1. www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto «Servant of Two Masters»: An Experience of Being a Russian - Finnish Professor Vladimir Gel’man (European University at St.Petersburg / University of Helsinki) FiDiPro network event, 18 September 2013 24.5.2015Aleksanteri Institute / Vladimir Gel’man / FiDiPro1

2. www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto Vladimir Gel’man (b.1965); Self-educated (no training in social science); first degree in engineering, dissertation in political science (1998); Since 1996 taught in the department of political science and Sociology, European University at St.Petersburg (EUSP); Author and/or editor of twenty books, authored about 120 scholarly articles in Russian and in English; Most cited Russian political scientist (2069 reference entries at Google Scholar; h-index 24); several professional awards; The only FiDiPro professor from Russia (as of yet) 24.5.20152Aleksanteri Institute / Vladimir Gel’man / FiDiPro The background

3. www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto Field of interest: Russian and post-Soviet politics in theoretical and comparative perspective (with an emphasis on regional and local politics and government, electoral and party politics); FiDiPro project: «Regime, Institutions, and Change: Politics and Governance in Russia in a Comparative Perspective» Project’s period: 2012-2017 (second try of the application; initial proposal in 2010 placed on the reserve list) 24.5.20153Aleksanteri Institute / Vladimir Gel’man / FiDiPro The background

4. www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto The key questions for the project: Why democracy, good governance and the rule of law have failed in contemporary Russia? What are the sources of short-term stability and possible political and policy changes in the medium and long term? What the alternative paths of future developments are in Russian politics and governance? To answer these questions, the project focuses on the role of agency as a factor of continuity and change of politics and governance in Russia. 24.5.20154Aleksanteri Institute / Vladimir Gel’man / FiDiPro The research project

5. www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto Why to conduct this research project in Finland? A major interest to Russia – a top priority of both research and policy agenda; An excellent host institution – the Aleksanteri Institute of the University of Helsinki; A very friendly environment for life and work; An opportunity for a medium-term commitment (5-years-long FiDiPro professorship); A close proximity to Russia and especially to St.Petersburg 24.5.20155Aleksanteri Institute / Vladimir Gel’man / FiDiPro The research venue

6. www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto Major interest to research on Russia: Russia as the key partner of Finland in economic, social, and cultural terms – opportunities and risks; Strong tradition of research on Russia in Finland – history, sociology, economic and cultural studies; Center of Excellence «Choices of Russian Modernization» (funded by the Academy of Finland for 2012-2017); Lack of previous focus on Russian domestic politics (the legacy of the Cold War period); FiDiPro professorship – filling the gap? 24.5.20156Aleksanteri Institute / Vladimir Gel’man / FiDiPro The research venue

7. www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto Aleksanteri Institute: a great host institution Established 1996, now is the largest center for Russian and East European Studies in Europe; About 50 experts/researchers (including doctoral students); Annual 2012 budget = 3.7 mil. Euro (37% - external funding); MA-level and doctoral-level study programs; High international visibility (annual Aleksanteri conferences, international research fellowships, and other events and projects) 24.5.20157Aleksanteri Institute / Vladimir Gel’man / FiDiPro The host institution

8. www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto Generous co-funding from the University of Helsinki helped to establish a research team of two post-doctoral scholars; Competition in 2012 – 27 applications from eight countries: Since 2013, two post-docs are hired: Jussi Lassila (Finland) – research project on populism as ideas and practices in Russian politics; Andrey Starodubtsev (Russia) – research project on federalism and practices of policy-making in Russia 24.5.20158Aleksanteri Institute / Vladimir Gel’man / FiDiPro The research team

9. www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto The book on regime change in post-Soviet Russia is on the way (the Russian edition appeared in 2013; the version in English should be submitted to the University of Pittsburgh Press in 2014); The co-authored book on impact of generation changes and ideational path-dependency on Russia’s economic and political reforms is under translation into English: should be submitted to Lexington Books in 2014; The article, The Rise and Decline of Electoral Authoritarianism in Russia, is under review; Two further journal articles are commissioned in 2014; Post-docs are working on their articles and monographs. 24.5.20159Aleksanteri Institute / Vladimir Gel’man / FiDiPro Conducting the project

10. www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto24.5.201510Aleksanteri Institute / Vladimir Gel’man / FiDiPro Conducting the project

11. www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto The class on Contemporary Russian Politics will be delivered to MA-level students in the Department of Political Science and Russian and East European Studies program at the University of Helsinki; The annual Aleksanteri Conference will be organized in 2014 by FiDiPro team members and other scholars under the topic «Restructuring State and Society in Russia»; Cluster (working group) of the Center of Excellence project involved several scholars (including FiDiPro team) and working on a common topic, «Authoritarian Market Society as a Challenge»; … and several other activities 24.5.201511Aleksanteri Institute / Vladimir Gel’man / FiDiPro Conducting the project

12. www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto Avoiding risks of too narrow focus (e.g., current events analysis) and of too broad focus (e.g., macro-level theories) through the lenses of comparative analysis; (1) cross-national comparisons; (2) within-nation comparison of varieties of politics and patterns of governance on the sub-national level across Russia; (3) comparing politics and governance of post-Soviet Russia with those in the pre- and late-Soviet periods. The problem of «moving target» - research of an ever-changing object of study; The problem of expectations of forecasting from scholars 24.5.201512Aleksanteri Institute / Vladimir Gel’man / FiDiPro Challenges for the project

13. www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto Challenges of responsibility before the home institution (EUSP is a small-size graduate school): teaching can be rescheduled, but not many other duties (in fact, I retained a full-time job in EUSP and have to work there even more than before FiDiPro); Challenges of private life – commuting back and forth between St. Petersburg and Helsinki (proximity as both an asset and liability); Challenges of the end of the project – what I have to do after 2017, when FiDiPro project (and funding) will be finished? 24.5.201513Aleksanteri Institute / Vladimir Gel’man / FiDiPro Challenges for the professor

14. www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto FiDiPro – unique and useful experience for myself and (hopefully) for the Finnish scholarship; Bridging Finnish and Russian research on politics and governance, politics and governance as such, and everyday life in two countries (a la Goldoni’s play?); …and special thanks goes to the Academy of Finland, to the University of Helsinki, and to the Aleksanteri Institute. 24.5.201514Aleksanteri Institute / Vladimir Gel’man / FiDiPro In Lieu of Conclusions

15. www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto … and thanks for your interest! Comments are very welcome (gelman@eu.spb.ru)gelman@eu.spb.ru 24.5.201515Aleksanteri Institute / Vladimir Gel’man / FiDiPro In Lieu of Conclusions