Center for Independent Social Research

 

CISR – USA

Expertise
Post‑Сommunist
Societies

Mission Statement

Center for Independent Social Research, Inc.  (CISRus)

CISRus is a non-profit association of scholars and experts working on issues related to the post-communist transformation. We conduct unbiased, in-depth social research to enrich scientific knowledge and strengthen civil society.

  • Our academic mission is to improve scholarly understanding of post-communist societies using knowledge drawn from interdisciplinary work in the social sciences.

  • Our educational mission is to support students and young scholars in the social sciences during the early stages of their professional careers.

CISRus Projects

Russia: Violations of academic freedom in 2023

The socio-political context and persecution of scientists and teachers

2024

Our selection method is based on the Scholars at Risk methodology for identifying violations of the academic rights and freedoms of teachers and students. 

“Anti-War Civic Mobilization in Russia”

The response of Russian civil society to the war in Ukraine.

2022 – 2024

The purpose of the project is to explore the response of Russian civil society to the war in Ukraine with special focus on anti-war activism at the grass-roots level.

“Non-Profit Lawyers Working with the Victims of Domestic Violence:

Best Practices, Legal Mechanisms and Substantive Networks”

2021

The main purpose of the project is the cross-border exchange of professional experience in helping the victims of domestic violence in the United States and Russia. Another purpose of the project is to get acquainted with the existing infrastructure of US organizations and institutions assisting victims of domestic violence.

“Teaching Math in the USA:

Professional Integration of High-Skilled Female Immigrants from Russia and the FSU”

2020-2021

The object of the study is so-called “Russian math education”—a specific professional and educational niche within the sector of supplementary after-school education created by Russian (female) immigrants.

“Academic
Freedom” 

2020-2021

The project implies monitoring, analyzing, and raising awareness of issues surrounding academic freedom in Russia and post-Soviet countries.

“Russian Youth
and Corruption”

2019

The study of attitudes towards corruption among Russian Generation Z including nine focus groups with university students in three Russian cities.  

CISRus Blog

When Was Teaching More Free?

Irina Dezhina

When academic freedom is reduced to funding and accountability to funders, the Soviet period seems much more advantageous than the modern one in the eyes of Russian teachers.

October 9, 2024

2000-2022: From Putin the Reformer to Putin the Conservative

Dmitry Dubrovsky

Academic freedom in Russia began to deteriorate long before the launch of full-scale hostilities.

September 24, 2024

Gift-Giving in the Academic Environment

Katja Ivanović

The specifics of networking to promote your people and those loyal to your cause. Part 2

September 5, 2024

Gift-Giving in the Academic Environment

Katja Ivanović

The specifics of networking to promote your people and those loyal to your cause. Part 1

September 1, 2024

CISRus Partners

Foreign agents

The term ‘foreign agent’ was initially introduced in Russin federal law in 2012

Autonomy of universities

has been decreasing after launching the Federal Universities project

rubles in a year

The average salary of rectors of public universities in 2018

Leading Universities

Participants of the Project 5-100 to be more competitive globally

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