Russian Area Studies concentration hosts William V. Smirnov
Greta Kropp ‘02

On March 13, the Russian Area Studies Concentration sponsored a lecture on “Human Rights in Russia Today” given by William V. Smirnov.

Human rights in Russia today to some might seem to be an oxymoron. The common stereotype is the citizens of Russia do not have human rights.  However, according to Smirnov, Russia has made some important improvements in the last 10 years.

An area of improvement Smirnov discussed was the legal culture of Russia. The country once under the iron curtain of communism has since adopted a constitution. The Russian constitution grants certain liberties that are similar to the United States, including equality under the law, the right to life, and the freedom of speech.

Yet, Smirnov believes Russia is far from its goals and standards of a free nation. “Equality means more than freedom,” says Smirnov. Almost 40 percent of the Russian’s population lives below the poverty line which makes it difficult to convince citizens their lives are better without the former communist regime.

According to Smirnov, the man who will help lead Russia to further advances in human rights is President Vladimir Putin. Smirnov described Putin as a pragmatist constantly striving to improve the lives of his people.

In addition the younger generation of Russian citizens also play a crucial role in abolishing the belief that state paternalism is better for the country. “The new generation will not accept the flagrant violation of human rights and freedoms that plagued Russia for so long,” says Smirnov.

Smirnov holds a number of notable positions including vice chair of the president of the Russian Federation’s Commission on Human Rights and the chair of the Political Science Department of the Russian Academy of Science’s Institute of State and Law. As the current vice chair of the International Political Science Association, and the former President of the Russian Political Science Association, Smirnov played a crucial role in the introduction of modern political science to post-communist Russia.

Smirnov visited Villanova from the District of Columbia where he is currently working for nine months as a Galina Starovoitova Fellow at the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies of the Woodrow Wilson Center. Recently he completed a manuscript comparing the economic and political developments of Russia and the Ukraine.