UCL's School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) is the UK’s largest national centre for research and teaching on Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, the Baltics, the Caucasus and Central Asia. www.ucl.ac.uk/sseeshttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mtwbpkxc7k25Meet Prof. Jasna Dragović-Soso, SSEES’s incoming Director! In our latest staff spotlight, Prof. Dragović-Soso reflects on her career before joining UCL and shares what she is most looking forward to in her new role. Read the full spotlight 👇 bit.ly/4zBBzht25 Aug 2026 16:51 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtwbpkxc7k25https://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mttclrrsfs2fWhy did the world’s first social democratic state emerge in Georgia, and what can its brief existence tell us about democracy, socialism, and national independence? Please join us for a conversation with Prof. Stephen F. Jones to find out more. 🗓️ 19 October at 6pm https://www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanities/events/2026/oct/first-social-democracy-conversation-stephen-jones24 Aug 2026 12:29 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mttclrrsfs2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mtdt7wbvsc2nPlease join Dr Katarzyna Zechenter for a poetry reading of 'They live far from each other'. The poems trace a relationship developing over more than 30 years, across countries, continents, languages and cultures. 🗓️ 20 August at 6pm 📍 POSK Gallery, Hammersmith 🎟️ Free entry18 Aug 2026 08:44 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtdt7wbvsc2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3msprzhsel22m🎭 Discover the works of Croatian Renaissance playwright Marin Držić at the Bloomsbury Theatre on 8 October 2026. Join us for live rehearsed readings and a rare chance to experience the wit and satire of one of Europe’s finest playwrights. 🎟️ Get your early bird ticket now! buff.ly/tTZBGBF10 Aug 2026 09:29 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3msprzhsel22mhttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mruacojvw22sCongratulations to @elodiedouarin.bsky.social, Professor of Economics and Society, who has been named 'Reviewer of the year" from the editors of the Journal of Institutional Economics. This recognises Prof Douarin's outstanding service over the past year: https://winir.org/reviewer-of-year-prize/30 Jul 2026 10:30 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mruacojvw22shttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mrmwvrentc25Can we predict where the Russian pendulum might swing next? Join Prof. Alena Ledeneva at the Pushkin House Book Prize Festival for an opportunity to play the Informality Game and step into the dilemmas of decision‑making in complex contexts. 🗓️ 24 Sep at 6.30pm https://www.pushkinhouse.org/whats-on/events/589927 Jul 2026 12:54 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrmwvrentc25https://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mrfidhz5qc2e🎭 Discover the works of Croatian Renaissance playwright Marin Držić at the Bloomsbury Theatre on 8 October 2026. Join us for live rehearsed readings and a rare chance to experience the wit and satire of one of Europe’s finest playwrights. 🎟️ £10-£15 https://www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanities/events/2026/oct/works-marin-drzic-croatian-renaissance-drama-translation24 Jul 2026 13:44 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrfidhz5qc2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mrcj23rzcc2d🎉 We are delighted to share the news about successful academic promotions for 2025-26! Please join us in congratulating our colleagues! https://www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanities/news-ucl-ssees/successful-academic-promotions-2025-26 @pbukowski.bsky.social @artshumsucl.bsky.social23 Jul 2026 09:19 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrcj23rzcc2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mqoetcwjic2zCelebrating language, culture and belonging ✨ UCL SSEES students from the Albanian for Heritage Speakers course explored #Albania and #Kosovo’s representation in London museums, connecting #language, #heritage and cultural memory while showcasing their research and language skills. buff.ly/csVB5cg15 Jul 2026 09:10 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqoetcwjic2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mqlzk4majk2s🎙️ PLEJ Podcast: Episode 3! In this episode, PhD candidate Cecilia Berti provides an overview of her research which aims to critically understand the discourse of key women in right-wing political parties: Giorgia Meloni, Marine Le Pen, Alice Weidel and Frauke Petry. 🎧 Listen now: buff.ly/kog1Tld14 Jul 2026 10:43 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqlzk4majk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mqjv3i25z22b🎓 There's still time to apply for a Master's degree for 2026 entry! 📅 Deadlines extended: ✅ International applicants: 31 July ✅ Applicants not requiring a visa: 28 August Start your next chapter and apply today 👇 🔗 https://www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanities/ssees/study-us/graduate-taught-ma-and-mres #Masters #PostgraduateStudy #Study2026 #HigherEd https://lnkd.in/eqPNWfGB13 Jul 2026 14:18 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqjv3i25z22bhttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mqc4squejc2j📺 In case you missed last month's event on Multilingualism in the #Balkans, the recording in now available to watch on the SSEES YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhYRWiA49mU10 Jul 2026 12:15 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqc4squejc2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mqbt6shjc22f🎉 Congratulations to Malika Toqmadi who successfully passed her PhD viva! Malika's thesis examines the Bolashak International Scholarship Programme as a mechanism of elite formation and nation-building in post-Soviet #Kazakhstan. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanities/news-ucl-ssees/malika-toqmadi-passes-her-phd-viva @artshumsucl.bsky.social10 Jul 2026 09:23 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqbt6shjc22fhttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mq7dlmpxks24🎉 Congratulations to @ramonagonczol.bsky.social, a recognised advocate for Romanian language education and bilingualism, whose expertise features in ACORDUK’s landmark report on the Romanian diaspora, launched at the UK Parliament. ➡️ https://www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanities/news-ucl-ssees/ramona-gonczol-contributes-landmark-report-romanian-diaspora @artshumsucl.bsky.social09 Jul 2026 09:38 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq7dlmpxks24https://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mpydzb3vtc24🔊 We are pleased to announce that we will be expanding our heritage language course provision from October 2026, with new courses in Bulgarian and Romanian offered alongside our existing Albanian course. ➡️ Find out more: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanities/welcome-ssees-online-evening-language-courses @artshumsucl.bsky.social06 Jul 2026 14:57 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpydzb3vtc24https://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mplltqxvi22q🎉 Congratulations to Saffy Mirghani on passing her PhD viva with minor corrections! Saffy’s thesis, entitled “I Am A[n Extraordinary] Man: The Intimate Suffering of Russianness and Blackness”, examines Fyodor Dostoevsky’s influence on 20th century African American literature. buff.ly/2lpVQQ001 Jul 2026 13:13 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mplltqxvi22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mpjapw6kys2b🗞️ SLOVO Journal is back! To mark the relaunch, we will host a guest lecture by @markgaleotti.bsky.social. Join us as we explore the theme of ‘Managing Endgames, from the War on Ukraine to the Putin Era’. 🗓️ 07 July at 6pm 📍 UCL SSEES https://www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanities/events/2026/jul/slovo-relaunch-professor-mark-galeotti30 Jun 2026 14:48 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpjapw6kys2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mpj4ysz2es2s🎙️ PLEJ Podcast: Episode 2! In this episode, Luyilin An (Andrea) explains how a single word carries emotional, cultural and social meaning—and what may be lost as language changes across generations. 🎧 Listen now: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-plej-podcast/id189687205130 Jun 2026 13:42 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpj4ysz2es2shttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mpiz7ghqts23Congratulations to Dr Ella Rossman on winning 2025 Arts and Humanities Quirk PhD Prize! Ella completed her PhD thesis at UCL SSEES in 2025. She is currently working on a new project at the Leibniz Institute for the History and Culture of Eastern Europe (GWZO). More info: bit.ly/4wjp08030 Jun 2026 12:34 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpiz7ghqts23https://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mp44t3j4sc2hWe are truly saddened by the death of former SSEES student and activist, Monika Silva Koniuszek, who was killed in Ecuador on 8 June. An outstanding student of Russian and Czech, Monika graduated in 2011 and received several academic prizes. Our sincere condolences to her family and friends. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanities/news/2026/jun/monika-silva-koniuszek25 Jun 2026 09:34 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mp44t3j4sc2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mozljytha22vHow do museums shape our cultural memory? Join us this Friday as we explore the connections between heritage, language, culture, and collective memory. Only a few tickets left! 🗓️ 26 June at 6pm 📍 Embassy of Albania ➡️ Register here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanities/events/2026/jun/heritage-speakers-and-cultural-memory-albania-and-kosovo-london-museums24 Jun 2026 09:19 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mozljytha22vhttps://bsky.app/profile/uclssees.bsky.social/post/3mourm2hs2s2j🔊 Tomorrow! Join us for the book launch of Riikka Pulkkinen's 'Enchantment' - a spellbinding literary mystery that explores the uneasy terrain of girlhood, where one is always being watched, shaped, and judged by others. 🗓️ 23 June at 5pm 📍 SSEES ➡️ https://www.ucl.ac.uk/arts-humanities/events/2026/jun/girlhood-truth-and-metafiction-new-literary-novel-finland22 Jun 2026 11:24 +0000at://did:plc:ald7ovhwb7nqa2f736skdae4/app.bsky.feed.post/3mourm2hs2s2j