Ph.D candidate at the University of Virginia, currently living in Berlin. I write about the Russian culture, literature, medicine, and politics.
Latest posts by Sasha Shapiro
Russians under lockdown (re)create famous artworks online
The Izoizolyatsiya photo challenge has become a national obsession. To the RuNet's delight, thousands of Russians are recreating famous artworks using ordinary household items — in hilarious and often bizarre ways.
Latest offering from Russian cult novelist Pelevin divides and confuses critics
Viktor Pelevin's latest novel, a tale of 'weapons-grade memes', is creative but widely seen as overambitious.
Hibernating Bears and Iced Bilateral Cooperation: the New US-Russian Relationship
Phony proverbs and escalated saber rattling are setting the tone for dangerous new tensions between Russia and the United States.
Russian Media and Internet Users Debate the Ethics of Reporting on Teenage Suicide
Russian censors have blocked dozens of communities on social network VKontakte after an ethically murky media investigation accused these communities of pressuring teenage users to take their own lives.
Russians Aren't Happy About Losing Eurovision, But They Weren't Happy Before, Either
Russia's narrow defeat this weekend in the 2016 Eurovision music contest wasn't the only tension in a competition full of lights, pyrotechnics, and nationalism.
