Stephen Cohen‘s classes on Soviet politics, Soviet foreign policy, and Russian history dominated course loads at Princeton for decades. Cohen‘s take on the Soviet Union and leaders such as Bukharin, Gorbachev, and Putin made him an outlier among America’s Russia scholars but it was thrilling to take his classes and engage him directly. This episode takes a look at what made Cohen a phenomenon; with Nils Muiznieks and Dave Powelstock (Cohen students who became Russia scholars).

Discussed in this episode:

Stephen F. Cohen, Bukharin and the Bolshevik Revolution

Stephen F. Cohen, Soviet Fates and Lost Alternatives: From Stalinism to the New Cold War

Karen Dawisha, Putin's Kleptocracy: Who Owns Russia?

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Diplomats Lew Lukens and Nils Muiznieks discuss the immediate and long-term impacts of Coronavirus in Europe.

Lew became one of America's top diplomats through several decades in the Foreign Service and is now a Senior Partner in London with Signum Global Advisors, a New York-based independent advisory firm.

Nils, the recent European Human Rights Commissioner, is a European Affairs and Human Rights consultant based in Riga, Latvia.

(Shortly after this episode was recorded on March 23, 2020, UK officials imposed a near-total nationwide lockdown.)

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Lew Lukens became one of America's top diplomats through several decades in the Foreign Service, including postings as Executive Director for Secretary of State Clinton, Ambassador to Senegal/Guinea-Bissau, and DCM in London.

Lew offers candid observations about how the current Administration has jeopardized U.S. interests and values, and the practice of diplomacy around the world, in conversation with classmates Jack Weiss and Nils Muiznieks, the recent European Human Rights Commissioner.

Lew is now a Senior Partner in London with Signum Global Advisors, a New York-based independent advisory firm.

(The current Administration's assault on professionalism targeted Lew; you can read about that here: https://www.gq.com/story/trump-is-waging-war-on-american-diplomats)

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