Originally from the United States, I have spent most of my life in Germany, where I obtained my bachelor’s degree in International Relations and History. During my studies, which included a semester abroad at Saint Petersburg State University, I developed an interest in examining the foreign and domestic policies of the USSR and modern-day Russia from a postcolonial perspective. My research interests include Cold War ideological narratives as well as encounters between the ‘Second’ and ‘Third World’ and their lasting impact on the present day.