People

We are a community of students, scholars, and staff who share a dedication to understanding the region more deeply.

Find scholars with specific areas of geographic or historical focus by using the “Location” and “Time Period” pull-downs below—these refer to the places and eras our affiliates study, not the ones in which they live.

And please remember: The views expressed by people affiliated with the Davis Center are as different as the people themselves and do not necessarily reflect institutional positions held by the center.

People

Graduate Student Associate
Jake is interested in Muslim societies in the Russian Empire and early Soviet Union, with particular regional focuses on Transoxania and the Volga-Urals.
Center Associate
Dr. Ilya Vidrin is a choreographer, researcher, and educator situated at the nexus of performing arts, ethics, and interactive media.
Graduate Student Associate
Alice Volfson is a student in the REECA master's program studying race and migration in the Soviet Union.
Center Associate
Karen von Kunes’s new book on Czech and a monograph on Miloš Forman are scheduled to be published in 2025-26.
Visiting Scholar
Wang is currently conducting research on the Soviet policy toward Turkic and Persianate poetry.
Graduate Student Associate
S.M. Candidate in Computational Science and Engineering wrangling data for Imperiia
Faculty Associate
Justin Weir is Curt Hugo Reisinger Professor of Slavic Languages and Literatures and Comparative Literature at Harvard University.
Center Associate
Jeanne L. Wilson's research interests are focused on aspects of the Russian-Chinese relationship, especially issues of identity and asymmetric power dynamics.