What happens when Harry Potter arrives in Russia just as Vladimir Putin rises to power? Cullan and Lera speak with returning guest Dr. Eliot Borenstein (NYU), author of the new book The Politics of Fantasy: Magic, Children’s Literature, and Fandom in Putin’s Russia, to unpack how Western fantasy franchises, particularly Harry Potter, were translated, adapted, and politicized in Russia. From Orthodox denunciations of wizardry and bizarre propaganda flops like Kids vs. Wizards, to the homegrown parody heroine Tanya Grotter, Dr. Borenstein explores the strange cultural afterlife of global fantasy in post-Soviet Russia. We also dive into the politics of art and artists, the ethics of fandom in the age of J.K. Rowling, and how pop culture shapes—and distorts—Russian views of themselves and the West. We hope you enjoy!

Producer's Note: This episode was recorded via Zoom on August 8, 2025.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Eliot Borenstein is Professor of Russian & Slavic Studies and Vice Chancellor and Vice Provost for Global Programs at New York University, where he oversees NYU’s global sites and study away programs. He is the author of Men without Women: Masculinity and Revolution in Russian Fiction, 1917-1929 (2001 AATSEEL book prize), Overkill: Sex and Violence in Contemporary Russian Popular Culture (2008 AWSS book prize), Plots against Russia: Conspiracy and Fantasy after Socialism (2020 Wayne S. Vucinich book prize and 2020 AATSEEL book prize), Pussy Riot: Speaking Punk to Power (Bloomsbury, 2020), Meanwhile, in Russia…: Russian Internet Memes and Viral Video (Bloomsbury, 2022), Marvel Comics in the 1970s: The World Inside Your Head (Cornell, 2023), Soviet-Self-Hatred: The Secret Identities of Postsocialism (Cornell, 2023), and HBO’s The Leftovers: Mourning and Melancholy on Premium Cable (Lexington Books, 2023). More information can be found on his website: https://www.eliotborenstein.net

On this episode, Cullan speaks with sociology professor Lisa Wisniewski of Goodwin University about her new book exploring the lived experiences of Slavic Americans and the cultural, political, and emotional landscapes they navigate as immigrants. Drawing from personal narratives and interdisciplinary research, Dr. Wisniewski unpacks how migration shapes identity, memory, and belonging in both Eastern and Western contexts. This was a compelling and important conversation on diaspora, displacement, and the buried stories that are part of our recent past which connect us across borders and across generations. Thanks for listening!

Read more about Dr. Wisniewski's work: https://www.goodwin.edu/enews/navigating-american-education-as-eastern-european-immigrant/

About the Guest

Dr. Lisa Wisniewski is a professor of Sociology at Goodwin University. Lisa completed her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) focused on Educational Leadership from the University of Hartford in 2017. Her research has focused on immigrant students, first-generation college students, and effective teaching practices using Universal Design for Learning. Dr. Wisniewski presents regionally, nationally, and internationally. Most recently she served as the State Chair for the Connecticut American Council on Education Women’s Network. Her work in the community focused on the immigrant experience has led to invitations to the White House and the Polish Consulate of New York City. As an advocate for college access for first-generation students, she has worked with several groups and organizations throughout Connecticut to support students navigate the college process. Lisa created and hosts a lecture series called Community Conversations that began the conversation on the war in Ukraine and presents lectures on immigration, citizenship, democracy, social issues, and globalization that has garnered a national and international audience. In addition, she serves as the host of Goodwin Teaches: Universal Design for Learning Stories in Higher Education podcast.

In this episode, we sit down with Russian-born author Yaroslav Barsukov, whose life and work are deeply intertwined with the political upheavals of modern Russia. Growing up in the Soviet Union and post-Soviet Russia, Barsukov witnessed firsthand the rise of Vladimir Putin before immigrating to Vienna in 2005. From there, he observed as Russia's trajectory culminated in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

We discuss Barsukov’s personal experiences with Russian propaganda, his insights into the manipulation of truth, and how his experience-informed writing tends to forecast dystopian reality in eerily accurate ways.

About the Guest

Yaroslav Barsukov, an author with a unique background in physics and software engineering, has emerged as a distinctive voice in the realm of speculative fiction. Born in Cold War-era Moscow and educated at the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute and Austria's Vienna University of Technology, Barsukov initially pursued a career in software engineering. His entry into the literary world was serendipitous, stemming from his involvement in game development where he translated a companion tale to a game's mythology. This experience marked the beginning of his journey as a writer, and he started crafting short stories in English around 2014. Barsukov's work is celebrated for its innovative blend of fantasy and science fiction elements, diverging from the traditional hard-science SF model. His acclaimed novella "Tower of Mud and Straw" was shortlisted for the Nebula Award and received a Kirkus Star, demonstrating his prowess in weaving narratives that explore the human condition through a speculative lens. His stories, characterized by high-fantasy filigree and physics reminiscent of alchemy, have appeared in renowned publications such as Galaxy's Edge, Nature: Futures, and StarShipSofa. Barsukov's literary influences span from Russian maestros like Leo Tolstoy to American science fiction authors, shaping his unique storytelling style that transcends genre boundaries.

PRODUCER'S NOTE: This episode was recorded on February 28, 2024 via Zoom. If you have questions, comments, or would like to be a guest on the show, please email slavx@connexions.ai and we will be in touch!

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Host: Michelle Daniel

Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig

Associate Producer: Basil Fedun

Associate Producer: Sergio Glajar

Background music by Ben Geraci, Denys Brodovskyi, Alex Productions. Closing Theme by Charlie Harper. Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel www.msdaniel.com

#Russia #Ukraine #Putin #Disinformation #SpeculativeFiction #Propaganda #YaroslavBarsukov #TheSlavicConnexion