The Center for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies (CSEEES) and the Midwest Slavic Association (MWSA) were pleased to host the 2025 Midwest Slavic Conference which took place on The Ohio State University campus from Friday, April 4 to Sunday, April 6. Presenters and attendees from 52 different universities from both in and outside the U.S. were present at this year’s conference. This year 90 undergraduate and graduate students, independent scholars, and faculty members presented their original research at the conference. These papers made up 26 panels that explored topics in the disciplines of history, linguistics, social science and the humanities, and covered the regions of the Baltics, Balkans, Central Europe, Eurasia and Eastern Europe. With over 150 attendees, the 2025 conference was the largest in the last decade. 

This year’s conference explored the theme of authenticity. This theme allowed attendees and participants to discuss how the desire for the authentic emerges from a complex interplay of cultural, historical, and social factors, often stemming from a longing for connection to one's heritage and identity. The conference opened on Friday with a keynote address by Dr. Mikhail Epstein (Emory U.) entitled "New Russian Apocalypticism" which analyzed the dangerous pseudo-religious ideology that has emerged in post-Soviet Russia, combining Orthodox Christianity, Eurasianism, radical nationalism, and apocalyptic beliefs. Epstein's talk explored how this ideology justifies and even glorifies destruction, viewing it as a path to salvation. 

The terms of three of the officers of the Midwest Slavic Association culminate this year. Thanks to President Dr. Timothy Pogačar (Bowling Green State U.), Vice-President Dr. James McGavran (Kenyon College), and Graduate Student Representative Lejla Vesković (Ohio State U.) for their service. During the Friday night keynote reception, our outgoing officers were able to share a few words about their time in MWSA and also introduced our incoming officers. Starting June 1, 2025, Siobhán Seigne (Ohio State U.), Dr. Anna Aydinyan (Kenyon College), and Dr. Alisa Ballard Lin (Ohio State U.) will serve as MWSA's Graduate Student Representative, Vice-President, and President, respectively. 

The keynote was followed by a plenary panel on Saturday, composed of Drs. Molly T. Blasing (U. of Kentucky), Ludmila Isurin (Ohio State U.) and Malkhaz Toria (Ilia State U., Harvard U.). “Shaping East European and Eurasian Culture and History: Forging Authentic Narratives Through AI, Media, and Storytelling Methods” was moderated by Dr. Timothy Pogačar who served as discussant and chair. General panels by conference participants followed the plenary panel on Saturday and Sunday and included topics such as authenticity in translated works, utopia and dystopia in Russian literature, Ukrainian identity through art and politics, innovations in Slavic language pedagogy, and more.

As always, this year's conference had several special events. The Midwest Slavic Association Meeting allowed for discussion about upcoming conferences and gave our incoming officers a chance to share their thoughts and ideas on how to grow the conference and related programming. We were also excited to bring back our career roundtable that focused on finding careers beyond the scope of academia. This year's roundtable was chaired by Dr. Danielle Fosler-Lussier (Ohio State U.) and featured Michelle McKenzie (Riverside Research, Ohio State U.), Elliott Nowacky (Indiana U., Bloomington, U. of Texas, Austin) and Elise Stephens (formerly of Internews, Middlebury College) who discussed their career trajectories within REEE studies and shared practical advice about navigating the current job market with attending students. 

We also incorporated CSEEES' annual poster forum competition into this year's lineup. This event highlighted the work of undergraduate students who are conducting guided research on any topic in any discipline related to the Eastern European and Eurasian regions. Participating students designed a short two-slide presentation about their original research and answered questions from the judges and audience members. Below are the results of the competition.

• 1st Place: "Expert Designs or Fragile Understanding? The Competence of American Diplomacy and Influence in the Creation of the First Yugoslav State" by Matthew Ployhart (Clemson U.)
• 2nd Place: "Do Not be Deceived: the Danger of Bad Faith in 'The Meek One'" by Isabella Marie Folio (Bowling Green State U.)
• 3rd Place: "‘El Menen Jer Kindiktesh’: Mining Nationalism in the Kyrgyz Republic" by Isaac Steinmeyer (The College of Wooster)
• Honorable Mention: "Chernobyl Crisis" by Cristina Sirbu (Gustavus Adolphus College)

This year's student mixer was hosted by CSEEES' student representative Luke Bendick and provided both undergraduate and graduate students a chance to meet and network with their peers. Faculty and independent scholars also had a chance to mingle during our first official faculty and independent scholar mixer. This allowed for colleagues and friends, both old and new, to connect with each other and catch up in a relaxed setting.

Overall, this year’s conference was an intellectually stimulating weekend that provided attendees and presenters alike with the opportunity to present and discuss their research and network with other scholars in the field. Several first-time attendees commented on how this was a great opportunity to meet colleagues in a friendly environment and receive valuable feedback on their work, and expressed their hopes to participate again in the future. 

CSEEES and the Midwest Slavic Association would like to thank all those who presented, chaired panels, and attended this year’s conference. In particular, we would like to extend a special thank you to the following people and co-sponsors who helped make this year's activities and special events possible: 

• The Midwest Slavic Conference Program Committee: Drs. Keith Doubt (Wittenberg U.), Ljiljana Durasković (U. of Pittsburgh), David Hoffmann (Ohio State U.), Jessica Kantarovich (Ohio State U.), James McGavran (Kenyon College), Stephen Norris (Miami U.), Hollie Nyseth Nzitatira (Ohio State U.) and Timothy Pogačar (Bowling Green State U.)

• Ohio State student volunteers: Luke Bendick, Sophie Boelk, Quinn Cline-Cook, Kelly Gallagher, Margot Hare, Sarah Hohman, Sophie Papp, Sascha Rohde, Nicholas Seay, Mykyta Tyshchenko and Michelle Verbitskaya.

• Those who donated registrations to the Young Scholars of Slavic Studies Fund

2025 Co-Sponsors

• Gold Sponsors

  •  Academic Studies Press; the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures at Ohio State U.; the Hilandar Research Library at Ohio State U.; and the Mershon Center for International Security 
    Studies at Ohio State U.

• Silver Sponsors

  • Bard College; the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies at U. of Texas at Austin; and the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard U.

• Bronze Sponsors

  • The Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies at U. of Michigan; the Department of History at Ohio State U. and the Department of Linguistics at Ohio State U.

We look forward to seeing you all again at the 2026 Midwest Slavic Conference!