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.  

Academic Freedom: Global Demands and Local Responses

Conference | School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Almaty Management University | Almaty, 31 October – 2 November 2024

The conference is organized by CISRus (Center for Independent Social Research) with generous support of Almaty Management University (AlmaU) and in information partnership with Ghent University.

The conference will be conducted in English. We welcome applications for individual contributions, which should include the title, a brief description (up to 200 words), and a short academic biography of the presenter (approximately 100 words). Presentations will be organized in either thematic panels or roundtable discussions. The organizing committee reserves the right to determine the presentation format (panel or round table) for each selected participant.

Please send your applications to the email: freeacademia.conference@gmail.com

Application deadline: July 31, 2024

CISRus Blog

Academic Freedom in Russia: Two Perspectives

Dmitry Dubrovsky

Our response to the Russian Federation’s official response at the UN

August 16, 2024

Anonymous Tips in Post-War Academia

“Pandora’s Sisters”

How Russian teachers survive after being the subject of denunciation letters.

August 1, 2024

Higher Education in an Era of Full-Scale War

Dmitry Dubrovsky

How Russian universities are working to normalize the war

July 14, 2024

Para-Academic Communities in Russian Science

Petr Torkanovsky

The government may be able to censor research activities at universities, but this will not stop the discussion of scientific issues on independent platforms.

June 22, 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

Contact Us

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