Tightened censorship in Russia. Since the start of the invasion of Ukraine, censorship in Russia has tightened, not only on the press, but also on culture. Artists critical of the war and the Russian state are branded 'foreign agents'. Publishers, bookshops and libraries are considering no longer publishing, selling or lending the books of such foreign agents. Critical media and cultural channels have left the country and are increasingly hampered in their attempts to inform the homeland through popular platforms such as YouTube. Much, but not all, of the responsibility for this development lies with the man who was unexpectedly thrust into the presidency at the end of 1999 and who has since been steadily consolidating his own power base (and that of his closest associates) and the cultural and, by extension, general lack of freedom in Russia. This man is described in the latest novel by former Soviet dissident writer Viktor Yerofeyev as 'The Great Gopnik'. Yerofeyev, whose novels include the infamous "Russian Beauty" (1990) and "The Good Stalin" (2004), began work on his "horror comedy" before the war, but did not publish it until October 2024. On 13 February, the writer will be in Ghent to talk about the role of culture and literature in contemporary Russia. Everyone is welcome, but registration is obligatory. Everyone is also invited to submit questions for the author. These questions can then be addressed during the discussion.

An evening with Ukrainian residency hosts to explore how they bring a sense of community, solidarity and the much-needed space to create art during wartime.

The film tells the poignant story of Russian human rights activist Yuri Dmitriev and his quest to uncover the truth about Stalin’s “Great Purge” campaign of 1937.

We mogen inmiddels van een gevestigde traditie spreken, de jaarlijkse Studiedag van Levende Talen Russisch. Voor 2024 staat weer een prachtig programma voor u klaar, dit keer zelfs met een plenaire lezing in het Russisch.

Five experts from flagship Ukrainian regional museums share their experiences on their changing roles and narrational perspectives during and after wartime.

Given the current geo-political situation, have you wondered which philosophers influenced Putin's perspective on Russia? Additionally, what alternatives does Russian thought offer to his "Russian World" ideology? Come explore the religious-philosophical sources which contribute to this discussion and the role of religion in present-day Russia, by joining the course Russian Religious Philosophy in the Silver Age.

In the November edition of Eastsplainers, we explore cinematic representations of Central and Eastern Europe.