E50: Shaninka

Today’s show addresses the recent events surrounding the Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences, better known as “Shaninka,” which just lost its state accreditation, following an inspection by Russia’s Federal Education and Science Supervision Agency (Rosobrnadzor). Inspectors claim that the school is in violation of several state education standards. The agency’s report says Shaninka’s undergraduate and graduate programs fail in many areas to maintain “professional competence corresponding to the designated professional activities.” In this episode, Kevin speaks to three people familiar with the school and Russia’s social sciences: Grigory Yudin, the codirector of Shaninka’s MA program in political philosophy; Armen Aramyan, a student in Shaninka’s political philosophy department; and Olga Zeveleva, graduate of the Higher School of Economics, PhD researcher in sociology at the University of Cambridge.Read Meduza's coverage of this story:‘This whole farce would make a decent hands-on course of its own’: Shaninka’s social sciences dean discusses the school’s loss of Russian accreditation*https://meduza.io/en/feature/2018/06/22/this-whole-farce-would-make-a-decent-hands-on-course-of-its-ownRegulators have revoked their accreditation of the Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences, one of Russia's last major private colleges*https://meduza.io/en/feature/2018/06/22/regulators-have-revoked-their-accreditation-of-the-moscow-school-of-social-and-economic-sciences-one-of-russia-s-last-major-private-collegesIf you enjoy this podcast, please consider making a pledge at Patreon, where you can send Kevin money for all his grand efforts. Many thanks to the listeners already ponying up.https://www.patreon.com/kevinrothrockSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/kevinrothrock)