May 3 – Reckless Ambition: Explaining Moscow’s Attempts to Interfere in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election

Reckless Ambition: Explaining Moscow’s Attempts to Interfere in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election
Russia’s attempt to interfere in the 2016 United States presidential election succeeded in introducing an element of chaos into U.S. politics, but neither Russia nor its leader Vladimir Putin gained much from it. Instead U.S. sanctions against Russia increased, and Russia’s 2017 attempt to introduce a new “reset” policy to the administration of Donald Trump fell flat as conflict between the two countries escalated. Kimberly Marten will describe what we know about Russian actions and delve into the Russian foreign policy decision-making process. She will examine four alternative explanations for Russia’s 2016/17 policies toward the U.S.: Putin’s psychological mindset; the decision style inherent in all similarly autocratic regimes; competing economic interests among Russia’s elite patron/client system; and the loss of centralized control over the actions of officers in Russia’s intelligence agencies.
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Kimberly Marten is a Professor of Political Science at Barnard College and Director of the Program on U.S.-Russia Relations at the Harriman Institute. Marten has earned a undergraduate degree from Harvard and a Ph.D. from Stanford. In March 2017, the Council on Foreign Relations published her special report, Reducing Tensions between Russia and NATO.
As a frequent media commentator, Marten has appeared on programs such as “The Daily Show” with Jon Stewart.
This lecture will be held in English.
Date: May 3
Time: 16:00-17:30
Place: Hall XI, University Main Building, Biskopsgatan 3, Uppsala
Admission: Free. A one-year membership in the Uppsala Association of International Affairs can be purchased at the event for 100 SEK.
In collaboration by Uppsala Forum on Democracy, Peace and Justice, the Institute for Russian and Eurasian Studies (IRES) and the Uppsala Association of International Affairs
Supported by Folkuniversitetet.