Fifth Nevada Conference on Russian Culture
Campus Location
Office/Remote Location
Description
The Center for Democratic Culture is hosting the Fifth Nevada Conference on Russian Culture on November 21-22, 2026, at the UNLV main campus.
Among this year's conference participants are Russian, American, and European scholars and artists — including Boris Akunin, Mikhail Shishkin, Dmitry Krymov, Leonid Gozman, Andrei Kolesnikov, Mikhail Epstein, Aleksandr Genis, Vera Pavlova, Lyudmila Ulitskaya, Irina Litmanovich, Gasan Gusejnov, Alexander Arkhangelsky, Mikhail Fishman, Ekaterina Shulman, Viktor Shenderovich, Vladimir Pstukhov, Paul Werth, and Dmitri Shalin.
The program is as follows:
November 21, 2026
Introduction — 9:45 - 10 a.m.
Opening Statement and Welcome to Conference Participants
Dmitri Shalin, Director, UNLV Center for Democratic Culture
Session 1 — 10 - 11:45 a.m.
Russian Writers at Home and Abroad
Moderator: Dmitri Shalin, Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Boris Akunin, Writer and founder of “Real Russia Fund”
Mikhail Shishkin, Writer and founder of the “Dar” award
Alexander Arkhangelsky, Literary critic, Associate of Tel-Aviv University
Liudmila Ulitskaya, Independent writer and public Intellectual
Lunch Break — Noon - 1:30 p.m.
Session 2 — 2 - 3:45 p.m.
Russian Intellectuals at Home and Abroad
Moderator: Paul Werth, Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Mikhail Epstein, Distinguished Professor, Emory University
Gasan Gusejnov, Professor, Free University of Berlin
Aleksander Genis, Writer and broadcaster, Radio Liberty
Leonid Gozman, Director, Perspective Foundation
Session 3 — 4 - 5:45 p.m.
Russian Artists at Home and Abroad
Moderator: Igor Klyukanov, Professor, Eastern Washington University
Victor Shendervich, Writer, Poet, Satirist
Dmitri Krymov, Theater director, Set designer, Scenographer
Irina Litmanovich, Film director, Animator, Illustrator
Vera Pavlova, Poet, Visual artist, Musician
Reception for Conference Participants
6:30 - 9 p.m.
* * * * *
November 22, 2026
Session 4 — 10 - 11:45 a.m.
Russian Intellectuals at Home and Abroad
Moderator: Dmitri Shalin, Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Mikhail Fishman, Journalist and TV Host
Vladimir Pastukhov, Senior associate, University College of London
Andrei Kolesnikov, Political analysist, Columnist of The New Times
Ekaterina Shulman, Political analysist, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin
Lunch Break — Noon - 1:30 p.m.
Session 5 — 2 - 3:45 p.m.
Film “One Day in the Life of One Playwright”
Irina Litmanovich, Film director, Animator, Illustrator
Session 6 — 4 - 5:30 p.m.
Parting Thoughts Open Microphone
Dinner Break — 5 - 6:45 p.m.
* * * * *
Please note: A day trip to Death Valley will run on Nov. 23, 2026 from 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Admission Information
Conference sessions are open to the public, but seating is limited and attendance requires approval from conference organizers.
Send inquires to conference director, Dmitri Shalin at cdclv@unlv.nevada.edu.