Taylor
Co-Host of The Slavic Connexion
Taylor Ham is a first-year M.A. student at the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies. She received her Master of Global Policy Studies degree from the LBJ School, where she studied national security, counterterrorism, and intelligence. Before attending the University of Texas, she led the underwriting department at a bank in Waco, Texas where she worked as an Assistant Vice President and Credit Officer. She hopes to build upon the professional leadership and analytical skills gained in that role and apply them to a career in foreign policy and intelligence. Taylor is specifically interested in studying Russian foreign policy in the Middle East, particularly in relation to Iran and Russia’s intelligence operations and asymmetric warfare used in ongoing conflicts.
Taylor has hosted eight Episodes.
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You Only Need to Die: The Secret Police of East Germany and Romania
March 6th, 2023 | Season 5 | 36 mins 59 secs
cold war, history, intelligence
On this episode, Valentina Glajar and Alison Lewis share their personal stories and research on the history of East Germany's STASI and Romania's Securitate and the dismantling of these secret police forces. Thank you for listening!
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Compounding Conflicts: Russia in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Africa with Robert Freedman
December 23rd, 2022 | Season 5 | 45 mins 2 secs
africa, geopolitics, middle east, russia, security, ukraine, war
On this episode, venerated political scientist Dr. Robert Freedman joins us to expound on the various wars and conflicts that Russia has gotten into, not only in Ukraine, but also in Syria, Libya, Mali, and more. Dr. Freedman articulates Putin's current goals as he sees them, touches on the liberal use of the Wagner Group by Russia, and prognosticates on the future of the war in Ukraine and Ukraine's prospects in joining Western security organizations. Thanks for listening (and happy holidays to all)!
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Russian Law: "Is There Any?" with Will Pomeranz
November 16th, 2022 | Season 5 | 36 mins 39 secs
aseees, history, law, russia, ukraine, war
On this episode, recorded in-person at the ASEEES 2022 Convention in Chicago, Lera and Taylor sit down with Will Pomeranz, the director of the Wilson Center's Kennan Institute, to talk about his experience practicing Russian law in Russia, the work of the Kennan Institute, the evolution (and devolution) of Russian law from the tsarist period through Putin today, and the legality of the referenda in Ukraine. We hope you enjoy!
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"Oil, the State, and War" with Emma Ashford
October 31st, 2022 | Season 5 | 39 mins 34 secs
energy, foreign policy, history, middle east, oil, russia, war
On this episode, continuing the discussion about the effects of the War in Ukraine on the energy sector, Taylor and Lera speak with Foreign Policy columnist and Stimson Center senior fellow Emma Ashford who shares about her book "Oil, the State, and War: The Foreign Policy of Petrostates." Thanks for listening!
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"Ingredients of Change": History of Food in Bulgaria with Mary Neuburger
October 21st, 2022 | Season 5 | 42 mins 23 secs
balkans, culture, food history, soviet history
On this episode, Taylor talks with the director of CREEES, Dr. Mary Neuburger, about her latest book entitled Ingredients of Change: The History and Culture of Food in Modern Bulgaria. Thanks for listening!
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Putin's War in Ukraine: Mobilization, Annexation, and the Coming Winter
October 7th, 2022 | Season 5 | 42 mins 13 secs
current events, politics, putin, russia, ukraine, war
On this episode, Lera and Taylor welcome returning guest Leonid Ragozin who candidly updates us on the war in Ukraine and helps us make sense of the fog of this conflict and the continual stream of headline-making actions emanating from the Kremlin.
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The Russian Opposition Today and the Legacy of Boris Nemtsov with Vladimir Kara-Murza
February 14th, 2022 | Season 4 | 36 mins 23 secs
anti-corruption, foreign policy, international relations, navalny, nemtsov, russia, russian opposition
On this special episode, we had the opportunity to speak with Russian opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza during his visit to The University of Texas at Austin. Mr. Kara-Murza provides insight into the Russian dissident movement today, perspective on Mr. Putin and US-Russian relations over the last two decades, and personal reflections on the life and legacy of Boris Nemtsov before and after his assassination on February 27, 2015. We hope you enjoy!
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North Macedonia and the Mired Quest for EU Accession
January 17th, 2022 | Season 4 | 29 mins 59 secs
bulgaria, eu, greece, history, north macedonia, politics
On this special episode, Dr. Mary Neuburger's graduate class presents their analysis of North Macedonia’s complicated quest for EU accession which has been ongoing for over 25 years. What's the hold up exactly and which EU members are keen on preventing European integration? Take a listen and find out!