new russia in the think corner choices of … · to do with political decision-making. ... mission...

21 February, 2012 n Issue 1

Have you ever wondered how the Hermitage looks like at night? If you pass by the Think Corner at Aleksanterinkatu 7 in the hours of darkness, look through the window to see the photo exhibition ”The Hermitage at Night” by Yuri Molodkovets!

NEW RUSSIA IN THE THINK CORNER

The focus of the University’s new Think Corner (Tiedekulma) is now on Russia. More than sixty

exciting events popularising science over two weeks will take place at Aleksanterinkatu 7. The programme is organised by the Aleksanteri Institute and the Department of Modern Languages. Read the programme on pages 4-5, and join us in the Think Corner!

CHOICES OF RUSSIAN MODERNISATION

The new Finnish Centre of Excellence in Russian Studies – Choices of Russian Modernisation has

launched its activities. Forthcoming events include CoE seminars and a Summer School in the Åland Islands in early June. Read more on page 6.

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P.O. Box 42 (Unioninkatu 33), FI-00014 University of Helsinki n [email protected] n Tel. +358 (9) 191 24175 n www.helsinki.fi/aleksanteri/english

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FACE OF THE MONTH: TUOMAS FORSBERGMost political scientists believe that emotions have little

to do with political decision-making. Nevertheless, we have seen a furious Nikita Khrushchev banging a shoe in the UN General Assembly meeting, an emotional Boris Eltsin dancing and conducting orchestras, and a fist-fighting Vladimir Zhirinovsky threatening to smash his opponents’ heads. And now we have “the angry man”, Vladimir Putin, with his hard-line policies, threats and tantrums.

“International relations theory has a tendency to regard political decision-makers as rational. It has neglected to study how emotions influence political decision-making”, argues Tuomas Forsberg, professor of international relations at the University of Tampere. “For IR theory, emotions are a little bit like the clothes that politicians wear: nobody denies their existence but they are not important enough to be studied”.

Professor Forsberg’s mission is to take the role of emotions seriously. “If emotions have been recognised at all, it has been in the case of Russia. But when Russia is characterised as emotional, it means that it is irrational and not to be taken seriously. Russia is seen as a special, anomalous case, an exception. It is not seen as something to be learned from for our own policy-making”.

Another common claim is to say that it is difficult, if not impossible, to study emotions, as we cannot access people’s minds. If Putin is angry, is he genuinely angry or just pretending to be so for tactical reasons? Or perhaps we are misinterpreting him altogether and he is not angry at all.

However, the difficulty involved in studying emotions should not serve as an excuse. “If we don’t account for emotions, it’s a little bit like the old joke where we are searching for the lost keys under the streetlamp, not because we lost them there but because it is easier to look for them under the light”.

At the moment, Professor Forsberg is in charge of a research project on the role of emotions in Russia’s foreign policy, funded by the Academy of Finland. The project’s aim is to develop both theories and methodologies for studying emotions in international relations and to apply these schemes to a number of cases of Russian foreign policy.

As of January 2012, Tuomas Forsberg is also the deputy director of the new Finnish Centre of Excellence in Russian Studies – Choices of Russian Modernisation, directed by Professor Markku Kivinen

and coordinated by the Aleksanteri Institute. Professor Forsberg is also in charge of the CoE’s research cluster on foreign policy. Modernisation is connected to identity and culture, decision-making inputs and logics, as well as the choice of partners and strategies in foreign and security policy. The cluster led by Forsberg will study how external relations affect Russian modernisation and how modernisation affects Russia’s foreign policy.

Anna-Maria Salmi

Tuomas Forsberg is giving a talk in the Think Corner (Tiedekulma) on the role of emotions on Russian politics on Friday, 2 March at 2 p.m., Aleksanterinkatu 7. See page 4.

n Professor of international relations, University of Tampere nDeputy director of the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Russian Studies – Choices of Russian Modernisation nPhD, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, on Gorbachev and German Unification nPrevious work experience at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies and University of Helsinki

nExpertise: International relations theory, foreign policy analysis, peace and conflict studies, transitional justice, European security, EU foreign and security policy, German foreign policy, Finnish foreign policy, Nordic cooperation, Russian politics nPublications include the book Divided West: European Security and Transatlantic Relationship, Blackwell, Oxford 2006 (with Graeme Herd) and numerous articles in journals such as Journal of Peace Research, Security Dialogue, Review of International Studies, Political Science Quarterly, Europe-Asia Studies and Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics.

FACTS ABOUT TUOMAS FORSBERG:

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FAIR OR FOUL, ELECTIONS STILL MATTER

The second Aleksanteri Election Seminar, held in Helsinki on 25 January, gathered four experts and a

host of interested listeners to discuss the role of elections in present-day Russia and CIS countries. The seminar title contained a central question that each of the speakers addressed from their own perspectives: Do Elections Matter?

Based on the experiences of the speakers in OSCE/ODIHR election monitoring, the question is worth asking. Mr Kimmo Kiljunen (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland) and Mr Mats Lindberg (Council of Europe) discussed the delicate questions and problems regarding election monitoring in such president-driven states as Azerbaijan, Kirgizstan, Georgia, and even Russia. However, as Mr Kiljunen pointed out, even the Finnish electoral system has some traits that observers could view as problematic, such as party financing, the distribution of electoral power in regions, and the strong role of the media.

With regard to Russia, Dr Sarah Whitmore (Oxford Brookes University) argued convincingly that elections matter in Russia, even if they are not always transparent and fair according to Western standards. Dr Whitmore stated that the success of the United Russia party relies on three points: Putin’s personal power and popularity, the governor-locomotives and administrative resources.

If the pillars are not effective, more space is created for opposition. However, Dr Whitmore stated that it is very likely that Putin could win on the first round in March, which is what the elite needs to recover from the Duma elections. However, in order for the party to survive until the next parliamentary elections, there are calls for its rejuvenation and resuscitation.

Finally, Dr Jukka Pietiläinen (Aleksanteri Institute) presented a detailed analysis on the Duma elections in December 2011. Based on information available in Russian blogs, some fairly unconventional statistics from several polling stations made it clear that results had somehow been falsified. However, Dr Pietiläinen also pointed out that the bloggers might have their own interests in presenting the elections in a suspicious light.

Hanna Ruutu



ELECTION SEMINAR SERIES KICK-OFF

On 30 November, 2011, on the eve of the Duma elections, the Aleksanteri Institute organised the

first in a series of seminars on the Russian elections, with the title Russian Duma Elections: Mapping the Political Landscape.

Experts discussed the current political situation from various angles: the role of the Duma in foreign policy, the functioning of the party system as a generator for new political ideas, the impact of the Muslim population in elections, the role of the media in political campaigning, the new youth politics, satire as a tool for the cultural elite, and the impact on the elections on the energy sector of the country.

As Sean Roberts (NUPI) explained in his opening talk, it is perhaps erroneous to expect the Russian party system to function according to the same parameters as in the

West. Russian parties often function as a tool for the power elite and, as they do not form government, they cannot fully represent their voters’ views. However, the parties often organise the elite and function as an extra layer of administration, generating political stability and helping perpetuate power. Even though there are four parties in the Duma (prior to the 2011 elections), United Russia has a monopoly.

However, as Katja Koikkalainen’s (Aleksanteri Institute) presentation made clear, there is also space for many critical voices in the opposition, with the internet acting as a main outlet for these undercurrents. And as Hanna Smith (Aleksanteri Institute) discussed, the Duma is not always unanimous; even representatives of United Russia can vote against the president at times. This was evident in many Duma votes on decisions dealing with foreign policy.

Hanna Ruutu

Speakers from left to right: Jukka Pietiläinen, Sarah Whitmore, Mats Lindberg, Kimmo Kiljunen, Antti Helanterä



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27.2. UUDEN VENÄJÄN AVAUS

Klo 15: Maantieteilijät vastaan Madventures: Professori Markku Löytönen, professori Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen ja Madventures-Riku RantalaKlo 16: Venäjän modernisaation valinnat -huippuyksikön esittely johtaja Markku Kivisen johdolla Klo 16.30: Pietarin kolme mestaria -valokuvanäyttely: Valokuvaajat Dmitri Konradt, Juri Molodkovets, Andrei TšežinKlo 17: Venäjän ja itäisen Euroopan tutkimuksen maisterikoulu esittäytyy: Mitä alueellinen asiantuntemus on? Klo 18: Integrum-esittely ja Integrum-klinikka: Professori Arto Mustajoki, informaatikko Emilia Marttunen ja kirjastonhoitaja Irina Lukka

28.2. VENÄJÄ JA SUOMI

Klo 11: Slaavilainen kirjasto esittäytyyKlo 12: Yliopistonlehtori Inga Jasinskaja-Lahti: Venäjänkieliset maahanmuuttajat Klo 13: Dosentti Elina Kahla: Ortodoksia Suomessa - itää vai länttä? Klo 14: Kirjailija Rosa Liksom ja emeritusprofessori Pekka Pesonen: Hytti Nro 6 ja venäläinen kulttuuri Klo 15: Tutkija Sanna Ojajärvi ja tutkija Sanna Valtonen: Karhun ja kassakoneen naapurissa. Suomalaisen median Venäjä-kuva. Kirjaesittely: Näin naapurista (Lotta Lounasmeri, toim.), Vastapaino 2011.Klo 16: Professori Ben Hellman ja professori Timo Vihavainen: Suomen ja Venäjän naapurisuhteet kirjallisuuden peilissäKlo 17: Professori Arto Mustajoki: Kevyt kosketus venäjän kieleen Klo 18: Yliopistonlehtori Jouni Vaahtera ja professori Janne Saarikivi: suomen ja venäjän kielen yhteyksiä Klo 19: Pietarin kolme mestaria -valokuvanäyttely: Valokuvaajat Dmitri Konradt, Juri Molodkovets, Andrei Tšežin

29.2. KARNEVALISTINEN VENÄJÄ

Klo 12: Tutkija Kaarina Aitamurto: Uuspakanuus VenäjälläKlo 13: Tutkijatohtori Jussi Lassila: Nashi ja politiikan karnevalisoituminenKlo 14: Rikos ja rangaistus? Idäntutkimus-lehti esittäytyy. Lehden päätoimittaja Markku Kangaspuro haastattelee tutkija Jarmo Koistista.

Klo 15: VIE-tohtoriohjelman tutkijakimaraKlo 16: Tutkija Ira Jänis-Isokangas: Huliganismi VenäjälläKlo 17: Tutkija Simo Leisti (TaY): Poliittiset vitsit, politiikka ja ideologia Klo 18: Professori Maija Könönen (Itä-Suomen yliopisto): Pyhästä ja epäpyhästä hulluudestaKlo 19: Pietarin kolme mestaria -valokuvanäyttely: Valokuvaajat Dmitri Konradt, Juri Molodkovets, Andrei Tšežin

1.3. VENÄLÄINEN KIRJALLISUUS

Klo 12: Yliopistonlehtori Tomi Huttunen: Venäläisen kirjallisuuden vuosi 2012Klo 13: Kirjaesittely: Kirsti Ekonen & Sanna Turoma: Venäläisen kirjallisuuden historia (Gaudeamus, 2011)Klo 14: Emeritusprofessori Pekka Pesonen: minun Pietarini Klo 15: Pietarin kolme mestaria -valokuvanäyttely: Valokuvaajat Dmitri Konradt, Juri Molodkovets, Andrei TšežinKlo 16: Professori Maija Könönen ja tutkijakoulutettava Tintti Klapuri keskustelevat "Kenen aika? Esseitä venäläisestä nykykirjallisuudesta" -teoksesta Klo 17: Professori Ben Hellman: Venäläinen lastenkirjallisuus

2.3. VENÄJÄ JA VAALIT

Klo 12: Professori Markku Kivinen: Presidentinvaalit Venäjällä Klo 13: Tutkija Hanna Smith ja toimittaja Susanna Niinivaara keskustelevat venäläisestä politiikasta ja esittelevät kirjansa Medvedevin Venäjä (Siltala, 2011)Klo 14: Professori Tuomas Forsberg (TaY): Tunteiden merkitys Venäjän vaaleissaKlo 15: Dosentti Pekka Visuri: Turvallisuuspolitiikka ja Venäjän vaalitKlo 16: Tutkijatohtori Anna-Liisa Heusala: Mitä turvallisuus Venäjällä tarkoittaa?Klo 17: Tutkijatohtori Sanna Turoma: Putin satiirin hampaissaKlo 18: Tutkija Mikko Palonkorpi: Venäjän vaalit ja Etelä-Kaukasian haasteetKlo 19: Pietarin kolme mestaria -valokuvanäyttely: Valokuvaajat Dmitri Konradt, Juri Molodkovets, Andrei Tšežin

Klo 17-19: HELTHINKI-työryhmätilassa: TUUNAA MAATUSKA! -työpaja (materiaalimaksu 5 euroa)

Tiedekulma. Aleksanterinkatu 7. Helsinki.Avoinna ma-pe klo 10 – 20, la 11 – 15

Uusi Venäjä -tapahtuman järjestävät Aleksanteri-instituutti ja nykykielten laitos.

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5.3. VAALIT, POLITIIKKA JA KANSALAISYHTEISKUNTA VENÄJÄLLÄ

Klo 11: Dosentti Markku Lonkila: Moskovan protestit ja sosiaalisen median merkitys venäläisessä politiikassaKlo 12: Emeritusprofessori Risto Alapuro: Kansalaisyhteiskunta Putinin VenäjälläKlo 13: Researcher Freek van der Vet: NGOs and human rights in Russia Klo 14: Tutkijatohtori Katja Koikkalainen ja vanhempi tutkija Jukka Pietiläinen: Media ja vaalit VenäjälläKlo 15: Tutkijatohtori Jussi Lassila: Nuoret ja politiikka VenäjälläKlo 16: Presidentinvaalien vaalianalyysi: Aleksanteri-instituutin ja Venäjän modernisaation valinnat -huippuyksikön tutkijoitaKlo 18: Pietarin kolme mestaria -valokuvanäyttely: Valokuvaajat Dmitri Konradt, Juri Molodkovets, Andrei Tšežin

6.3. PELKKÄÄ POLITIIKKAA!

Politiikkamaraton:

Klo 12: Tutkijatohtori Nina Tynkkynen (TaY): Ympäristöpolitiikkaa! Klo 13: Professori Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen: Energiapolitiikkaa!Klo 14: Professori Pami Aalto (TaY): EU-Venäjä-politiikkaa! Klo 15: Tutkija Hanna Smith: Ulkopolitiikkaa!Klo 16: Professori Markku Kangaspuro: Sisäpolitiikkaa!Klo 17: Tutkijatohtori Sirke Mäkinen (TaY): Puoluepolitiikkaa!Klo 18: Professori Markku Kivinen: Hyvinvointipolitiikkaa! Klo 19: Pietarin kolme mestaria -valokuvanäyttely: Valokuvaajat Dmitri Konradt, Juri Molodkovets, Andrei Tšežin

Klo 17-19: HELTHINKI-työryhmätilassa: TUUNAA MAATUSKA! -työpaja (materiaalimaksu 5 euroa)

7.3. VENÄLÄINEN KULTTUURI

Klo 12: Tuottaja Jarmo Koponen (Uusi Suomi): Venäjän sosiaalinen media ja poliittinen kulttuuri Klo 14: Laulaja-lauluntekijä Jelena Frolova & kääntäjä Selma Ancira (juontaa Elina Kahla)Klo 16: Tutkija Ira Österberg: Venäläinen elokuva vuonna 2012Klo 17: Merja Pikkarainen (Tusovka ry.) & Merja Jokela (Suomi-Venäjä-Seura): Kulttuurivaihto ja kansalaisyhteiskunta Klo 18: Pianotaiteilija Kirill Kozlovski: ŠostakovitšKlo 19: Pietarin kolme mestaria -valokuvanäyttely: Valokuvaajat Dmitri Konradt, Juri Molodkovets, Andrei Tšežin

8.3. NAISET JA VENÄJÄ

Klo 12: Nainen johtajana Venäjällä ja Suomessa -keskustelutilaisuus. Tilaisuuden vetää professori Riitta Kosonen (Aalto-yliopisto). Mukana keskustelemassa ovat International Business Director Kati Varhee (SEK & GREY), toimitusjohtaja Maria Kuokkanen (Freight One Scandinavia Oy), tutkija Irina Jormanainen (Aalto-yliopisto) sekä viestintäjohtaja Kirsti Lehmusto (Helsingin yliopisto). Klo 13: Venäjän ja itäisen Euroopan osaajana työmarkkinoilla (OVET)-hankkeen esittely Klo 14: Itäisen Keski-Euroopan, Balkanin ja Baltian tutkimuksen (IKEBB) ja Ukraina-opintokokonaisuuden esittely Klo 15: Tutkija Suvi Salmenniemi: Feminismi Venäjällä tänäänKlo 16: Tutkija Saara Ratilainen: Glamourestetiikka, naiskuva ja uusvenäläinen kulutusyhteiskuntaKlo 17: Naiskauppaa idästä: Puhdasta bisnestä ja likaista peliä. Keskustelijoina kansliapäällikkö Ritva Viljanen (sisäasiainministeriö), yliopistonlehtori Elina Penttinen (Tampereen yliopisto) sekä tohtorikoulutettava Niina Vuolajärvi (Itä-Suomen yliopisto). Klo 18: Pietarin kolme mestaria -valokuvanäyttely: Valokuvaajat Dmitri Konradt, Juri Molodkovets, Andrei Tšežin

9.3. UUDEN VENÄJÄN (LUOKKA)KUVA

Klo 12: St. Petersburg: Reflections of a Floating Life. Professor Craig Brandist (University of Sheffield, Visiting Fellow at the Aleksanteri Institute) introduces photos he has taken during his research trips to St. Petersburg in 2008 and 2009.Klo 13: Academy Researcher Olga Gurova: ”We are not rich enough to buy cheap things": clothing consumption of the St. Petersburg middle classKlo 14: Tutkija Suvi Salmenniemi: Iskurityöläisestä yrittäjäksi: uuden Venäjän uudet sankaritKlo 15: Dosentti Anna Rotkirch: Uusien venäläisten uudet palvelijatKlo 16: Dosentti Simo Mannila ja tutkija Markus Kainu: Venäjän köyhyys ja rikkaus - myyttejä ja todellisuuttaKlo 17: Yliopistonlehtori Tomi Huttunen: Pietari on rock!

TIEDEKULMASSA PÄIVITTÄIN

Klo 10: Pietarin kolme mestaria -valokuvanäyttely: Valokuvaajat Dmitri Konradt, Juri Molodkovets, Andrei Tšežin

KONTTI-näyttelytilassa Venäjän modernisaation valinnat -huippuyksikön näyttely.

Yöllä: Juri Molodkovetsin näyttely «Уединение»: Eremitaasi yöllä.



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The new Finnish Centre of Excellence in Russian Studies, Choices of Russian Modernisation, which is

coordinated by the Aleksanteri Institute and funded by the Academy of Finland, has now launched its activities. The kick-off seminar took place on February 2, 2012 in Helsinki and was the starting point for the organisation of the CoE research work. A CoE Board has been selected responsible for decision-making on new members.

Forthcoming events include CoE seminars and the first CoE Summer School in early June in the Åland Islands, organised jointly with the Finnish Graduate Programme for Russian and East European Studies.

For more information about the centre of excellence and its activities, please visit the CoE website:

www.helsinki.fi/aleksanteri/crm

The CoE understands modernisation in Russia as a set of choices made under structural conditions. As the traditional frameworks, theories and concepts of individual disciplines are clearly inadequate for analysing the contradictory developments in Russia, the CoE strives to redefine the agenda on Russian modernisation.

The research is structured based on five research clusters: diversification of economy, authoritarian market society as a challenge, welfare regime, foreign policy, and rationality and culture.

In addition to researchers from the Aleksanteri Institute, the CoE consists of researchers from the University of Tampere, the Department of Modern Languages (Russian Studies) and Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Helsinki. Several distinguished scholars from Finland and abroad are also involved as associated partners.

NEW ADVISORY BOARD

The Rector of the University of Helsinki has appointed a new advisory board for the period from 1 December,

2011 to 1 December, 2015. Led by Minister Jaakko Iloniemi, the advisory board consists of 19 distinguished members representing business, public administration, politics, the media and the academic community. The first meeting was held on 9 December, 2011.

For more information, see: www.helsinki.fi/aleksanteri/english/institute/advisory_board.html

CALL OPEN!

The Master’s Programme in Russian and East

European Studies is a national multidisciplinary study programme that offers specialisation in Russian and Eastern European studies through the perspective of economics, society, history, politics, law, environment, culture and theology. The Master’s school is open to applications from any MA student of its Finnish network universities.

The call is open until 31 March 2012. For more information, see:www.helsinki.fi/vie-maisterikoulu/english/principles/applying.html

NEW BOOK ON RUSSIA'S ENERGY POLICIES BY PAMI AALTO (ED.)Published by Edward Elgar Publishing, 2012

‘The book explains Russian energy policies, instead of a policy. It portrays a picture with multiple policy drivers, including institutional, regional and federal, environmental and commercial. The study markedly improves our understanding of the multifaceted nature of Russian energy policy, a topical and complex issue. This is a highly commendable book that should be included in the reading lists of anyone with an interest in the role of energy in Russia’s political economy or energy matters more generally.’– Kim Talus, University College London, Australia





traditions on contemporary competitiveness and the understanding of social welfare

n Traces of the Cold War and state socialism n New forms of competition and new interpretations of social well-being

n The impact of competitive practices on the change in the political sphere, working sphere, education and gender relations

Regional, national, international and transnational

n Regional, national, international differences and similarities: the notion of competition and the needs of society

n Transnational, supranational and non-national aspects

n Comparisons of Eastern and Western modelsInteraction and juxtaposition n Spread of competition in societal life n Interaction of the political and economic spheres: integration, intervention, influence

n Egalité, fraternité, liberté! Democracy and civil society from the point of view of competition

n Role of the media n Individual manoeuvring space and social boundaries

n Intersectional approaches: gender, class, ethnicity n Gendered competition n Competition and corruption: trust and the idea of the constitutional state

Idea of development n Competition, entrepreneurship, innovations n Competing ideas: theories of individualism and communality

n New resistance and global phenomena n Ideology of growth and sustainable development in connection of with competition

Keynotes: n Iván Berend, economic history (University of California, Los Angeles, USA)

n Vladimir Gel’man, political science (European University at Saint Petersburg, Russia)

n Andrea Petö, gender studies (Central European University, Hungary)

n Colin Sparks, media research (Chinese Media Research Center, University of Westminster, UK)

n Iván Szelényi, sociology (Yale University, USA)

SCHEDULES AND DEADLINESProposals for panels (500 words): April 30Abstracts for individual papers (300 words): April 30Notification of Acceptance: May 31Publication of the conference programme: June 15Conference: 24–26 October, 2012

For more information about the conference, please contact the head of the organising committee, Katalin Miklossy (e-mail: [email protected]) or the conference co-ordinator, Mila Oiva (e-mail: [email protected]).

12TH ALEKSANTERI CONFERENCE, 24–26 OCTOBER, 2012

COMPETITION AND GOOD SOCIETY – THE EASTERN MODEL

The conference is dedicated to studying the possibilities of reconciling the seemingly contradictory concepts

of competition and good society. The ongoing Western financial crisis, with political discord, a growing sense of social insecurity and global demonstrations, all highlight the cutting-edge nature of these questions. Hence, the conference aims to discuss and conceptualise competition and competitiveness, not primarily in the economic context, but more importantly in reflection to societal life, welfare and culture – subjects that have been greatly neglected.

The focus of the conference is on the Eastern angle. Its aim is to discuss how people in Eastern Europe, Russia, and even further in the East in Central Asia and China, understand the preconditions of a good society and what kind of role competition plays in it, as well as how competition is reflected in the semantic systems and the cultural structures. The formerly socialist countries faced the enormous task of building a new social system after the collapse of socialism and had to redefine their relation to market forces, competitiveness and social well-being.

What are the experiences of this societal development after 20 years? Is the Eastern model divergent or convergent with Western solutions? What are the varieties of the so-called Eastern model regarding the norms, limitations and practices of competition? How has the understanding of competition changed since the Second World War? Can we find continuities of ideas, practices or mentalities rooted in the communist past and Cold War period that still affect these issues?

The conference organisers welcome presentations from a wide range of disciplines, particularly on the following topics:

Competition as individual and social action n Competition as individual performance, rivalry, struggle or fulfilment

n The merging of individual and social purposes of competition

n Competition as a channel and overarching bond between the individual and community

n The social appeal of competition: the attraction of Olympic games, beauty contests, song and choir contests, quizzes, survival competitions, chef contests, etc.

Change and continuity n Influence of historical background and cultural



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A NEW ANGLE TO THE COLD WAR

The Soviet Union was not in a hegemonic position vis-à-vis its allies; so argues a PhD dissertation defended

at the University of Helsinki in February. In her research on the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA), the socialist bloc adversary to the European Communities, Suvi Kansikas has revealed the intra-bloc controversies that the socialist countries had over their relations with the EC. A study on their behind-the-scenes negotiations highlights that, in an effort to secure their own national economic interests, many East European countries began independent manoeuvres against the wishes of their bloc leader, the Soviet Union.

The major finding of the study is that the Soviet Union

FORTHCOMING DISSERTATIONJarmo Koistinen will defend his

dissertation entitled “Talousrikos Venäjällä. Oikeusvertaileva tutkimus yritystoiminnan talousrikosten rangaistavuuden alasta historiallisessa ja yhteiskunnallisessa kontekstissa Venäjällä ja Suomessa”, published by Kikimora Publications (see page 12).

The defence will take place on April 14 at 10 a.m in the University of Helsinki, Porthania-building (Yliopistonkatu 3), Suomen laki Hall.

The opponent will be Professor Jussi Tapani (University of Turku), while Professor Dan Frände from the University of Helsinki will act as custos.

TWO NEW PHD STUDENTSTwo new PhD students were selected to the Finnish

Graduate Programme for Russian and East European Studies, coordinated by the Aleksanteri Institute:

n Daria Gritsenko (University of Helsinki, Social Policy): Environmental Dialogue in the Baltic Sea Region: Focus on Clean Shipping

n Mila Oiva (University of Turku, Cultural History): Western competition in socialist economies? Cultural changes in the textile business between socialist Poland and the Soviet Union in the 1960–1980s

had to use a lot of its resources to tame the independent manoeuvring of its smaller allies. Kansikas argues that the Soviet leadership was actually dependent on its allies’ support on those occasions when the socialist countries needed to act as a bloc. This opened up the possibility for the USSR’s allies to manoeuvre for their own interests.

The thesis is based on previously unattained archival documents of the representations of the Soviet Union and the German Democratic Republic to the CMEA.

M.Soc.Sc Suvi Kansikas defended her PhD thesis “Trade Blocs and the Cold War - The CMEA and the EC challenge,1969–1976” on 4 February, 2012 at the University of Helsinki, Faculty of Social Sciences.

Photo: Pia Koivunen



REES STUDIES ON THE STOCKHOLM FERRY

The fourth floating seminar, which took place on the Stockholm ferry, addressed methodological questions

in Russian and Eastern European Studies. The ferry was packed with over 60 PhD candidates and senior researchers from Northern Europe, from Scotland and Denmark to Norway, Sweden and Finland.

The keynote lecture by Professor Terry Cox (University of Glasgow), entitled Between Theory and Methods: The missing link, was a perfect opening for the event. Professor Cox discussed the pros and cons of four research strategies (inductive, deductive, abductive and retroductive), with examples in area studies.

The two panels entitled Methods & More – Presentations by Senior Researchers offered various topics such as methodology in Russian cultural studies (presented by Dr Sanna Turoma), using quantitative sources in research on Eastern Europe and the Baltic Sea Region (Professor Joakim Ekman), studying personal networks in Russia (Dr Markku Lonkila), unveiling the secrets of archives (Dr Jonathan Oldfield), studying the language of intersectionality (Dr Francesca Stella), and modernist and post-modernist views on history (Dr Katalin Miklóssy).

Dr Sean Roberts dealt with the post-Soviet political context and shed light on the sometimes tricky ethical questions that a researcher might face when conducting expert/elite interviews. Source criticism was covered by Professor Anu Mai Köll. Dr Jakub Godzimirski presented various ways for surviving in an information jungle, retrieving and organising information from various sources. The seniors’ concrete and illustrative presentations offered glimpses on everyday research methodologies, plus helpful hints for the PhD students.

Although the academic programme was extensive, participants also had the chance for informal networking; plenty of new contacts were formed and future cooperation plans were discussed in conversations during the meals. After the event, both the organisers and the participants agreed that it had been a highly useful and memorable event for everyone involved.

The event was organised by The Finnish Graduate Programme for Russian and East European Studies in the framework of the Nordic Ceres network, funded by NordForsk.

Eeva Korteniemi and Hanna Ruutu

Waiting for the ferry to leave, the participants in a kick-off seminar in Helsinki.



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AREA EXPERTS ARE VALUABLE TO COMPANIES

Area experts are pro-fessionals with back-

grounds in one or several dis-ciplines plus area expertise in a certain geographic area, such as Russia and Eastern Europe.

They also often have multiple skills: multilingualism, cultural competence, social sensitivity, networking and contextualising.

However, their skills and knowledge often remain unrecognised in working life, partly because of their multidisciplinary background and lack of generally known professional titles.

A recently published book discusses area expertise of Russia and Eastern Europe and its role in modern work life. The book helps employers, university teachers and area experts themselves recognise area expertise and make use of it in their working life. The book consists of articles written by a group of experts from various fields, as well as short interviews of people working in professions that require area expertise.

In the publishing event on 24 January, 2012, the director of the Aleksanteri Institute, Professor Markku Kivinen, spoke about the modernisation of Russia and the new generation of area experts that is now needed in order for Finnish exporters to succeed in modern Russia.

Dr Jouni Järvinen, director of educational programmes at the AIeksanteri Institute, said that the particular value that area experts offer to employers is their ability to contextualise information from various sources. For example, corruption is a far more complex cultural and social phenomenon in Eastern Europe than it may seem at first from a purely Finnish perspective.

President of SOK Retail International, Vesa Punnonen, emphasised that understanding Russian consumer markets requires knowledge of Russian language and exploring Russia outside St Petersburg and Moscow.

Other speakers also underlined the need to know Russian language when dealing with Russian business partners. Judging from the lively discussion, more concrete cooperation is needed between business and higher education, as are networks of young professionals.

The OVET project coordinated by the AIeksanteri Institute continues to develop means for cooperation and encourages active dialogue between Finnish higher education institutions and work life in the field of Russian and East European expertise.

For more information (in Finnish), see: www.ovethanke.fi.

Niina Tenhio

R U S S I A

IIrIs VIrtasalo JounI JärVInen

satu rautuma KaIsla suoKas

nIIna tenhIo (toIm.)

VIE osaamInEn

kartallE Venäjän ja itäisen Euroopan

alueasiantuntijuutta etsimässä

TSVETAEVA AND BRODSKY IN LIVE MUSIC

The Moscow-based singer, poet and composer Elena Frolova will give a solo concert on Wednesday,

7 March at the Ostrobotnia restaurant, Museokatu 10, starting at 7 p.m.

The night is devoted to the quintessential Russian silver-age poet Marina Tsvetaeva, her successor Joseph Brodsky and others.

Tickets are available for €8/10 at the door one hour before the event, or from Elina Kahla at the Aleksanteri Institute ([email protected]; by March 5th)

The Aleksanteri Institute Visiting Fellows Research Seminars

April 26th 2012Interest Representation and State-society

Relations in East Central Europe Terry Cox, University of Glasgow

All seminars are held at the Aleksanteri Institute, Unioninkatu33, 2nd �oor meeting room starting at 14:15.

More information at: www.helsinki.�/aleksanteri/english/fellowship/index.html

February 23rd 2012How a Legend became a Woman: the Story of Rosa Kaganovich, Stalin’s Secret Wife Alexandra Arkhipova, Russian State University for the Humanities

March 15th 2012Language and Hegemony in Early Soviet

ThoughtCraig Brandist, University of Shef�ield, United Kingdom

March 27th 2012“Authoritarian Modernisation” and Regional Development in the Russian FederationNadir Kinossian, University of Tromsø, Norway



NEW VISITING FELLOWS

Alexandra Arkhipova is associate professor at the Centre for Typological and Semiotic Folklore Studies, Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow. She is the author of the book Jokes about Stalin: Texts, Comments, Analysis (in Russian) and more than 60 papers on folklore studies and anthropology, the origin of new Russian folklore in the Soviet era, anti-Stalin folklore, and the folklore and ethnography of Siberia, Northern and Central Asia. During her fellowship at the Aleksanteri Institute, Dr Arkhipova is working on a project entitled “Official and Popular Soviet Mythology: 1920s–40s”.

Fellowship period: 1 January–28 February, 2012

Craig Brandist is professor of cultural theory and intellectual history at the University of Sheffield, and the director of the Bakhtin Centre. Professor Brandist has published widely on Russian literature, intellectual history and critical thought. His books include: Carnival Culture and the Soviet Modernist Novel (1996), the co-edited The Bakhtin Circle: Philosophy, Culture and Politics (2002), The Bakhtin Circle: In the Master’s Absence (2004) and the co-edited Politics and the Theory of Language in the USSR 1917–1938 (2010). Professor Brandist is currently working on a monograph about the entwinement of questions of hegemony and language in the early years of the USSR, based on extensive research in archives and libraries in Russia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan. During his research stay at the Aleksanteri Institute, Professor Brandist will be working on a project entitled “The Development of Sociological Theories of Language in the USSR 1917–38”. Professor Brandist is also vice-president of the lecturer’s union (UCU) at the University of Sheffield and a photographer.

Fellowship period: mid-February–mid-April, 2012

Terry Cox is professor of central and East European studies at the University of Glasgow and editor of Europe-Asia Studies. He is past president of the British Association of Slavonic and East European Studies (BASEES) and is currently a member of the Area Studies sub-panel of the UK funding councils’ Research Excellence Framework (REF). Professor Cox’s current research interests are in the political sociology of post-communist transformations, with a special focus on civil society, interest group politics, governance and welfare regimes. His recent publications include the co-authored Policy Actors and Policy Making in Contemporary Hungary (2009), the edited Challenging

Communism in Eastern Europe: 1956 and its Legacy (2008), and the co-edited Reinventing Poland: Economic and Political Transformation and Changing National Identity (2008). Professor Cox’s research project “Arrested Transformation: the politics of post-communist Hungary” analyses the trajectory of Hungarian politics and society during the period of post-communist transformation.

Fellowship period: April 1–May 31, 2012

András Déak is a research director at the Center for EU Enlargement Studies at Central European University. He received his doctorate in international relations (2003, University of Economic Sciences in Hungary). From 1998 onwards, he was a researcher in charge of post-Soviet affairs at the Teleki Laszló Institute in Budapest. Between 2007 and 2009, he worked as executive director at the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs. Dr Déak has held several seminars on contemporary Russian politics and international energy policy at the Budapest Corvinus University. He has also published widely on Russian and post-Soviet energy policy and the energy industry over the past 10 years. During his stay at the Aleksanteri Institute, Dr Déak is working on a project entitled “Russia and the Global Gas and Oil Price Setting”.

Fellowship period: January 15–March 15, 2012

Nadir Kinossian is a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Tromsø, Norway and honorary lecturer at Cardiff University School of City and Regional Planning. Dr Kinossian’s research interests include urban and regional governance, borders in the European North and Russia’s contemporary modernisation. He holds a PhD (city and regional planning) from Cardiff University, two Master’s degrees (in political science from the University of Missouri and in urban planning from Cardiff University) as well as a degree in architecture from Kazan State Academy of Building and Architecture, Russia. Dr Kinossian has worked at Cardiff University for a UK-based consultancy called Arup, and also for the municipal government in Russia. His research project, “The Conceit of the Center: ‘Authoritarian Modernisation’ in the Russian Federation”, examines the nature and dynamics of Russia’s post-socialist transition, the role of the state in economic development and the general compatibility of entrepreneurial economic strategies with growing authoritarianism, “partial” democracy and “faux federalism”.

Fellowship period: mid-February–mid-April, 2012

Alexandra Arkhipova, Nadir Kinossian and András Déak


Aleksanteri InstituteFinnish Centre for Russian and Eastern

European Studies

The Aleksanteri Institute is affiliated with the University of Helsinki and operates

as a national centre of research, study and expertise pertaining to Russia and Eastern Europe, particularly in the social sciences and humanities. The institute co-ordinates and promotes co-operation and interaction between the academic world, public administration, business life and civil society in Finland and abroad.

The Aleksanteri Institute was founded in 1996. It has grown rapidly into a working community of around 50 people, including doctoral students in the Institute’s Graduate School who work at their respective universities. The Institute has a board of trustees that represents the University of Helsinki and other interest groups. The Institute also has an Advisory Board and is also guided in its various activities by the executive boards of the Master’s programme and of the Graduate School and by an editorial board.

Aleksanteri InstituteP.O. Box 42 (Unioninkatu 33)

FI-00014 University of Helsinki

[email protected] Tel. +358 (9) 191 24175

www.helsinki.fi/aleksanteri/english

Aleksanteri News is published in both electronic and printed format.

Download the electronic version atwww.helsinki.fi/aleksanteri/english/

news/newsletter. The next newsletter will be published

in April 2012.

Editor:Anna-Maria Salmi

Writers:Sari Autio-Sarasmo, Suvi Kansikas, Anna

Korhonen, Eeva Korteniemi, Katalin Miklóssy, Hanna Ruutu, Anna-Maria Salmi, Niina

TenhioLayout:

Petteri Linnakangas


Join the Aleksanteri Email List to stay informed in between the quarterly Newsletters. More information and instructions at:www.helsinki.fi/aleksanteri/english/news/aleksanteri-list.html

To receive the newsletter directly to your e-mail, please send an e-mail to [email protected]

KIKIMORA PUBLICATIONS

Kikimora Publications, the Aleksanteri Institute’s publishing house, has published over 80 monographs and anthologies to

date. Additional volumes and articles appear online and open access is seen as a valuable opportunity.

Overseen by an international board, Kikimora is Europe’s largest brand specialising in contemporary Russian and East European studies, particularly in the humanities and social sciences. Many of the volumes are in use as university textbooks.

The ‘Russian’ themes cover a wide spectrum, from topics in foreign and energy policies to judicial cooperation and administration rules and practices. The themes range from media to sociology, from non-canonised philosophers and the reception of Western thought to re-evaluation of the so-called Russian idea; from cultural history to studies of the Cold War, nationalism and the economic geography of northern regions.

The Aleksanteri Papers is the Aleksanteri Institute’s on-line series. It publishes peer-reviewed working papers by authors within the Institute's academic network.

For further information on the publishing service and on ordering publications, please visit:

www.helsinki.fi/kikimoraThe most practical way to order publications is to fill in the ordering

form: https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/25920/lomake.html

JARMO KOISTINEN

TALOUSRIKOS VENÄJÄLLÄ

Yksityinen yritystoiminta oli Neuvostoliitossa rikos. Venäjän

siirtyminen markkinatalousjärjestelmään tarkoitti sitä, että rikollisesta toiminnasta tuli sallittua ja kannustettavaa. Muutos merkitsi myös sitä, että talousrikoksen oikeudellinen sisältö koki täydellisen muutoksen.

Teoksessa vertaillaan keskeisten yritystoiminnan rikosten rangaistavuuden perusteita nyky-Venäjällä ja Suomessa. Tutkimus osoittaa, että talousrikosten vastuukynnys on Venäjällä korkeampi kuin Suomessa. Syynä tähän on talousrikoksia koskevan kriminaalipolitiikan merkittävä lieventyminen Venäjällä viime vuosina. Rikosoikeuden sijaan Venäjän viranomaiset puuttuvat talouselämän väärinkäytöksiin ensisijaisesti hallinnollisin rangaistuksin.

Teos ilmestyy huhtikuussa 2012.ISBN 978-952-10-6569-9ISSN 1455-481X

Jarmo Koistinen Talousrikos Venäjällä

Jarmo Koistinen

Talousrikos VenäjälläOikeusvertaileva tutkimus yritystoiminnan talousrikosten rangaistavuuden alasta historiallisessa ja yhteiskunnallisessa kontekstissa Venäjällä ja Suomessa

A23

Yksityinen yritystoiminta oli Neuvostoliitossa rikos. Venäjän siirtyminen markkinatalousjärjestelmään tar-koitti sitä, että rikollisesta toiminnasta tuli sallittua ja kannustettavaa. Muutos merkitsi myös sitä, että talousrikoksen oikeudellinen sisältö koki täydellisen muutoksen.

Teoksessa vertaillaan keskeisten yritystoiminnan rikosten rangaistavuuden perusteita nyky-Venäjällä ja Suomessa. Näitä ovat erityisesti verorikokset, velallisen rikokset ja rahanpesu. Lisäksi analysoidaan Venäjän ja Suomen oikeuslähdeoppien välisiä eroja sekä venäläistä rikoksen rakennetta ja yhteiskunnallista vaarallisuutta Venäjän rikoksen keskeisimpänä tunnusmerkkinä.

Tutkimus osoittaa, että talousrikosten vastuukynnys on Venäjällä korkeampi kuin Suomessa. Syynä tähän on talousrikoksia koskevan kriminaalipolitiikan merkittävä lieventyminen Venäjällä viime vuosina. Rikosoikeuden sijaan Venäjän viranomaiset puuttuvat talouselämän väärinkäytöksiin ensisijaisesti hallinnollisin rangaistuk-sin. Tutkimus on tervetullut ja hyödyllinen apuväline oikeusalalla työskenteleville käytännön ammattilaisille.

Jarmo Koistinen on Venäjän rikosoikeus-järjestelmään ja oikeusvertailuun erikoistunut tutkija. Hän valmistui oikeus-tieteen lisensiaatiksi (kandidat juriditšeskih nauk) Uralin valtiolli-sessa oikeusakatemiassa Jekaterinburgissa 2009. Hänellä on hallinto-tieteiden maisterin (rikos- ja prosessioikeus) ja filosofian maisterin (venäjän kääntäminen ja tulkkaus) tutkinnot Joensuun yliopistosta.Jarmo Koistinen kirjoitti tämän väitöskirjan Venäjän ja Itä-Euroopan tutkimuk-sen tohtoriohjelmassa Aleksanteri-instituutissa 2007–2011. Nykyisin hän toimii asiantuntijana Keskusrikospoliisissa ja venäjän auktorisoituna kääntäjänä. Hän on julkaissut useita rikosoi-keusvertailuun liittyviä kirjoituksia Venäjällä ja Suomessa.

ISBN 978-952-10-6569-9.ISSN 1455-481X

Talousrikos Venäjällä

Jarmo Koistinen

The Aleksanteri Institute publishes research results and textbooks in the refereed Kikimora Publications series. Overseen by an international board, the Kikimora Publications is Europe’s largest brand specialising in contemporary Russian and East European studies, particularly in the humanities and social sciences. http://www.helsinki.fi/aleksanteri/english/publications/index.html

new russia in the think corner choices of … · to do with political decision-making. ... mission...

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