Cullan
Co-Host of The Slavic Connexion
Cullan grew up in Boston and has a B.A. from the University of Vermont in History and Political Science. He is now pursuing a master's degree in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies at The University of Texas at Austin. His research interests include Czech history, 19th and 20th century Central Europe, uses of digital consumer media as tools for public history, national identity, and what do those demanding "historically accurate media" even mean? Before moving to Austin, Cullan worked in Vermont both as a paralegal and trivia host, which are critical experiences for any good podcast host.
Cullan has hosted 30 Episodes.
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The Ghana-Soviet Connexion with Nana Osei-Opare
April 12th, 2021 | Season 3 | 34 mins 30 secs
african history, history, nationalism, politics, racism, soviet history
On this episode, Professor Nana Osei-Opare from Fordham University joins us to talk about the history of Ghana's independence from Great Britain and the way in which this West African country looked to the Soviet Union to build itself as an "industrialized, socialist" post-colonialist state. This is a fascinating, important discussion, and we hope you enjoy!
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From Red to Green: The True Nature of Environmental Activism in Russia with Angelina Davydova
January 27th, 2021 | Season 3 | 50 mins 24 secs
environmental activism, environmental issues, journalism, russia, siberia
From St. Petersburg, Angelina Davydova, Environmental journalist and head of the German Russian Office of Environmental Information, graciously joins us to give us some surprising facts on the landscape of environmental activism and reform in Russia. This was an uplifting and eye-opening conversation and we hope you enjoy!
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Russian Meme Culture, "Shirtless Putin," and Pussy Riot with Eliot Borenstein
November 16th, 2020 | Season 3 | 42 mins 14 secs
humor, masculinity, memes, pussy riot, putin, shrek
On this fun episode, Dr. Eliot Borenstein from NYU joins us to talk about his research on memes and meme culture in Russia as well as his freshly-released book on Pussy Riot (available from Bloomsbury). We hope you enjoy!
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"Hunger and Fury: The Crisis of Democracy in the Balkans" with Jasmin Mujanovic
October 25th, 2020 | Season 3 | 51 mins 58 secs
balkans, china, democratization, elections, european union, regional politics
Dr. Jasmin Muajnovic, a political scientist focused on democratization and social movements in the Western Balkans and a host of podcast "Sarajevo Calling", joins Samantha and Cullan for an in-depth discussion on the state of democracy in the region in 2020. This is a great walkthrough of the elite maneuvering and politics in the Western Balkans and which nuclear powers hold sway and influence in the region. We hope you enjoy!
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The Białowieża Forest and "Pompik the Bison" with Tomasz Samojlik
September 4th, 2020 | Season 3 | 42 mins 27 secs
belarus, bison, environment, environmental activism, environmental history, forest, poland
On this episode, Cullan speaks with Dr. Tomasz Samojlik, an environmental historian and researcher at the Mammal Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Białowieża. In addition to his research, Dr. Samojlik spoke with us about his work popularizing science and scientific knowledge using books, comics and graphic novels for children. Enjoy!
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Soviets, Slovaks, and the Pope (with James Felak) // The Post-Socialist Effect (with Kateřina Kolářová)
March 28th, 2020 | Season 2 | 36 mins 36 secs
central european history, communism, gender studies, pope, sociology, state socialism
Take a break from the headlines and join us for a great conversation with the engaging Dr. James Felak, Central European historian at the University of Washington. And keep listening for an enriching visit with cultural studies professor Dr. Kateřina Kolářová from Charles University in Prague. We hope you enjoy!
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The Filmmaker and the First Tsar: The Legend of Sergei Eisenstein (with Joan Neuberger)
February 27th, 2020 | Season 2 | 53 mins 27 secs
eisenstein, film, history, ivan the terrible, not even past
On this episode we have the privilege of speaking with History professor and Eisenstein expert Dr. Joan Neuberger who among many things is also co-host and co-creator of 15-Minute History podcast and the public history project Not Even Past.
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Shades of Red, White, and Blue: Politics and Foreign Policy Today (with Dr. Mark Pomar)
February 9th, 2020 | Season 2 | 53 mins 13 secs
politics, presidential elections, russia, ukraine, us-russia relations
Dr. Mark Pomar, Russia expert and senior fellow at the Clements Center for National Security, revisits the studio to speak with us about modern-day politics and foreign policy in the US.
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"The Russia Factor": From Japan to the Crimea Consensus (ASEEES)
January 22nd, 2020 | Season 2 | 41 mins 35 secs
crimea, japan, post-cold war international relations, putin, russia, trump
Professor Akaha gives us his take on Russia-Japanese relations in the aftermath of the Cold War and the impact that Russia-US tensions play on Japan's geographic well-being. And in the second half of the episode, Dr. Smeltz from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs explains her findings from surveys that reveal Russians still approve of Putin's foreign policy.
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Victims' State // Slavic Folklore in YA Fiction
January 4th, 2020 | Season 2 | 33 mins 28 secs
czech nationalists, german nationalists, habsburg empire, russian folklore, ya fiction
In this episode, we go from the late Habsburg Empire with Dr. Hsia (of Indiana University Bloomington) to Slavic Folklore in modern young adult literature with Jill Martiniuk (U of H) talking about the romanticized Russian symbols used by authors everywhere.
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Urban Czech Walk // MTV & Yugoslav Rock (ASEEES 2019 Conference)
December 20th, 2019 | Season 2 | 31 mins 6 secs
czech cultures, live aid concert, mtv, prague, soviet rock, soviet youth, yugoslavia
From the ASEEES Conference in San Francisco, Professor Chad Bryant of UNC Chapel Hill speaks with us about Czech cultures and in the second half of the episode, Professor Laura Todd of the University of Nottingham lets us in on her research on early 1980s MTV and the Yugoslavian rock scene.
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Carpatho-Rusyn Nationality with Paul Magosci (ASEEES 2019 Conference)
December 12th, 2019 | Season 2 | 18 mins 32 secs
aseees, carpatho-rusyn identity, czechoslovakia, soviet ukraine, soviet union
At the 2019 ASEEES conference, Ukrainian history expert Dr. Paul Magosci talks with Cullan about Carpatho-Rusyn nationality and his pivotal role as a specialist in this region of the world.
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Georgia On My Mind: From Smuggled Spices to Internally Displaced Persons
September 23rd, 2019 | Season 2 | 48 mins 55 secs
displaced peoples, georgian food, immigrant crises, no path home
Our new hosts Tracy and Cullan sit down with geographer, anthropologist, and food studies expert Dr. Elizabeth Cullen Dunn of Indiana University. Dr. Dunn's journey from baby food factory worker to anthropologist is an incredible story. WARNING: Discussion of Georgian food will make you hungry; listen at your own peril.
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"Hammer and Silicon" with Dan Satinsky
September 16th, 2019 | Season 2 | 48 mins 7 secs
hammer and silicon, russian entrepreneurs in the us, soviet diaspora, soviet union
Our guest on this episode is Daniel Satinsky, a business professional and associate of the Davis Center at Harvard University who is an expert on the Soviet diaspora's impact and innovative success in the U.S. economy.