McLean Brown ’26
Q: Where did you study as an undergraduate? What was your major(s)?
I studied at the University of South Carolina, where I majored in Russian and earned a minor in Religious Studies.
Q: What do you like about UNC’s graduate program in Russian and East European Studies?
I enjoy getting to work with a wide variety of faculty from many diverse academic disciplines, as well as the wealth of courses available to take.
Q: Why did you choose to specialize in this region of the globe?
I have always been fascinated by Russia, and my studies of the area led me to researching Central Asia. I believe that this part of the world is largely overlooked, and that there are many important things we can learn from studying the complex processes of nation-building and state-building that have taken place in the region since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Q: Do you have work and/or study experience in the region?
I volunteered on an ethnographic folklore expedition in the Altai Mountains of Kazakhstan in July 2023, but I have not studied or worked in the region.
Q: What are your research interests?
I am interested in nation-building, national identity, and nationalism in Kazakhstan, as well as the relationship between these topics and current social and political issues in the country.
Q: What would you like to do after you graduate?
My goal is to work as a researcher in either the public or private sphere, focusing on Central Asia and Russia.
Q: What are your hobbies? What do you like doing in your free time?
I enjoy watching old movies and spending time outdoors, especially hiking and camping.
Q. What is your favorite visual reminder of the region and why? (this can be a photograph you took, painting, poster, still from a movie, or any other visual piece that you would like to share; please email separately)
My favorite visual reminder of the region is a photo that I took in Almaty, Kazakhstan of a stained-glass window depicting traditional Kazakh wedding traditions. This photo reminds me not only of my time in the country, but also of the rich cultural heritage of the Kazakh people, which they often portray through public art.