Understanding Putin’s Russia
An evening with Michelle DenBeste, sponsored by the Fresno County Democratic Party’s Events and Voter Education Committee
September 28, 6 p.m., Democratic Party headquarters (1035 U St., Downtown Fresno)
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has overseen a dramatic transformation of his country’s fortunes since his first presidential term in 2000. But Russia’s rise under Putin has also confronted rising challenges in recent years with the decline of international fuel prices, a mainstay of the Russian economy. Putin’s grip on power, whether as president or prime minister, and the Kremlin’s position on a diverse range of issues – from the country’s internal opposition and the regime’s use of cyberwarfare to the future of NATO and the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine – have come under increased scrutiny. This attention to Russia’s behavior and geopolitical role under Putin has only become sharper in the wake of the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States.
Michelle DenBeste is the interim dean of the College of Social Sciences and a Professor of Russian History at CSU Fresno. She received her Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University (Carbondale) and her B.A. from the University of Washington.
