In this course, we will trace the evolution of Vladimir Putin's personality, beliefs, and behaviors from his childhood in Leningrad (born: 1952), through his career in the KGB in the 1980s, to his rise within the Moscow political hierarchy in the 1990s, and through his two-decades-plus as leader of Russia since the year 2000. To what extent were Putin's actions as president predetermined by his childhood personality and his adult experience in the KGB? To what extent were they shaped by domestic and foreign events experienced during his presidency?

We will trace his choices with an eye to the question: why did he order the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and prosecute this war as brutally as he has?

Faculty Bio

George W. Breslauer is Professor of Political Science at UC Berkeley, where he has been a faculty member since 1971. He is the author or co-author of seven books, and the editor or co-editor of six others — all on aspects of Soviet, Communist, or post-Soviet politics and foreign relations. His most-recent book is The Rise and Demise of World Communism (Oxford University Press, 2021). In 1997, Professor Breslauer won the Distinguished Teaching Award of the Social Sciences Division. In 1998, he was appointed “Chancellor’s Professor” for combining exceptional performance in scholarship, teaching, and service to the University. In 2014, he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

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Member Praise for George Breslauer

I don’t quite know where to begin with my praise and appreciation. But let me start with a very big and sincere thank you to Professor Breslauer for the willingness to invest such time and thoughtfulness into preparing and providing such a fascinating course! I learned so much through and through.

For me, the highlights of each session were without doubt the Q&A when he responded to a wide variety of queries with well considered, nuanced and insightful wisdom that further illuminated the subject.

Faculty Q&A

• Read an interview with George Breslauer from our archive.