Aleksey Balabanow‘s film BRAT (THE BROTHER) from 1997 is considered a cult film in Russia. BRAT, played by Russian acting legend Sergej Bodrow Jr., is searching for his purpose in a ruthless society in St. Petersburg. The film doesn‘t just pose questions about national identity formation in Russia, but also about the political, economic, and social consequences of a power vacuum which plagued the first post-Soviet years. The film talk right after the film will be about the image of the “wild 90s“ depicted in the film and how the power vacuum seen in BRAT has influenced Russia from the 90s till today when it comes to Russia‘s rule of law.

The guests: Michael Rochlitz (professor of economics, with a focus on institutional change at the University of Bremen) and Julia Langbein (head of the research topic “Political Economy and Integration“ at the Center of East European and International Studies).