✍︎: https://curiousworldview.beehiiv.com/subscribe Marlene Laruelle is a Research Professor of International Affairs and Political Science at George Washington University in Washington DC.  She is an expert on the culture and anthropology of Russia and many of the Stan central asian countries. She’s written 10 books on these subjects and was just the most incredible guest to have had on the show. The podcast starts in Kyrgyzstan and then moves onto religion and what Marlene thinks is a global wave of de-secularisation… we then move up into Murmansk and the frozen tundra cities of Siberia’s north to then Marlene’s thoughts on Russian demographics and finally she lays out the current state of affairs in the Russian-Ukraine war.  00:00 – Who Is Marlene Laruelle?01:33 - Kyrgyzstan & Countries That Punch Above Their Weight.04:59 - Religion & Global Wave Of De-Secularisation.18:08 - Murmansk & Russian Arctic Cities.21:35 - Russian Demographics.29:23 - Bullish & Bearish Case For Russia.34:05 - Russia-Ukraine War... Where Are We Now?41:14 - Serendipity In Marlene's Life.44:30 - Country Marlene Is Particularly Bullish On.Curious Things Mentioned During The Episode https://marlene-laruelle.com/https://www.illiberalism.org/https://therussiaprogram.org/🍻☕: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ryanhogg Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ryanfhogg/