DC Club: Putin's Labor Dilemma and the War in Ukraine: Russian Politics between Stability and Stagnation

“Putin’s Labor Dilemma and the War in Ukraine: Russian Politics between Stability and Stagnation”

A Zoom Conversation with Professor of Politics Stephen Crowley

Tuesday, September 22, 2026
6:00-7:00 p.m. (US Eastern)

Vladimir Putin appears to have a firm grip on power, despite his war with Ukraine that's now in its fifth year. But are there domestic challenges to Putin’s rule that predated the invasion and that are likely to be heightened when the war finally comes to an end? 

Join Professor Stephen Crowley as he explores those challenges and delves deeper against the context of the war against Ukraine. These issues are also reviewed in Stephen’s last book Putin’s Labor Dilemma: Russian Politics between Stability and Stagnation (save 30% with code 09FLYER).

Stephen Crowley is the Robert S. Danforth Professor of Politics at Oberlin College. He is a scholar of the politics of Russia and Eastern Europe, with a focus on labor and the political economy of post-communist transformations. His areas of teaching include Russia and Eastern Europe, peace and conflict studies, revolutions, and globalization. He earned his BA from Hamilton College and his PhD from the University of Michigan. Stephen’s recently published commentary includes Russia, Ukraine, and the Danger of Escalation and On the Eve of the NATO Summit, Is Europe Rearming Against a Phantom Russia?.