The Aleksanteri Institute, the Finnish Centre for Russian and Eastern European Studies at the University of Helsinki, invites international students from all countries to participate in the Helsinki Summer School course Digital Transformation of State and Society in Russia, on 6 – 22 August 2019.
The ‘digital’ is profoundly changing Russia today, equally transforming the methods used to study Russia. To grasp this two-fold transformation, this course brings together leading Helsinki experts in Russian Studies and digital humanities to examine how Russian society, politics, economy and culture are reconfigured in the context of digitalisation. We now have a wealth of new (big) data sources, such as digital archives, social media and various kinds of ‘digital-born’ content that allow us to investigate Russian society in novel ways.
Through a series of lectures, demos and workshops culminating in a three-day hackathon, the course provides a concise overview of the novel opportunities for applying digital methods and big data to the study of Russian state and society. We will address methodological questions that are particular to the study of Russia, such as Russian social media platforms and the analysis of Russian-language sources, as well as legal and ethical controversies involved in working with Russian digital research materials. The course is suitable for all students interested in the changing field of Russian Studies at the intersection of the ‘societal’ and the ‘digital’.
The course is organised by the Digital Russia Studies network and Master’s Programme in Russian Studies, both affiliated with the Aleksanteri Institute.
More information about the course.
Helsinki Summer School is a three-week academic event organised every August by the University of Helsinki, one of the world’s leading multidisciplinary, research-oriented universities renowned for its high-quality teaching, research and innovation. It offers 17 courses that cover a wide range of academic fields and multidisciplinary topics. The courses are designed to challenge and inspire students in a learning environment that promotes equality. Each year Helsinki Summer School gives advanced degree students from over 60 countries an unforgettable experience that combines high academic studies with a wide range of cultural and social activities. The language of study is English and the credits are transferable. Helsinki Summer School is open to applicants from all over the world. The application deadline is 17 June 2019. Benefit from the Early Bird fee and apply before February 28, 2019.