Oil Culture: Producing the New Russia

This project is an ethnographic exploration of Russia as a “petrostate” and concentrates on interactions among state agencies, oil companies, and an array of other actors in the Russian Perm Region. 

The student partner will be involved in research assistance, including finding, reading, and summarizing sources; writing background reports on topics crucial to the development of the book; reading and discussing drafts, etc. 

Fluent or near fluent Russian language skills are required, and experience with library research is very important. The student would provide crucial data to the project and may help to frame parts of the book's argument. The student would gain insights into contemporary Russian society and politics, see the process of writing a book from the inside, and improve her or his research and analysis skills.