenas, Assistant Professor of Politics at NYU. The presentation and discussion focused on a paper that will become part of a larger research project on Soviet strategies of policing in the Baltics.

Putin’s Not-so-Modest Proposal

Deeply concerned about anti-Semitism in Europe, Putin issued a formal invitation for Jews who are feeling unsafe in Europe to move to Russia.

For God and Stalin

The Orthodox Church and Stalin are having a moment.

Welcome to Ukrainian 101

Even as our textbook rejects so-called “Russified” grammar structures and vocabulary, it does not offer the word “zhid” as a proper term for “Jew.” I think you would be hard pressed to find someone who uses the term “zhid” as their go-to example of Ukrainian linguistic oppression. Ukrainians who lament the Russification of their language still use the term “yevrei.”

Jordan Center for the
Advanced Study of Russia

Kathryn David

Articles by Kathryn David

In Putin’s Vision of Ukraine’s Past, A Warning About Russia’s Future

Easter in Russia: Between Church and State, a New Divide Has Risen

First as Tragedy, then as Kitsch: A Bitter Harvest Review

Edward Cohn explores “prophylactic policing” in the Soviet Baltics

Putin’s Not-so-Modest Proposal

For God and Stalin

Welcome to Ukrainian 101

The Fascism That Wasn’t

Protocols of the Elders of Ukraine

Transnistria, Crimea, Russia: There Goes The Neighborhood

Diplomatic and Undiplomatic Language, or Just say “Ы”!