Thursday, October 20, 4:00 PM
710 Social Sciences
Professor CATHERINE GUISAN, Department of Political Science (UMN)
“Beyond Traumatic Memory: ‘Lost Treasures’ of Russian Politics”
Scholars disagree whether the Russian people have adequately faced up to the traumas of their Soviet past. There is relatively little literature on transitional justice whereas official references to the past legitimize the turn to authoritarianism in 21 st century Russia. Yet this article retrieves some ‘lost treasures’ (Hannah Arendt’s concept) of civic engagement from Russian and Soviet history. This matters intellectually and politically because it roots Russian democratization in an alternative national tradition, which is somewhat forgotten even by Russian democratic activists and scholars. The empirical data comes from interviews and ethnographic observations, and studies on trauma, transitional justice and Russian/Soviet politics.
Catherine Guisan is the author of two books, A Political Theory of Identity in European Integration, Oxford (Routledge, 2011); and Un sens à l’Europe: Gagner la paix (1950-2003) (Odile Jacob, 2003); and numerous articles. Her research interests focus on Democratic Theory; European Integration Politics; Transnational Ethics; and Citizens’ Participation in International Relations. She is Visiting Assistant Professor and has taught at the University of Minnesota since 2001.
