News Hartwick to Host Russian Exile, Public Intellectual

Hartwick College will host Russian poet, satirist, novelist and media personality Dmitri Bykov at 5 p.m. Wednesday, September 20. Bykov’s talk, entitled “The Genesis and the End of Putin’s Myth,” will be held in Slade Theater in Yager Hall and is free and open to the public.

Currently residing in exile in the United States, Bykov is a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime. Known for his wit, he is a popular lecturer and public speaker and has served as the host of numerous television and radio programs. His hugely popular “Citizen Poet” project, launched in 2011, provides poetic commentary on contemporary political and cultural events and, through articles, broadcasts, interviews and blogs, aims “to help Russia to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.”

Bykov has authored more than 70 books, including novels, poetry, biographies, and literary criticism. In his talk, Bykov will explain Putin’s success in capturing public opinion in Russia and predict the decline of his political era. He will examine the origin of Putin’s image and the meaning of secret service in Russian collective subconsciousness. He will also discuss the situation in Ukraine and the role of President Vladimir Zelensky.

Bykov’s talk is hosted by Hartwick’s Department of Sociology, Criminology and Human Services. For more information, email Elena Chernyak, associate professor and department chair, at chernyake@hartwick.edu.