Women, War, and State Power in Russia With Julia Ioffe
BakerInstitute
3,786 views
Oct. 30, 2025
Co-Sponsored by the Houston Committee on Foreign Relations, the Baker Institute hosted a conversation in Baker Hall with Ambassador David Satterfield and journalist Julia Ioffe on her new book “Motherland: A Feminist History of Modern Russia, from Revolution to Autocracy (Ecco, 2025).”
Through the lens of women's experiences, “Motherland” traces the arc of Russian history from the Bolshevik Revolution to the present, examining how revolutionary ideals, war, repression and authoritarianism have shaped — and often constrained — the roles of women in public and private life. Ioffe and Satterfield will discuss how Soviet-era gender policies emerged and unraveled, the complex legacy of women’s wartime contributions, and the rise of a state-backed conservatism under Putin. Drawing on Ioffe’s blend of historical narrative and personal reflection, the conversation explored how gender has both mirrored and influenced political power in Russia — and what these dynamics suggest about the country’s past, present, and future.
Moderator
The Honorable David M. Satterfield
Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy; Former ambassador to Lebanon and Turkey
Featured Speaker
Julia Ioffe is a Russian-born American journalist. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Foreign Policy, Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek, The New Republic, Politico, and The Atlantic. Ioffe has appeared as a Russia expert on MSNBC, CBS, PBS, and other news outlets. She is a founding partner and Washington correspondent at Puck.
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About the Baker Institute
The Baker Institute is a nonpartisan public policy institute at Rice University. Ranked the No. 1 university-based think tank in the world, its mission is to bridge the world of ideas and the world of action. Visit our website to learn more: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/.
Women, War, and State Power in Russia With Julia Ioffe
BakerInstitute
3,786 views
Oct. 30, 2025
Co-Sponsored by the Houston Committee on Foreign Relations, the Baker Institute hosted a conversation in Baker Hall with Ambassador David Satterfield and journalist Julia Ioffe on her new book “Motherland: A Feminist History of Modern Russia, from Revolution to Autocracy (Ecco, 2025).”
Through the lens of women's experiences, “Motherland” traces the arc of Russian history from the Bolshevik Revolution to the present, examining how revolutionary ideals, war, repression and authoritarianism have shaped — and often constrained — the roles of women in public and private life. Ioffe and Satterfield will discuss how Soviet-era gender policies emerged and unraveled, the complex legacy of women’s wartime contributions, and the rise of a state-backed conservatism under Putin. Drawing on Ioffe’s blend of historical narrative and personal reflection, the conversation explored how gender has both mirrored and influenced political power in Russia — and what these dynamics suggest about the country’s past, present, and future.
Moderator
The Honorable David M. Satterfield
Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy; Former ambassador to Lebanon and Turkey
Featured Speaker
Julia Ioffe is a Russian-born American journalist. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Foreign Policy, Forbes, Bloomberg Businessweek, The New Republic, Politico, and The Atlantic. Ioffe has appeared as a Russia expert on MSNBC, CBS, PBS, and other news outlets. She is a founding partner and Washington correspondent at Puck.
Follow the Baker Institute on social media
X ►► https://x.com/BakerInstitute
Instagram ►► Instagram: BakerInstitute
LinkedIn ►► LinkedIn: bakerinstitute
Facebook ►► Facebook: BakerInstitute
About the Baker Institute
The Baker Institute is a nonpartisan public policy institute at Rice University. Ranked the No. 1 university-based think tank in the world, its mission is to bridge the world of ideas and the world of action. Visit our website to learn more: https://www.bakerinstitute.org/.