Research and Related Activities
Project: Faculty Exchanges
Strengthening ties between institutions requires more than electronic exchanges; face-time is also critical. The recognition of this fact has led to a series of visits between UST and Belarusian State University faculty, including a March 2010 visit by Dr. Hoffman to BSU, an April 2010 visit by Dr. Shadurski to UST and a projected September 2010 visit to BSU by Dr. Buhr. Each of the visits included meetings with members of various departments and administrators, lectures to a number of classes at our respective institutions, and meetings with other professional groups and students from neighboring institutions.
Project: Belarusian National Identity
The region roughly identified as Eastern Europe has historically been a highly contested space. Stretching back to the emergence of Russia, moving through the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the rise and demise of the Polish state, the march of the Russian empire and again, the rise and breakup of the USSR, the contemporary countries of Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania, have long struggled with core questions of national identity. Despite their geographic proximity and their inseparable histories each has followed distinctive historical path. The development of these various trajectories constitutes one of our principle areas of research. While our research has to date focused on Belarus, we are in the early stages of a collaborative project with a Lithuanian partner to replicate survey work undertaken in Belarus.
Project: The Belarusian Diaspora in the United States
The establishment of national diasporas, and their oftentimes profound effects on the ‘mother country, is a well-known phenomena. Indeed, non-resident nationals are often a leading force in the development of separatist movements and the establishment of a national state. This has not been the experience of the Belarusian émigré population. We are in the early stages of designing a project that will investigate the reasons for the relative lack of cohesion and whether or not the establishment of the Belarusian state might be leading towards a greater cohesion on the part of Belarusian transplants.
Papers and Presentations:
"The Independent State and the Diaspora: Effects on Belarusian Identity Formation." 2011. Renee Buhr, Steven M. Hoffman and victor Shadurski. Presented at International Studies Association (ISA) Conference. Montreal, Canada.
"Constructed and Primordial Identity on the Edge of Russia: Belarus, Ukraine, and Lithuania in Comparative Perspective.” Renee Buhr, Victor Shadurski, and Steven M. Hoffman.
Presented at the 2010 Annual World Convention of the Association for the Study of
Nationalities. Columbia University, New York City, NY.
“Post-Soviet Nationalism and an Emergent Russia: the Case of Belarus.” 2009. Renee Buhr, Victor Shadurski, and Steven M. Hoffman. Presented at the meetings of the International
Studies Association-Midwest/Central Slavic Conference. St. Louis, MO.
“Environmental Policy Despite the Bush Administration: Federalism, Divided Powers, and the Last Six Years.” Steven M. Hoffman. (Федерализм и разделение властей в политике США
по охране окружающей среды). Development: Journal of International Relations and
Law. International Society for Research and Educational Programs. 2007. Number 3.
Pp.57-65. Belarusian State University.
Publications:
"Belarus: An Emerging Civic Nation?" 2011. Buhr, Renee, Victor Shadurski and Steven M. Hoffman.Nationalities Papers. Volume 39, Number 2. Pp.387-403.
