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Details

Start:
September 20, 2018
End:
September 21, 2018

Venue

Mister Munro
215 Little Collins Street
Melbourne, Vic 3000 Australia
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Russophobia and the perils of a new Cold War

Hosted by:

September 20, 2018 - September 21, 2018

'I have been accused by my critics of being “in love with Russia”. I would respond – are they perhaps “in hate with Russia”, a self-sustaining learned condition brought on by endless repetition and mutual exchange of false negative stereotypes about this admirable nation, to a point where independent judgement simply shuts down?'

Tony Kevin had a successful and challenging Australian diplomatic career, ending with ambassadorships to Poland (1991-94) and Cambodia (1994-97). His travel memoir ‘Return to Moscow’, published by UWA Publishing in March 2017,  was prompted by his recent independent return visit to Russia, 47 years after his first diplomatic posting to Soviet Union in 1969-71. He compares Russia then and now, and asks why ‘Putin's Russia’ has for many years been increasingly demonised and disdained in Western capitals?  What are the root causes of Western governing and media elites’ entrenched confirmation bias against Russia and its competent leader? Did the delightful World Cup in Russia, the Trump-Putin 16 July summit, and the  Mueller Inquiry have any policy impact on our new Cold Warriors ?

Tony Kevin will review the current state of Russia-West relations and its distorting effect on Australian national security policy.
 

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