We write to urge you to sign this petition, share it widely and repeatedly, and then communicate with these academic institutions (emails listed below) about removing the privileged position that is given to Russia by having 'Russia' in their titles (for example: the Center for Russian and East European Studies at the University of Michigan). We understand the naming of these centers is a legacy of Cold War tensions, however more institutions --particularly those funded through public tax dollars-- need to take a page from UC Berkeley, UCLA, and the Ohio State University and change the titles of their centers to reflect a current and future world where Russia is thought of as another east European country (UC Berkeley: "Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies"; UCLA: "Center for European and Eurasian Studies"; and the Ohio State University: "Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies"). Notice how the name Russia is absent from all of them? This does not make them anti-Russian, just inclusive of Russia without making Russia exclusive. We commend these three centers for not privileging nor empowering any specific people, culture, or spaces. Remember: 'Russia' being in their titles leads to Russia becoming entitled. 

These name changes do not represent a banning or denouncing of studying Russia, however, it complicates the relevance and honesty of these centers when Russia is afforded exclusivity. Could you image if there were university centers titled "The Center for Israeli and Middle East Studies"; The Center for Chinese and Asian Studies"; "The Center for Texan and United States Studies"; "The Center for Jesse Jackson and African American Studies"; or "The Center for White South African and African Studies"? Russia must still be studied, yes, but no longer within a context where it gets its own special seat at the table. We need to start thinking of Russia as another east European country despite its particular encounters, interactions, and exchanges with the Asian and Middle Eastern worlds. Current degrees or certificates in "Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies" (at Harvard) reflect, function as, and symbolize approaches more appropriate to 1946 or 1996 than 2026, and these centers need to begin thinking of how they remain relevant to the present and future. At present, most of the formerly communist 'Eastern Europe' is now the EU, Central Asian states are pivoting away from Russia towards overseas partners and the rest of the Middle East, and increasingly Russia is cutting ties with the rest of Europe as it becomes (in some eyes) China's new client state. And if the 'new Eastern Europe is, basically, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, then why does Russia need distinct highlighting? It should be folded into the umbrella of 'Eastern Europe'. 

Further, tomorrow (February 24, 2026) marks four years since Russia attacked Ukraine (full-scale), and as you read this thousands in Ukraine --both Ukrainian and Russian speakers, mind you-- are freezing, suffering, or dying because of the Kremlin's war-mongering. We are not asking that you boycott making donations to these centers (although that might become necessary as the war drags on). However, these centers owe the public, their own university communities, and themselves explanations for why 'Russia' remains in their titles, as well as actions that demonstrate needed reevaluations of past practices and a responsiveness to our fundamentally changed world. Beware of traditional academic responses noting that Russia is "so distinct it cannot be situated as being European nor Asian"; that "the very fact Russia is waging this war necessitates there being an extra focus on Russia"; or that "taking the name Russia out of the title will be interpreted as a reactionary move rooted in 'Russophobia'". You might also hear arguments attempting to qualify why Russia must remain distinctly titled due to contemporary contexts: "Russia is the world's largest country"; "Russia has a giant nuclear arsenal"; "Russia is a major petrol state"; "Russia has a seat at the UN Security Council"; "Russia is the bridge between Europe and Asia", etc. None of these, if you really think critically, hold water, and we should laugh and feel sorry for those still attempting to make these arguments. We also understand that certain people want to keep their jobs and protect their feelings of importance, but the time of privileged exclusivity should have been over years ago. Now is the time to stop spotlighting Russia at academic resource centers. 

Here are the academic institutions who continue using Russia in the title of one of their area studies centers. Find one you are familiar/affiliated with and please email (as a group cc) all of their directors, associate directors, assistant directors, and their affiliated faculty with your thoughts and arguments. You can also go to their public events and bring this issue up during Q&As, so check their schedules and see if there are event opportunities to make your voice be heard. 

University of Michigan: https://ii.umich.edu/crees

Georgetown University: https://ceres.georgetown.edu

Harvard University: https://daviscenter.fas.harvard.edu/

University of Pittsburgh: https://www.global.pitt.edu/creees

Columbia University: https://harriman.columbia.edu/

Princeton University: https://reees.princeton.edu/

University of Toronto: https://media.utoronto.ca/centers/centre-for-european-russian-and-eurasian-studies/

Carleton University: https://carleton.ca/eurus/current-students/undergraduate-students/useful-university-sites/

University of Illinois: https://reeec.illinois.edu/

Indiana University: https://reei.indiana.edu/

University of Chicago: https://ceeres.uchicago.edu/

University of Kansas: https://crees.ku.edu/

Arizona State: https://melikian.asu.edu/

University of Wisconsin: https://creeca.wisc.edu/

Stanford University: https://creees.stanford.edu/

University of Washington: https://jsis.washington.edu/ellisoncenter/

Miami University: https://miamioh.edu/cas/centers-institutes/havighurst-center/

Dartmouth: https://eeer.dartmouth.edu/

The University of Texas at Austin: https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/creees/

University of South Florida: https://www.usf.edu/arts-sciences/institutes/irees/

You can also reach out to the Association for Slavic, East European & Eurasian Studies (the largest academic cooperative relating to studying the areas of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union) and share your thoughts on this. ASEEES interacts regularly with these study centers and function as a meeting point during their yearly conference: https://aseees.org/

*It is worth mentioning that 'Russia' is absent from their association name! We might ask them: "why didn't you explicitly identify Russian in the title of your organization!?" We know the answer and they know the answer: it would unfairly privilege and prioritize one unit of east European over all the others. 

Please share this petition's link on your social media platforms and through email, and bring this topic up during formal and casual conversations.