On 18 May at 1500 CEST, Chatham House will kick-off a multi-part webinar series on their soon to be published handbook on "Myths & Fallacies in the Policy Debate on Russia: Why misperceptions occur, how they affect policy, and what can be done." Then, over 3 subsequent events at the beginning of June, Chatham House will dive in depth into 5 of the myths and fallacies which are particularly relevant to EUCOM and the DoD.
Abstract:
Many baseline assumptions guiding Western policy toward Russia are commonly accepted, but entirely mistaken. The roots of repetitive failures in engagement with Russia lie in readily identifiable false premises that have become ingrained in policy and analytical communities outside Russia. Overcoming these fixed beliefs is a precondition for any meaningful discussion on Russia, but doing so is a repetitive task because of their ubiquity. The result is a substantial proportion of analytical bandwidth being expended on repeatedly demolishing the same misconceptions before addressing more substantive issues. Chatham House's "Myths and Misconceptions" project provides a learning aid for policy-makers, designed to help overcome misapprehensions regarding Russia, its aims, and the means by which it can be engaged with or deterred.
James NixeyDirector, Russia-Eurasia Programme, Chatham House
James Nixey a director of the Russia-Eurasia Programme at Chatham House, Europe’s largest and most active organizing center for information and analysis of the formerly Soviet states. His principal field concerns the relationships between Russia and the other post-Soviet countries. He has published papers and articles in books and journals, and commented extensively in the national and global media. Publications include The Long Goodbye: Waning Russian Influence in The South Caucasus and Central Asia, 'Russia’s Geopolitical Compass: Losing Direction' in, Putin Again: Implications for Russia and the West, and 'The South Caucasus: Drama on Three Stages' in A Question of Leadership: America’s Role in a Changed World.
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