Russian Propaganda: Perspectives from Two Leading Experts in the Field

On 13 April 2026, the team of the (Mis)Translating Deceit project hosted a seminar featuring two leading specialists on Russian propaganda and media, who presented papers emerging from their current research projects.

Paul Goode, McMillan Chair of Russian Studies at Carleton University, delivered a paper titled “Nationalist or Normalizing? Sanctions, State TV and War in Putin’s Russia.” His presentation drew on findings from the Russian Media Observation and Reporting (RuMOR) project, which he leads with funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Outputs from this project have been published in leading academic journals, including Perspectives on Politics, Post-Soviet Affairs, Social Science Quarterly, and Problems of Post-Communism.

Florian Toepfl, Chair of Political Communication at University of Passau, presented a paper titled “Who Receives Russia’s Propaganda? Predictors of the Use of Kremlin-Connected News Outlets.” His research has been supported by several EU-funded grants and published in prominent journals such as Communication Theory, New Media & Society, European Journal of Communication, Journalism, and The International Journal of Press/Politics.

The presentations were followed by a lively and engaging discussion involving project investigators, postdoctoral fellows, and PhD students conducting related research.

Florian Toepfl presenting his research. Photo Credit: Vera Tolz