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 courses:
HY242 The Soviet Union: Domestic, International and Intellectual History
Engagement and impact
News
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