2014 Writer in Residence László Krasznahorkai Awarded Nobel Prize in Literature: Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai has won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature. The Swedish Academy in Stockholm praised the writer “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art.”

Krasznahorkai was the Spring 2014 Harriman Writer in Residence. He taught the seminar “Artistic Collaboration in East Central Europe,” centered on his work with famed Hungarian film director Béla Tarr (Satantango, Werckmeister Harmonies) and German painter Max Neumann (Animalinside). Congratulations, László Krasznahorkai!

Robert Legvold Receives Distinguished Scholar Award and Named Fellowship: Congratulations to Marshall D. Shulman Professor Emeritus Robert Legvold, to whom the Harriman Institute awarded the Distinguished Scholar Award for extraordinary contributions to Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies. Legvold, who served as Director of the Harriman Institute during the pivotal years of 1986–1992, received the award at the Harriman Carnegie Corporation Russian Studies Capstone Conference, where he delivered keynote remarks. A fellowship honoring Legvold’s Scholarship and the lasting effects his mentorship have had on his students was also announced at the conference. We are grateful to the Carnegie Corporation of New York for providing the seed funds for this fellowship.

Read more about Legvold and his career in his interview for the Harriman Institute’s oral history project: Cold Wars and the Academy: An Oral History of Russian and Eurasian Studies.

Harriman Institute Joins Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies: We’re proud to join the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies. On September 24, 2025, Harriman Institute Acting Director Jack Snyder, along with the leaders of other institutions, signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the Ukrainian Institute of America with coalition founder Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska present.

The Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies is an international initiative to create a united network of universities and research institutions focused on the advancement of Ukrainian studies. Columbia scholars have studied Ukraine since the first half of the 20th century. The Harriman Institute’s Ukrainian Studies Program dates back to the late 1980s and has been an international leader in the field. By joining the Global Coalition of Ukrainian studies, the Institute can deepen its relationship with emerging international scholars and programs focused on Ukraine.

“We hope to meet new international scholars working on Ukraine with whom we can share our experience in this field,” says Mark Andryczyk, who leads the Harriman Institute’s Ukrainian Studies Program.◆

Featured image: Harriman Institute Acting Director Jack Snyder (left) presents Robert Legvold (right) the Distinguished Scholar Award for extraordinary contributions to Russian, Eurasian, and East European Studies.