#AskDifferent 47 - In this episode of #AskDifferent, political scientist and Einstein Visiting Fellow Tomila Lankina explores why open resistance to Russia’s war against Ukraine remains so limited. Drawing on her forthcoming book To Live for Freedom: A History of Dissent in Russia, she traces centuries of dissent—from religious nonconformists to today’s small anti-war networks—and shows how deep social divisions and a tradition of “running away”, both literally and metaphorically, have weakened collective protest. Lankina shares her archival discoveries, contrasts Russian apathy with Ukrainian civic mobilization, and explains why Berlin is a crucial base for her research. Her message to Russians: dissent needs numbers—so keep fighting.
