What role have secret services played in the formation of the Soviet dictatorship and today’s Russian authoritarian regime? And why has “Chekism” become one of the most enduring pillars of this system?
We invite you to a public guest lecture by Associate Professor Tomáš Sniegoň (Lund University), a leading expert on the history of post-communist countries, particularly Russia and Central Europe.
The lecture, titled “Russia Under Surveillance – From Lenin to Putin: ‘Chekism’ as the Backbone of the Russian and Soviet Dictatorship”, will take place on:
When? 4 December 2025, 17:30–19:00
Where? Faculty of Arts, Charles University, nám. Jana Palacha 1/2, Prague 1, room P313
The event is free of charge and will be held in Czech. A discussion will follow the lecture.
Please register here: https://forms.office.com/e/RQMTe3LPK2
What will you learn?
- How the relationship between Soviet/Russian state security and state politics has evolved since 1917.
- What “Chekism” is and why it became the backbone of both Soviet and Russian dictatorship.
- Which values, norms, and practices today’s secret services inherited from the original Cheka.
- Why contemporary Russian agents still proudly refer to themselves as “Chekists” despite numerous
- What role state security has played—and continues to play—in Russia’s authoritarian system.reforms.
More information is available on the Faculty of Arts website:
https://www.ff.cuni.cz/…/na-ff-uk-probehne-verejna…/
The lecture is organized by the Department of East European Studies in cooperation with the ERA-AREAS project, which supports the development of research and teaching in area studies at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University. The project is funded by the European Union.
Related news
Research seminar explored affective polarization and democratic accountability
