Project 1: Pravda: Historical Narratives in Disinformation (Dr. Tetiana Klynina)
Problem Statement: Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine did not begin on February 24, 2022. It began with the annexation of Crimean peninsula and the initiation of War in Donbas in 2014. The latter events, just like the current invasion, were accompanied by a stream of anti-Ukrainian propaganda, emanating from Russian government officials, state TV, various news outlets, social media, etc. The Russian government used all possible means to justify their actions against Ukraine. Weaponization of history was the most effective instrument in the Russian disinformation toolbox. How and why did the Russian state decide to adopt such measures against Ukraine? What were the major milestones of such weaponization of history? Was (and is) Russian historical disinformation strategy effective? To what extent are Russia’s historical narratives true or false? What are other examples of weaponization of history? What were their implications?
The essence of the project:
- Investigating weaponization of history; understanding how historical narratives are used in spreading mis/and disinformation;
- Finding the main historical narratives prevalent in disinformation (from the past century to the present) in the Russo-Ukrainian conflict;
- Exploring and deconstructing historical narratives in Soviet and modern Russian propaganda (focus on the events in Ukraine in 2013 - 2022). For example, in order to provide at least some explanation for their "incomprehensible" policies to justify their aggression in front of society, Kremlin leaders use manipulative mechanisms and spread misinformation about the past with a projection for the present. In essence, they tell stories about history, creating a certain historical narrative for each event they need.
- Attending bi-weekly, short project team meetings as well as the general all-hands meetings on Fridays at 2:30 PM
- As a researcher for this project, you can expect to input approximately 4 hours of work per week. In particular, you will be responsible for reading (and later, researching) academic and non-academic works/articles on weaponization of history in general as well as those that focus on weaponization of historical narratives pertaining to Ukraine by the Russian Federation. You will also have an opportunity to analyze the historical information that debunks Russia’s narratives.
- We will also request that you write weekly reflections on the readings with the main impressions that you got from them. This will facilitate harvesting of original ideas that can be included in the final product and substantiated by the research that you’ve done!
Project 2: #BoycottBiz Public Pressure Against Companies Operating in Russia (Dr. Volodymyr Kulikov)
Problem Statement: Multinational corporations (MNCs) running businesses in Russia faced challenges rarely dealt with at business schools. They face ethical dilemmas and feel strong pressure from their shareholders and stakeholders, forcing them to make decisions that go well beyond usual business thinking and strategizing. Thousands of companies have decided to divest, withdraw, or scale down their operations in Russia. In contrast, others justify their decision to stay with their responsibility towards their employees in Russia and their unwillingness to deprive Russia’s population of essential goods such as food and medical supplies. How and why can some companies benefit from war while others suffer disruption and destruction in their production and distribution networks? How does public pressure affect corporate behavior and reputation? What does (business) history teach us about ethical behavior in times of war?
The essence of the project:
- Analyze the boycott campaigns against MNCs doing business in Russia.
- Put the #BoycottRussia in a comparative historical context to see similarities and differences between the case and other armed conflicts and humanitarian crises such as the Arab–Israeli conflict, the Apartheid, the Soviet-Afghan War, and the Yugoslav Wars.
- Analyze open-source data on the current worldwide campaign against international business operations in Russia (harvesting and content analyzing social media).
- Conduct interviews with the major activists of the boycott movement.