Dr. Lenka Bustikova, Arizona State University
April 1, 2016

Between 1569 and 1795 Poland and Lithuania formed the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth which incorporated much of what is now Ukraine. Before 1918 both countries were part of the Russian empire and until 1991 part of the USSR. Historically, the Polish-Ukrainian-Lithuanian relationship has been tenuous. For all intents and purposes, one would expect these three countries to be at odds. Rather, current events put the Ukrainian-Polish relationship into the spotlight. Yet after Poland’s (and Lithuania’s) admission to the European Union, Ukraine has found new allies in its neighbors. Poland is probably the most vocal supporter of Ukrainian territorial integrity in Brussels. In her talk, Dr. Bustikova discusses how the current crisis transforms historical grievances and presents new challenges to the stability of Eastern Europe.

Dr. Lenka Bustikova is an Assistant Professor in the School of Politics and Global Studies at Arizona State University. Her research focuses on Eastern Europe, ethnic politics and voting behavior. She grew up in Prague and holds a Ph.D. from Duke University in Political Science. She is also a Faculty Affiliate with Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, Melikian Center: Russian, Eurasian & East European Studies, and Center on the Future of War as well as Honors Faculty with Barrett College. She is currently working on a book about radical right politics in Ukraine “Revenge of the Radical Right. When Minority Accommodation Provokes Political Backlash”.

Supported by New Mexico Humanities Council, Sandia National Labs and Haverland Carter Lifestyle Group