About Us

The Centre for Russian and Eurasian Studies was created in 2004 to faciliate collaboration in research, teaching and postgraduate supervision between academic staff across the University of Manchester with expertise in Russia, other countries of the former Soviet Union and Eastern and East Central Europe. Members also include representatives from other universities in the North of England. See here for a full list of members.

Current research projects of Centre members cover a broad range of topics in the modern and contemporary history of Russia and the other former communist states. Several common themes run through the group's research activities: nationalism and the construction of national identities in Russia and its neighbouring states from the late nineteenth century to the present; the relationship between intellectuals and the state under the communist regime; and the impact of pan-European developments (e.g. EU enlargement) on the region. Members hold grants from the AHRC, ESRC and the British Academy. Many of the issues raised by the group's research are very topical. These include ethnic relations in the highly volatile areas of former Soviet Central Asia and the Caucasus and the global problem of population displacement.