Not a Zero-Sum Game:
US-Russian Relations in a
Multipolar World
Monday, April 7th
2 – 4 PM
Humanities Gateway
1030
It is a common stereotype to describe relations between the US and Russia as a zerosum game between erstwhile rivals, in which one side’s gain is inevitably the other side’s
loss, and vice versa. Indeed, on a growing number of international issues, from Syria to
gay rights to Ukraine, the two countries now find themselves at odds, which remind us
that tensions and conflicts have been a regular feature of the US-Russian relationship for
over a century. But the really important part of the record of the history of their relations
– including the period of the Cold War - is their demonstrated ability to work together, in
spite of their differences, in the face of major threats and challenges to world peace
and security. In the 21st century, deeper and more productive US-Russian cooperation is
in the best interests of both nations and of the world as a whole – a world which has
gone far beyond the bipolar model of the Cold War. Developing such cooperation is a
realistic goal which should be steadfastly pursued by both sides.
In h is n at iv e Ru ss i a, D r. Ser gei P lek h an ov ’s j o b w as to ex p la in
A me rica to R u ss ia ns . A s a M os co w aca dem i c ex p ert on US -Russian
rel at io n s, h e t oo k p art i n th e d ev el op m en t o f id eas fo r t h e h is t ori c
refo rm s un d ert ak en b y So vi et le ad er M ik h ail G o rb ach ev , w h ich
helped bring the C old War to an e nd . T od ay , as a s ch olar,
co n su l tan t , l ect ur er, m ed ia co mm en tat o r an d p eace ad vo cat e, he is
known for hi s uni que abil it y to e xpl ain R u ss ia to A m erican s.
Pro fes s or Plek ha no v teach es intern atio n al an d co mp ara tive politics
at Y o rk U ni v ers it y in T o ro n to , C an ad a. H e h as als o t au gh t at U C
Irv in e an d O ccid en t al Co ll eg e i n L os A n g el es.
Sponsored by the Department of European Languages & Studies