Considering the Great Questions of Political Science from the Slavic-Eurasian Region

The Russian invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022 shocked the world. While I was aware that the relationship between Russia and Ukraine was fraught with various issues, I did not think it would lead to war, and I have had much to reflect on since the conflict began. The two countries that have been my primary fields of study started a full-scale war, and many of the local people I know have been caught up in it. While my emotions are stirred daily, as a researcher, I believe I must calmly examine why it reached the point of war.

My specialty, Slavic-Eurasian regional studies, primarily focuses on the countries born from the sudden dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. This region shook the world with the Russian Revolution in 1917, created the unique political system of the Communist Party regime, reigned over world politics as one of the two poles alongside the United States during the Cold War, shook the world again in 1991 when the massive state dissolved, and is now once again the focus of global attention due to the Russia-Ukraine War. However, despite the frequent occurrence of such major events, it seems that each time they only become a matter of transient interest rather than a subject of constant attention. This is due to a lack of effort from researchers in this region, including myself, but I can still say with confidence that the politics of this region are extremely fascinating.

To consider the classic problems of international politics—war and peace—it is extremely important to deeply understand this region, which is currently at war. It goes without saying that the Russian Revolution remains a classic case for considering the political phenomenon of revolution. Today, few people would include the Soviet Union when thinking about what democracy is, but the Soviet political system officially claimed to be more democratic than the West. Most of the new states born in 1991 initially did not even have the appearance of functioning states. By observing their subsequent development, we can observe the process of state-building in real-time. Furthermore, the multi-ethnic nature of this region provides valuable insights for considering one of today's most important issues: the coexistence of multiple ethnic groups.

I have conducted research while balancing two roles: the historical research theme of the collapse of the Soviet system, and the contemporary politics of Russia and Ukraine. Whether I am working on a historical theme or contemporary politics, I always feel intellectual excitement when I land on-site to conduct an investigation. I hope to share the fascination of this region with students and consider the great questions of political science together.