Women, War, and State Power in Russia With Julia Ioffe

Co-Sponsored by the Houston Committee on Foreign Relations, the Baker Institute will host a conversation in Baker Hall with Ambassador David Satterfield and journalist Julia Ioffe on her new book “Motherland: A Feminist History of Modern Russia, from Revolution to Autocracy (Ecco, 2025).”

Through the lens of women's experiences, “Motherland” traces the arc of Russian history from the Bolshevik Revolution to the present, examining how revolutionary ideals, war, repression and authoritarianism have shaped — and often constrained — the roles of women in public and private life. Ioffe and Satterfield will discuss how Soviet-era gender policies emerged and unraveled, the complex legacy of women’s wartime contributions, and the rise of a state-backed conservatism under Putin. Drawing on Ioffe’s blend of historical narrative and personal reflection, the conversation will explore how gender has both mirrored and influenced political power in Russia — and what these dynamics suggest about the country’s past, present, and future.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. This event is free and open to the public.

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