Today’s guest is Dr. Emily Holland, an assistant professor in the Russia Maritime Studies Institute at the U.S. Naval War College, where she teaches and researches subjects like the Cold War, Russia, energy politics, diplomacy, geopolitics, and more. Follow her on Twitter here. In the interview you’re about to hear, Dr. Holland describes her background and the nature of her job at the Naval War College before explaining the challenges and tradeoffs inherent in the West’s efforts to isolate Russia’s oil and gas industries.

Timestamps for this episode:

(5:56) How did you get into studying Russia? (7:53) Mixing a geopolitical and cultural interest in Russia. (10:05) What is the Russia Maritime Studies Institute at the U.S. Naval War College? (14:24) The identity crisis among Russia studies scholars in the U.S. (19:25) Resistance to “strategic empathy.” (21:24) The next generation of American experts on Russia. (22:49) Expanding diversity among America’s Russia scholars. (25:02) What are the tradeoffs of boycotting Russian fuel? (33:21) Cracks in the newly reinvigorated Transatlantic unity.

Music: Joey Pecoraro, “Russian Dance,” and Олег Анофриев, Бременские музыканты, “Говорят, мы бяки-буки”