Russian Studies Workshop

Alicja Curanovic, Associate Professor, University of Warsaw

Prometheus against Katechon. Contemporary Political Messianism in Poland and Russia

Poland and Russia have shared a rich national tradition of political messianism. The annexation of Crimea, the war in Ukraine, and the so called “conservative turn” in Russian politics have revived a conversation about the new Russian messianism. Has anything similar been happening in Polish politics after 1989? How relevant is messianism for understanding political dynamics in Russian and Poland? What role does it play today in the self-identification process of both nations? How are the two messianic narratives different and why do they differ? We will try to find out what happens when Polish Prometheus faces Russian Katechon.

This lecture has been rescheduled for March 3, 2022 due to Zoom bombing during February 24th event. The new link for lecure will be posted as soon as it is available.

Sponsored by the the Indiana University Robert F. Byrnes Russian and European Institute, Russian Studies Workshop, and Polish Studies Center, in partnership with the Department of Eastern Studies at the University of Warsaw.