About
Dr Jeff Hawn completed his PhD in 2025 with his thesis titled From Collapse to Crisis: The Constitutional Standoff in Post-Soviet Russia, the Role of the United States, and the Failure of Russia’s Democratic Transition. The thesis examines the failure of Russia’s democratic transition during the Soviet collapse.
Jeff has published numerous articles related to his research and broader geo-political issues in Riddle Russia and Foreign Policy as well as authoring various white papers for numerous research organization. Jeff has also provided commentary and appeared on several international news programs including CBS News, France24, BBC, LBC, TVT and i24News.
Prior to undertaking his PhD work Jeff held a bachelor's and master's degrees in international relations from American University and a certificate in Russian studies from St. Petersburg State University in Russia. He has a wide range of experience in research and consulting having previously worked as a global intelligence analyst for the private intelligence company Stratfor.
Jeff’s teaching experience includes educating students on a wide variety of topics across the 19th and 20th centuries as well as contemporary issues. These include economic, social, and political history as well as the emergence of violent extremism.
Expertise
Political Science; Law and Society; International Politics; Former Soviet Republics; Russian Domestic and Foreign policy; Politically motivated Violent Extremism
- Service Historique de la Défense, the Centre d’Histoire de Sciences Po, Paris, and the Sir Michael Howard Centre for the History of War, King’s College London. Conference on The Strategic and Military Consequences of the End of the Cold War. "Russia’s Reluctant Praetorians: Understanding the Role of the Russian Military in the 1993 Constitutional Crisis", 13 December 2021.
- British International Studies Association United States Foreign Policy Working Group Conference: "Defeat in Victory the Clinton administrations failed policy toward Russia leading up to the Russian consitutional crisis of 1993", 17 November 2021.
- 11th Annual Cold War History Research Center International Student Conferenceat Corvinus University of Budapest: "Yeltsin the Democrat? Why the United States came to see Boris Yeltsin as key to Russian Democracy", June 2021.
Teaching
Jeff teaches the following course:
Engagement and impact
News
Dr Jeff Hawn's submission to the UK Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs Russia Enquiry has been published as part of the committee's written evidence
In the summer of 2026 the Foreign Affairs Committee launched an inquiry into Russia. The inquiry considered the UK’s bilateral relationship and asked whether the UK’s long-term strategic approach to a post-conflict Russia is clearly defined.
The National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence Review both identify Russia as the most acute threat to the UK. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the UK Government has focused its defence and foreign policy posture on visible and practical support for Ukraine.
The Foreign Affairs Committee’s role is to scrutinise the work of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. As part of this responsibility, this inquiry examined Russia’s current domestic situation and foreign policy, as well as the UK Government’s approach to Russia. Recognising that tensions with Russia are likely to persist for the foreseeable future, the UK must develop and maintain a sustainable strategy that combines robust deterrence with a clear understanding of Russia’s ambitions, capabilities and influence.
This was broad inquiry, examining Russia’s international alliances and strategic partnerships and the internal dynamics of Russian governance, the sustainability of Russia’s economic model and the state of civil society, human rights and media freedoms within Russia.
As an expert on Russian domestic affairs and international relations Dr Hawn was asked to submit evidence. His written evidence, now published in the Parliamentary recorded, examined the failure of rule of law in Russia and the personalisation of power, advising the UK to alter its relationship only on the biases of sustained improvement to rule of law governance.
Read Dr Hawn's submission HERE
Dr Jeff Hawn makes appearance on Russia Unfiltered podcast
Dr Hawn sat down with Dr Jeremy Morrison, Dr James Pierce and Johnny Tickel on Russia Unfiltered to discuss the 1990s and his own research of how the events of that period have shaped modern Russia.
Watch the podcast HERE
Dr Jeff Hawn pens new article 'The Decline of Russia's Railroads' in online magazine Riddle
Dr Hawn's analysis of the declining condition of the state owned Russian railroads, points to broader systemic issues within the economy. In this analysis Jeff identifies that the Russian railroads which are a vital part of the broader Russian economy are in severe finicial trouble and beginning to see very tangible impacts on operations. With as much as 20% of rolling stock idle even as profits collapse by up to 90%. The railroads are still moving thanks to forced loans from Russian banks, but as Russia's currency reserves run dry and no clear solution appears. It seems likely Russia's railroads and its broader economy are facing a renewed crisis.
Read the article HERE