The Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (CREES) and Weiser Center for Emerging Democracies (WCED) at the University of Michigan are pleased to welcome Irina Prokhorova, Russian literary critic and cultural historian, for a public lecture at the Hatcher Graduate Library on November 19 at 4:00 pm. Recently, Prokhorova has become an important figure in Russian politics. Her brother Mikhail ran for president of Russia in March, and Ms. Prokhorova took a prominent role as a central actor in the campaign, captivating audiences and challenging her opponents during a proxy debate for the candidates. She has become a fixture at the street protests taking place in Russia, and she published a book after the disputed December parliamentary elections titled Angry Observers, which includes firsthand accounts of election fraud.

Irina Prokhorova is a co-founder of the Mikhail Prokhorov Fund, which supports the development of new cultural institutions and initiatives in Russia, as well the promotion of Russian culture in the global intellectual community. She is the head of the New Literary Observer magazine, which she founded in 1992 and was the first independent academic journal in Russia. Ms. Prokhorova later established a publishing house by the same name and has received several high honors including being named a Chevalier in the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and receiving Russia’s Andrey Belyi Prize for Literature.

This lecture is part of the series Pluralism in Politics and Culture, a new initiative jointly sponsored by CREES and WCED that examines the foundations of free and open societies. The project builds on U-M’s rich legacy of study and support of the dissident culture in the former Soviet Union. The series focuses on multiple facets of political pluralism, including its legal, cultural, and economic dimensions, and explores them in a broader historical context.

PLACE: Room 100, Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library, 913 S. University Ave, Ann Arbor

SPONSORS: Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies; University Library; Weiser Center for Emerging Democracies

WEB LINK:   www.ii.umich.edu/crees/events


The Ronald and Eileen Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia (WCEE) supports faculty and student research, teaching, collaboration, and public engagement in studying the institutions, cultures, and histories of these regions. WCEE is housed in the University of Michigan International Institute with the Center for European Studies (CES); the Center for Russian, East European, & Eurasian Studies (CREES); and the Weiser Center for Emerging Democracies (WCED). Named in honor of Ronald and Eileen Weiser and inspired by their time in Slovakia during Ambassador Weiser’s service as U.S. ambassador from 2001-04, WCEE began operations in September 2008. For more information, visit www.ii.umich.edu/wcee.

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