Russian Studies Workshop

Scout Polizzotti graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2020 with BAs in Political Science and Global Studies, with concentrations in Russian Area Studies and Human Rights and Justice. After studying abroad in St. Petersburg, Russia in the spring of 2019 and completing a summer at IU’s intensive language workshop, she decided to pursue a Master’s degree in Russian and East European Studies to further her area studies knowledge and strengthen her language skills. During her time with REEI, Scout’s research focused on developments in the Russian Arctic, including militarization efforts, Russia-NATO tensions, resource extraction, and indigenous perspectives. In the summer of 2021, she was a fellow with the Arctic Institute’s Arctic Spring College initiative and also participated in the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ executive course Understanding the Russian Military Today. Upon her completion of REEI’s MA degree, Scout successfully defended her MA Essay titled A Really Cold War: Examining the evolution of Russia’s Arctic strategy through Russian Reactions to NATO involvement in the Far North, 2007-2022.