Mackenzie Jones is a recipient of the PepsiCo Junior Fellowship and the Harriman Summer Language Study Fellowship.

What region/topics are you focusing on at the Harriman Institute?

I am interested in the nationality policies of the early Soviet Union. Particularly, I am curious how imperial legacies and national histories of war and conflict were instrumental in constructing a shared Soviet identity based upon a shared multinational homeland.

What is your thesis about?

My thesis, which is still in progress, discusses the origins of the Judeo-Bolshevik myth in the context of the Russian Revolution and the Russian Civil War. My research examines how the ideational legacies of late imperial Russia influenced Bolshevik policies toward Jews, particularly in the western borderlands of the former Russian Empire and the newly consolidated Soviet Union.

What are some of your favorite things about studying here?

The ability to take courses across disciplines! I have taken classes in literature, history, politics, and language. This has allowed me not only to develop a comprehensive base knowledge of the region but also introduced me to new interpretive frameworks to approach my studies.

What’s your most memorable experience here so far?

The first day of Spring semester, January 16, 2024. There was a winter weather advisory for snow, and I went to class! I vividly remember that day because I’m from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and received messages from family and friends that day saying their schools had canceled classes due to freezing temperatures. I was surprised by New Yorkers’ ability to conduct business as usual in the cold.

Where in the region have you traveled?

I traveled to the region for the first time this past summer (2024). I participated in the American Councils for International Education’s Advanced Russian Language and Area Studies Program (RLASP) in Almaty, Kazakhstan. I stayed with a local host family from June to August.

Fun fact about you:

My favorite color is pink.

Pictured: Mackenzie in the mountains at Medeu in Almaty, Kazakhstan, 2024.