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James Richter Colby lecture: "Russia's Civilizational Mission: The Kremlin Articulates Russian National Identity."

Professor James Richter, Bates College political scientist, gave the audience both a sense of Russian history and a look at President Vladimir Putin's interpretation of Russia's role in the world. In the course of his March 1, 2018 lecture, Jim Richter traced Russia's civilizational mission from the 10 th century role of Prince Vladimir, who Christianized the many princedoms of Rus', through the Europeanizing mission of Peter the Great. Russia's victorious defense of the Eastern Front at the epic Battle of Stalingrad, the turning point in the Allied victory over Hitler, marked the rise of Soviet Communism to the status of a world power. Russia's civilizational mission continues today as Vladimir Putin reasserts Russian power in Eastern Europe. Professor Richter gave his assessment of Russian foreign relations with the new countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet republics. He noted the variety of these alliances and uneasy relationships with Poland, Czech republic, Ukraine, and others.

This talk, co-sponsored by the Kotlas Connection and the Colby College Russian Program was followed by a dinner, at which discussion continued on all these vital and difficult foreign policy questions.