Nicholas Morrison
LightNews LightNews
banner
nicholasmm.bsky.social
Nicholas Morrison
@nicholasmm.bsky.social
330 followers 200 following 0 posts
PhD student at the University of Maryland | Interested in histories of rivers and lakes in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
cessnews.bsky.social
We are happy to share a recording of the CESS 2025 Keynote Address with Togzhan Kassenova and Alexander Cooley.

Please visit this link to access a full recording of the Conference Keynote: tinyurl.com/4e34275f
Dr. Togzhan Kassenova stands at a wooden lectern in front of a screen presenting her Keynote speech titled "Nuclear Futures in Central Asia: Opportunities and Risks." She is wearing a blue dress and glasses.
December 5, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
cessnews.bsky.social
Announcing the schedule for our upcoming CESS 2025 Online Conference.

For more details on each panel, see the hyperlinks on our schedule: tinyurl.com/2p9t2w48.

Stay tuned for more information about the panel links to access CESS 2025 Online proceedings.
Poster presenting the schedule for the upcoming CESS 2025 Online Conference. It has a black background with off-white text, and lists the times and dates for panels.
October 26, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
mtemnycky.bsky.social
3/3

My latest for @forbes.com about Russia’s current demographic crisis. Thank you Andrew D’Anieri and @bdtaylor-su.bsky.social for your commentary for this article

www.forbes.com/sites/markte...
How The War In Ukraine Has Sparked A Demographic Crisis In Russia
Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine has sparked a demographic crisis in Russia, fueled by military casualties, emigration, and a shrinking population with economic impacts.
www.forbes.com
October 8, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
lawfaremedia.org
In its invasion of Ukraine, the Russian government has so far tried to avoid a general mobilization, turning to convicts to fill its ranks in return for pardons. @emilyehoge.bsky.social evaluates the implications of releasing these individuals back into Russian society.
In Russia, Pardoned Former Convicts Return Home From War
Russia has promised pardons to former convicts who volunteer in the war. Only eventually, some may return home—bringing violence with them.
www.lawfaremedia.org
August 27, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
fabianbaumann.bsky.social
Slavic Review has just published my article on changing conceptions of Ukrainianness in late Soviet propaganda and on why this "empty shell" of nationality mattered:

www.cambridge.org/core/journal... (open access).

Image: V. Prokhondeev, [1971?]
Graphic map of Soviet Ukraine depicting industry and ethno-kitsch alongside a Vyshyvanka-clad lady.
July 22, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
peripheralhist.bsky.social
Heading to #ICCEES2025 next week? We have put together a list of sessions that may be of interest to Peripheral Histories? readers here: www.peripheralhistories.co.uk/post/iccees-...
ICCEES XI World Congress 2025
The ICCEES XI World Congress is being hosted by UCL in London in 2025, and will run from Monday 21st July to Friday 25th July. There is a large and diverse range of panels and roundtables to view, ei...
www.peripheralhistories.co.uk
July 18, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
cessnews.bsky.social
📢CESS is hosting a Graduate Student Workshop📚at the History Department of Ohio State University! Food and accommodation will be covered for all participants, limited travel funding available.

Deadline is May 31, 2025. More details can be found on our website bit.ly/4cGbjre.
Poster for the 2025 CESS Graduate and Early Career Scholar Interdisciplinary Workshop, hosted by the History Department at Ohio State University. The theme is “The Political Economy of Central Eurasia.” The event will take place on September 12–13, 2025, and is open to 10–12 graduate students and early career scholars (within five years post-PhD). Accommodation and meals are covered; limited travel funding is available. Applicants must submit a 250–300 word abstract and a CV (maximum three pages) combined into a single PDF to geiw-cess@gmail.com by May 31, 2025. Logos of The Ohio State University and CESS appear at the top.
April 14, 2025 at 4:34 AM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
euraknot.bsky.social
The collapse of the Soviet Union marked a dynamic period. Archives were flung wide open, and scholars began exploring new ways to conceptualize the Soviet century.
This week, we spoke to Michael David-Fox about the particularities of Soviet modernity.
patreon.com/posts/soviet-modernity-125062311
March 24, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
cessnews.bsky.social
CESS is wishing a joyous Nowruz to all who celebrate it!
The image features a golden background with floating green leaves. Centered is a traditional Nowruz spread on a tray, including a potted wheatgrass (sabzeh) tied with a red bow, a candle, a white teapot, a cup, an apple, decorated eggs, a garlic bulb, sweets, and nuts. Above the tray, "HAPPY NOWRUZ!" is displayed in bold silver letters. At the top, the CESS logo and the organization's name appear on a black banner.
March 20, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
euraknot.bsky.social
This week, we are joined by historian Sarah Cameron. Her book project, "The Aral Sea: Environment, Society, and State Power in Central Asia," offers new perspectives on an environmental disaster that has plagued Central Asia for the last century. Interested? Check out our new episode on Patreon!
March 11, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
jpaulgoode.bsky.social
Nemtsov. 10 years gone, murdered as he prepared a report on why Putin needed war in Ukraine.
February 27, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
cessnews.bsky.social
Today marks the final day of our fundraiser and we still need your help to reach our goal! So far, only about 6% of our members have contributed. If you haven’t yet donated and are able to do so, please consider making a contribution, no matter the amount. www.gofundme.com/f/support-25...
Donate to Support 25 Years of CESS Excellence, organized by Khasan Redjaboev
Dear Friends, Since its beginning in 2000, the Central Eurasian Studies Socie… Khasan Redjaboev needs your support for Support 25 Years of CESS Excellence
www.gofundme.com
December 31, 2024 at 8:47 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
cessnews.bsky.social

Donate $10 or more to our fundraiser in order to be entered to win 1 of 2 autographed books: Togzhan Kassenova’s Atomic Steppe: How Kazakhstan Gave Up the Bomb and Marianne Kamp’s Collectivization Generation: Oral Histories of a Social Revolution in Uzbekistan tinyurl.com/4a7d2ns2.
December 24, 2024 at 12:21 AM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
cessnews.bsky.social
In just a week, we raised almost 50% of our fundraising goal! However, we still need your help! To encourage further donations, we will raffle off 2 autographed books by Togzhan Kassenova and Marianne Kamp for everyone who donates over $10 between now and December 26, 2024. tinyurl.com/4a7d2ns2.
The image features black text in the middle that says "Fundraiser Raffle" with a gold frame around it and confetti in the background. On the top of the image it says "Central Eurasian Studies Society" and it features the organization's logo.
December 20, 2024 at 1:05 AM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
meduza.io
Two shipwrecked tankers in the Kerch Strait have spilled oil across more than 35 miles of Black Sea coastline in Russia’s Krasnodar region. Meduza reports on the cleanup effort and the damage to wildlife, including dolphins and protected birds.
Birds and dolphins are early victims in Black Sea oil spill that’s contaminated 35 miles of coastline and threatens region’s ecosystem for years to come — Meduza
A storm in the Kerch Strait that caused two tankers to shipwreck on December 15 has spilled oil across more than 50 kilometers (almost 35 miles) of Black Sea coastline in Russia’s Krasnodar region.…
buff.ly
December 20, 2024 at 12:14 AM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
cessnews.bsky.social
Hi to all of our new followers! CESS is having our first-ever fundraiser and it would be amazing if you or your organization are able to donate. We welcome donations of any size. Here is a message from our President youtu.be/7WvQ9XWV2R0. You can donate here tinyurl.com/4a7d2ns2. #fundraiser #eurasia
A Special Message from the CESS 2024-2025 President
YouTube video by Central Eurasian Studies Society
youtu.be
December 14, 2024 at 1:51 AM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
aseees.bsky.social
In NewsNet, Alexis Peri writes, "‘Who Wants to be a Billionaire?’ Teaching Russian Capitalism with Monopoly."
https://buff.ly/3ZsMV5W
Peri said, "Determined to reignite their interest and make the tragedy of privatization meaningful for them, I proposed a game."
‘Who Wants to be a Billionaire?’ Teaching Russian Capitalism with Monopoly | Association for Slavic, East European, & Eurasian Studies
“Who wants to be the thimble?” I asked. The class, which had been rather quiet, began buzzing as students—particularly those from the United States—reached for their favorite game pieces. Several […]
buff.ly
December 13, 2024 at 7:22 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
cessnews.bsky.social
Hello everyone 👋 The Central Eurasian Studies Society has completed our migration from X to Bluesky and we're looking forward to rebuilding our follower base!
December 9, 2024 at 6:01 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
kbruisch.bsky.social
Foraging in the Soviet Union. This looks like a great event 👇
eseh.bsky.social ESEH – European Society for Environmental History @eseh.bsky.social · Dec 3
Save the date for our next ESEH online seminar in #envhist, with an exciting talk by Anna Sokolova on foraging berries and mushrooms in Soviet forests! On December 10, 16:00 CET, register here to get the link and please invite others who might be interested:
forms.gle/y5bbY9GgnmnN...
December 3, 2024 at 10:15 AM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
timesca.com
The Amu Darya and the Aral Sea Crisis: Voices from the Heart of an Environmental Disaster timesca.com/the-amu-dary... #AmuDarya #AralSea #WaterScarcity #EnvironmentalCrisis #SaveTheAralSea #Manmadedisaster #Film #Documentary
The Amu Darya and the Aral Sea Crisis: Voices from the Heart of an Environmental Disaster - The Times Of Central Asia
This research is important for several reasons. Firstly, the Aral Sea crisis, which is one of the most severe man-made ecological disasters in history, is
timesca.com
November 27, 2024 at 8:25 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
kristyironside.bsky.social
The ruble is collapsing again and I don't have the energy to write another op-ed about the long history of ruble collapses, so here is the last one. And this probably won't be the last time, either. www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022...
Perspective | The ruble has plummeted. It’s not the first time.
Ordinary people in Russia are shouldering the economic consequences of Putin’s war.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 27, 2024 at 8:24 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
peripheralhist.bsky.social
Our workshop on using archives and libraries in Eastern Europe & Eurasia is on 6 December 14:00-15:30 UK time. Join us to learn about conducting research in Central and Southeast Europe, Ukraine, Moldova, Poland, the Baltic States, the Caucasus & Central Asia. All welcome! forms.gle/hAC9jrrsdYbj...
November 20, 2024 at 5:41 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
timesca.com
Caspian Sea Water Decline Requires Urgent Action, Says UNEP Chief timesca.com/caspian-sea-... #CaspianSea #WaterConservation #EnvironmentalAction #UNEP #OceanConservation #ClimateChange #Biodiversity #WaterCrisis #Cop29
Caspian Sea Water Decline Requires Urgent Action, Says UNEP Chief - The Times Of Central Asia
By the end of this century, the water levels of the Caspian Sea could drop by up to 18 meters, a decline that would devastate ecosystems and species, threaten
timesca.com
November 19, 2024 at 9:56 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Morrison
euraknot.bsky.social
@princetonupress.bsky.social is releasing Karl Schlogel's masterful Soviet Centry in paperback. You can read a sample. press.princeton.edu/books/paperb...

And/or you can listen to my interview with Karl: euraknot.org/2024/03/18/t...
November 18, 2024 at 2:43 PM