2020 VIRTUAL SUMMER RESEARCH LABORATORY ON RUSSIA, EASTERN EUROPE, AND EURASIA
June 15 – August 9, 2020
OVERVIEW
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Illinois has suspended all in-person summer programming on campus. It thus will not be possible to host an in-person Summer Research Lab this year. However, in order to help SRL Associates advance their research this summer, REEEC and the Slavic Reference Service (SRS ) at Illinois are offering a program of research support we are calling the Virtual Summer Research Laboratory (or VSRL). This program includes the expanded bibliographical support offered by SRS (please see the Virtual SRS Services Guide) plus a calendar of virtual scholarly events hosted by REEEC (see below). Our goal is to provide you with the most effective support in advancing your research on the Russian, East European, and Eurasian region.
We have also received authorization from our funder, the U.S. Department of State’s Title VIII Program for Research and Training on Eastern Europe and the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union, to host this year’s in-person activities next year, in Summer 2021. These activities include the three planned Research Workshops.
Although we are sad to not be able to meet with you in-person this summer, we hope it treats you well. We look forward to resuming our scholarly community online through the VSRL and seeing you here in Urbana-Champaign next year.
Please feel free to contact us at reeec-srl@illinois.edu should you have any questions or concerns.
VIRTUAL SUMMER RESEARCH LABORATORY (VSRL) CALENDAR:
June 15: VSRL Begins
June 16, 9:30 AM CST: Introduction to Collections & Services – Slavic Reference Service
Join SRS reference specialists for an informative session on virtual services and search strategies for interacting with research collections. This session is open to all SRL participants. Registration required.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact SRS at srscite@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
June 17, 1 PM CST: VSRL Meet and Greet
At the first VSRL coffee/tea break, we will discuss how the VSRL and its associates can work together to help you with your research this summer. Would you be interested in joining a writing group? Or presenting your research in progress in a virtual kruzhok (small reading group) or ‘lightning presentation’ format? We welcome your ideas!
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact REEEC at reeec-srl@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
June 19, 4 PM CST: VSRL Social Hour
Bring your favorite beverage and meet some of your fellow SRL associates! You can discuss your summer projects (related or not to your research), commiserate about scholarship and working conditions during COVID-19, look forward to future travel plans, or just chat with other people who enjoy studying Russia, eastern Europe, and Eurasia.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact REEEC at reeec-srl@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
June 22-23: Climate & Society in Eurasia: Past, Present, and Future Workshop
Co-moderators: Andy Bruno (Northern Illinois University) and Pey-Yi Chu (Pomona College)
This workshop aims to foster multifaceted and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding concerns related to climate in Russia, East Europe, and Eurasia. We will discuss the interactions of climate and society historically and today, as well as what they mean for the future. Participants will investigate the implications of rapidly advancing climate change as well as historic climate fluctuations, disruptions, and perceptions for migration, disaster preparedness, water and food security, environmental justice, sustainability, development, species and habitat degradation, biodiversity loss, and other issues. Please note that this Workshop Webinar is open to all associates. For Zoom login information and details about participation in the Webinar, please contact the organizers Andy Bruno (abruno2@niu.edu) and Pey-Yi Chu (Pey-Yi.Chu@pomona.edu).
June 23, 9 AM CST: SEEE Collections and Services at the Slavonic Library, National Library of Finland
Emilia Karjalainen, National Library of Finland
The Slavonic Library at the National Library of Finland is one of the most important depositories for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian studies. Emilia Karjalainen will introduce collections and services for visiting scholars at the Slavonic Library. All are welcome to join! Registration required.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact SRS at srscite@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
June 24, 11 AM CST: Introduction to Slavic and East European Resources at the Library of Congress
Angela Cannon, Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is home to one of the largest collections of SEEE materials in the world. Angela Cannon will introduce digital tools and other resources at the Library of Congress. This session is open to SRL participants. Registration required.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact SRS at srscite@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
June 25, 3 PM CST: SRS Reception
Come join us virtually to celebrate and recognize the accomplishments of our SRS and SRL colleagues. This event will feature a guest lecture. All virtual SRL scholars are invited to participate.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact SRS at srscite@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
June 29, 12:00 PM CST: Meet with the Slavic Review Editorial Staff
Are you interested in publishing your manuscript in an academic journal? Meet with Slavic Review editorial staff, Dr. Harriet Murav (Editor) and Dr. Dmitry Tartakovsky (Managing Editor), to discuss the publishing process. They will be offering tips and suggestions to prepare your manuscript.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please SRS at srscite@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
June 30, 12 PM CST: VSRL Virtual Kruzhok Series – Coffee Break + Lightning Lab
These sessions will allow us to discuss research in progress in a short “lightning” format. Each presenter will have 5 minutes to present their research. Q&A and discussion will follow the presentations.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact REEEC at reeec-srl@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
July 3: Independence Day, observed (all-campus holiday)
July 6-10: VSRL Working Group on Darwin’s reception in Russia
The working group will convene to workshop contributions for a proposed volume on the cultural reception of Darwin, studying the impact of Darwinism upon the broader intellectual life of Russia beyond scientific circles. We welcome additional participants. For more information, please contact Professor Stephen Woodburn (Southwestern College) at Stephen.Woodburn@sckans.edu
July 8, 1 PM CST: VSRL Virtual Kruzhok Series – Coffee Break + Lightning Lab
These sessions will allow us to discuss research in progress in a short “lightning” format. Each presenter will have 5 minutes to present their research. Q&A and discussion will follow the presentations.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact REEEC at reeec-srl@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
July 9, 1 PM CST: Dissertation Research Panel Discussion
The Slavic Reference Service is hosting an online discussion to assist doctoral students participating in the Virtual Summer Research Laboratory.
Panelists and fellow doctoral students will discuss research resources, funding, and training in the time of COVID-19.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please SRS at srscite@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
July 9, 4 PM CST: VSRL Social Hour
Bring your favorite beverage and meet some of your fellow SRL associates! You can discuss your summer projects (related or not to your research), commiserate about scholarship and working conditions during COVID-19, look forward to future travel plans, or just chat with other people who enjoy studying Russia, eastern Europe, and Eurasia.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact REEEC at reeec-srl@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
July 14, 12 PM CST: VSRL Virtual Kruzhok Series – Coffee Break + Lightning Lab
These sessions will allow us to discuss research in progress in a short “lightning” format. Each presenter will have 5 minutes to present their research. Q&A and discussion will follow the presentations.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact REEEC at reeec-srl@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
July 16, 12 PM CST: VSRL Public Lecture: Michele Leigh and Lora Mjolsness, “She Animates: Soviet Female Subjectivity in Soviet and Russian Animation”
She Animates examines the work of twelve female animation directors in the Soviet Union and Russia, who have long been overlooked by film scholars and historians. Dr. Leigh and Dr. Mjolsness’ approach examines these directors within history, culture, and industrial practice in animation. In addition to making a case for including these women and their work in the annals of film and animation history, this volume also makes an argument for why their work should be considered part of the tradition of women’s cinema. Dr. Leigh and Dr. Mjolsness offer an analysis that focuses on the changing attitudes towards both the woman question and feminism by examining the films in light of the emergence and evolution of a Soviet female subjectivity that still informs women’s cinema in Russia today.
Michele Leigh is an independent scholar writing on gender in film and television. A 2016-2017 Fulbright Scholar in Russia, Leigh conducted research for a manuscript on female industrial labor in the film industry prior to 1917. She has published articles on historiography, early Russian cinema, and films of the Thaw.
Lora Mjolsness is a lecturer at the University of California, Irvine in the Department of European Studies and the Director of the Program in Russian Studies. She teaches interdisciplinary courses on Russian and Soviet cinema, the history of Soviet Animation, Russian folklore and children’s literature.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact REEEC at reeec-srl@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
July 22, 1 PM CST: VSRL Virtual Kruzhok Series – Paper Presentations
These sessions will allow us to discuss research in progress. Papers will be circulated in advance; the maximum paper length is 35 pages. Presenters will give remarks about their research/paper (15-20 minutes each). Discussion to follow after each paper presentation.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact REEEC at reeec-srl@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
July 24, 4 PM CST: VSRL Graduate Student Social
Bring your favorite beverage and meet some of your fellow graduate student SRL associates! You can discuss your summer projects (related or not to your research), commiserate about scholarship and working conditions during COVID-19, look forward to future travel plans, or just chat with other people who enjoy studying Russia, eastern Europe, and Eurasia.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact REEEC at reeec-srl@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
July 28, 12 PM CST: VSRL Virtual Kruzhok Series – Papers Presentations
These sessions will allow us to discuss research in progress. Papers will be circulated in advance; the maximum paper length is 35 pages. Presenters will give remarks about their research/paper (15-20 minutes each). Discussion to follow after each paper presentation.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact REEEC at reeec-srl@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
August 5, 1 PM CST: VSRL Virtual Kruzhok Series – Paper Presentations
These sessions will allow us to discuss research in progress. Papers will be circulated in advance; the maximum paper length is 35 pages. Presenters will give remarks about their research/paper (15-20 minutes each). Discussion to follow after each paper presentation.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact REEEC at reeec-srl@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
August 7, 3 PM CST: VSRL Graduate Student Social
Bring your favorite beverage and meet some of your fellow graduate student SRL associates! You can discuss your summer projects (related or not to your research), commiserate about scholarship and working conditions during COVID-19, look forward to future travel plans, or just chat with other people who enjoy studying Russia, eastern Europe, and Eurasia.
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact REEEC at reeec-srl@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
August 7, 4 PM CST: VSRL Sign-off Social Hour
Join us for one last VSRL event! Prepare your favorite beverage and get ready to socialize with fellow VSRL associates, celebrate accomplishments (e.g., upcoming publications), and share any feedback from your experience this summer including ways we can continue to support your research and keep in touch during the academic year. We look forward to the in-person SRL next summer!
Hosted on Zoom:
Please contact REEEC at reeec-srl@illinois.edu for Zoom meeting information
August 9: VSRL ends