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Russia and Ukraine

Political Scientist Yoshiko Herrera to Discuss Putin’s War Oct. 20 at Ohio Wesleyan

DELAWARE, Ohio – Political scientist and professor Yoshiko Herrera of the University of Wisconsin-Madison will discuss “Russia’s War Against Ukraine” in a free October presentation at Ohio Wesleyan University.

Herrera, Ph.D., will speak at 7 p.m. Oct. 20 in the Benes Rooms of Ohio Wesleyan’s Hamilton-Williams Campus Center, 40 Rowland Ave., Delaware. Her presentation is OWU’s 33^rd annual John Kennard Eddy Memorial Lecture on World Politics.

In a recent UW-Madison interview, Herrera said: “Why would you destroy your country and your neighbor? Why would you cause a war that nobody supports? …

“I think it’s important to understand that this isn’t a conflict between ethnic Russians and ethnic Ukrainians,” she said in the interview. “There isn’t a centuries-long hostility between the two peoples or nations. … [T]his is Vladimir Putin’s war.”

Herrera earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College and both her Master of Arts and doctoral degrees from the University of Chicago. Prior to joining UW-Madison, she taught for six years in the Government Department at Harvard University. She also is a former director of the Center for Russia, East Europe and Central Asia; former co-director of the Institute For Regional and International Studies; and former director of the UW-Madison Partnership with Nazarbayev University.

Herrera’s research interests include politics in Russia and Eurasia, and U.S.-Russian relations; social identities (nationalism, separatism, ethnicity, xenophobia, trust, diversity); international norms and national accounts; and constructivist political economy.

Ohio Wesleyan’s annual Eddy Lecture honors the life of student “Jeff” Eddy, killed in an automobile accident in 1988. The event is sponsored by the OWU International Studies Program and the Department of Politics and Government. Learn more at owu.edu/internationalstudies and owu.edu/politics.

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Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and competes in 24 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through its signature experience, the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to understand issues from multiple academic perspectives, volunteer in service to others, build a diverse and global perspective, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience through internships, research, and other hands-on learning. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives” and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review “Best Colleges” lists. Connect with OWU expert interview sources at owu.edu/experts or learn more at owu.edu.