The Battle for Crimea: Past and Present

The Crimean Peninsula has been central to two wars—the Crimean War of 1853-1856 and the Crimean War that started in 2014—not to mention during World War II. Once again, the daily news features Russia and Ukraine prominently.  This seminar will answer some key questions: What do these wars have in common, why are they different, and what are the historical contexts and issues? Who and why are these antagonists fighting each other? What were and are the results? What was and is at stake then and now?

Richard Lobban, Ph.D., professor emeritus of anthropology and African studies at Rhode Island College, serves as adjunct professor of African studies at the Naval War College. He has a master’s degree from Temple University and a Ph.D. from Northwestern University and has taught at the American University in Cairo, Tufts University and Dartmouth College, among others. He has conducted field research in Tunis and Egypt and has been excavating a temple in Sudan for 10 years. Richard is widely published in urban and complex societies, informal sector economy, gender, ethnicity, race and class, especially in the Middle East. He often serves as a subject matter expert and court-appointed expert witness in political asylum cases for refugees from Africa and the Middle East.