Morena Skalamera
Assistant professor
- Name
- Dr. M. Skalamera
- Telephone
- +31 71 527 1982
- m.skalamera@hum.leidenuniv.nl
Morena Skalamera is Assistant Professor of Russian and International Studies. She teaches courses in international political economy, with a regional focus on Russia and Eurasia. Her research interests include the political economy of Eurasia, Russian and post-Soviet Politics, and the Geopolitics of Energy in Eurasia. Dr. Skalamera has spent extensive time conducting field research in post-Soviet Eurasia, especially in Russia and Central Asia, and in Turkey. Her current writings focus on issues of identity politics, exploring the particular interplay between international and domestic factors in policy making, and contemporary state-market relations with a focus on energy policy dynamics in Russia and Central Asia. She is currently working on a book manuscript that examines how energy firms have shaped the energy relationship between Russia and Europe and the energy strategies of the former Soviet states.
More information about Morena Skalamera
Key Publications
“Explaining the 2014 Sino-Russian Gas Breakthrough: the Primacy of Domestic Politics,” Europe-Asia Studies, January 2018, Issue 1.
“Understanding Russia’s Energetic Turn to China: Domestic Narratives and National Identity Priorities,” Post-Soviet Affairs, 34:1, 2018.
“Russia's Lasting Influence in Central Asia," Survival, 59:6, 2017, pp. 123-142.
“Sino- Russian Energy Relations Reversed: A New Little Brother,” Energy Strategy Reviews, Volumes 13-14, August 2016.
“Revisiting the Nabucco Debacle: Myths and Realities,” Problems of Post-Communism, 65:1, August 2016.
“Invisible but not Indivisible: Russia, the European Union, and the Importance of “Hidden Governance,” Energy Research & Social Science, Volume 12, February 2016, pp. 27–49.
Teaching activities
BARS Russian Politics
BARS The Russian Economy
BAIS Economy: Russia and Eurasia
BAIS Research Methods: Energy and Sustainability
BAIS Thesis Seminar Russia and Eurasia A
BAIS Thesis Seminar Russia and Eurasia D
MAIR Energy Security
BAIS Language in Practice - Russian
Awards, grants and honors (selected)
2015-2016 EU's Aurora – Erasmus Mundus Grant for Research in Russia
2014, 2015 Harvard Derek Bok Center Certificate of Teaching Excellence
2014-2015 Belfer Center Postdoctoral Fellowship
2013 Marie Curie Grant – for Research in China and Russia
2011-2013 Harvard's Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies Fellowship
2012 Alexander von Humboldt Research Grant
Publications
Journal Articles
“Uncovering the Domestic Factor in the Sino-Russian Energy Partnership," Geopolitics. October 2018.
“Explaining the 2014 Sino-Russian Gas Breakthrough: the Primacy of Domestic Politics,” Europe-Asia Studies, January 2018, Issue 1.
“Understanding Russia’s Energetic Turn to China: Domestic Narratives and National Identity Priorities,” Post-Soviet Affairs, 34:1, 2018.
“Russia's Lasting Influence in Central Asia," Survival, 59:6, 2017.
“Sino- Russian Energy Relations Reversed: A New Little Brother,” Energy Strategy Reviews, August 2016.
“Revisiting the Nabucco Debacle: Myths and Realities,” Problems of Post-Communism, August 2016.
“Invisible but not Indivisible: Russia, the European Union, and the Importance of “Hidden Governance,” Energy Research & Social Science, Volume 12, February 2016, pp. 27–49.
“The Ukraine Crisis: The Neglected Gas Factor,” Orbis, Summer Edition, 2015.
“Italy’s Path to Gas Liberalization: corporate power, monopoly distortions and the Russia factor.” Journal of Contemporary Italian Politics, April 2015.
EU-Russia Cooperation in a Rapidly Changing Interregional Gas Market.” Journal of Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment, issue 3, Franco Angeli, December 2013.
Book Chapters
“Explaining the Emerging Sino-Russian Energy Partnership” In Sino-Russian Relations in the 21st Century, ed. Jo Inge Bekkevold and Bobo Lo. Palgrave, August 2018.
“The Domestic Factor in the IPE of Eurasian Gas Trade” In Handbook of International Political Economy of Energy and Natural Resources, ed. Kuzemko, C. Goldthau A., and Keating M. F. Edward Elgar, January 2018.
With Fabio Farinosi, “Energy Transitions in the Carbon Consuming Countries: Italy.” Chapter for the Routledge Handbook of Transitions to Energy and Climate Security, ed. Robert E. Looney, 2016.
With Nadiya Kravets “The Russian Federation’s Energy Diplomacy and its Influence on the Caucasus and Central Asia.” in David Dyker, ed., Energy, The World Scientific Reference on Globalisation in Eurasia and the Pacific Rim, Imperial College Press, London, January 2015.
White Papers and Policy Briefs
With Andreas Goldthau, “Goodbye or Simply Hardball? Debunking myths about Russia in Eurasia's new geopolitics of gas,” Harvard Kennedy School White Paper, June 2016.
“The Russian Reality Check on Turkey’s Gas Hub Hopes,” Policy Brief, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, January 2016.
“The Sino-Russian Gas Partnership: Explaining the May 2014 Breakthrough.” White Paper, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, November 2014.
“Pipeline Pivot: Why Russia and China are Poised to Make Energy History,” Policy Brief, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, May 2014.
“Booming Synergies in Sino-Russian Natural Gas Partnership.” White Paper, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, May 2014.
Other Publications and Materials
“Transformed Gas Markets Fuel US-Russian Rivalry, But Europe Plays Key Role Too.” Russia Matters, May 30, 2018.
“Getting Russian Gas to Europe: Old Relationships Sprout New Wings” E-IR, September 2017.
“Sino-Russian Energy Relations Reversed: a New Little Brother,” Open Democracy, December 22, 2015.
“A Kink in the Pipeline. Why Turkish-Russian Gas Diplomacy Won't End Well for Ankara,” Foreign Affairs, October 11, 2015.
“Energy Security in the Wake of the Ukraine Crisis: Getting the Real Threats Right,” Global Policy, July 2015.
“Climate Policy According to Gazprom,” Open Democracy, February 6, 2015.
Commentaries
“China Can't Solve Russia’s Energy Technology Trap.” Op-ed in The Diplomat, February 13, 2015.
“Putin’s Asian Strategy 2015.” Commentary, The National Bureau of Asian Research, December 2014.
“EU Must Resist Temptation of Energy Union.” Op-ed in The Moscow Times, October 29, 2014.
“Russia’s Gas Pact with China Not About Ukraine.” Op-ed in The Moscow Times, May 26, 2014.
Cases and Teaching Material
With Rawi Abdelal and Marat Atnashev, “Russia: Tribulations and Toska.” Harvard Business School Case 716-074, March 2016.
With Rawi Abdelal and Sogomon Tarontsi, “The Sino-Russian Rapprochement: Energy Relations in a New Era.” Harvard Business School Case 715-016, March 2015.
Media Appearances and Quotes
Radio interview with the BBC for a programme on the geopolitics of the global gas industry. July 30, 2019.
Moderator for the Pacific Council on International Policy’s teleconference on the Power Struggle in Central Asia: China, Russia, and the United States. February 7, 2019.
POWER MARKETS: How Russian gas ended up on U.S. shores, E&E News, March 21, 2018.
In the Race for Central Asia’s Gas, China’s Rise Comes at Russia’s Expense, World Politics Review, Interview, January 26, 2018.
Russia Pours Hot Oil on Wounded Ties With Turkey, Foreign Policy, December 2, 2015.
China and Russia Reach 30-Year Gas Deal, The New York Times, May 21, 2014.
Assistant professor
- Faculty of Humanities
- Institute for History
- History and International Studies
- Skalamera M. (2024), The varying levels of contrasting adaptation in Central Asia’s climate change politics, Central Asian Survey : 1-20.
- Skalamera M. (2023), Schmierstoff der Beziehung Russlands Energie für China, Osteuropa (7-9): 275–286.
- Banka A., Kulesa L., Meijer H., Reynolds J., Simon L., Skalamera M. & Smitson S. (2023), Geostrategic context: bridging alliances in the shadow of Sino-American competition, Defence Studies 24(1): 114-121.
- Milchram C. & Skalamera M. (2023), Exploring the geopolitical impacts of energy justice: an interdisciplinary research agenda. In: Scholten D. (Ed.), Handbook on the geopolitics of the energy transition: Edward Elgar Publishing. 232-246 .
- Skalamera M. & Köstem S. (2023), The dual transformation in development finance: Western multilateral development banks and China in post-Soviet energy, Review of International Political Economy 30(1): 176-200.
- Skalamera M. (2023), The geopolitics of energy after the invasion of Ukraine, The Washington Quarterly 46(1): 7-24.
- Skalamera M. (2023), A ‘steppe’ into the void: central Asia in the post-oil world. In: Sabyrbekov R., Overland I. & Vakulchuk R. (Eds.), Climate change in Central Asia. Cham: Springer. 83-94.
- Skalamera M. 27 March 2022, Importance of the Caspian Sea Countries for the EU Energy Security: A Global Perspective on European Politics. A Global Perspective on European Politics. Groningen University [podcast].
- Skalamera M. (2022), Review of: Makarov I. A. & et al. (2021), Povorot k prirode: Novaia ekologicheskaia politika Rossii v usloviiakh “zelenoi” transformatsii mirovoi ekonomiki i politiki. Doklad po itogam serii situatsionnykh analizov. Moscow: HSE: Mezhdunarodnye otnosheniia. The Russian Review 81(4): 752-796.
- Skalamera M. (2022), The EU’s Low-Carbon Policies and Implications for Arctic Energy Projects: The Russian Case. In: Likhacheva A. (Ed.), Arctic Fever Political, Economic & Environmental Aspects: Palgrave Macmillan. 333-354.
- Skalamera M. (2022), ‘Steppe-ing’ out of Russia’s shadow: Russia’s changing ‘energy power’ in post-Soviet Eurasia, Europe-Asia Studies 74(9): 1640-1656.
- Skalamera M. (2021), The Southern gas corridor and the new geopolitics of climate change, Baku Dialogues 4(3): 70-86.
- Skalamera M. (2021), Russia’s foray into Asia’s energy market. In: Buchanan E. (Ed.), Russian Energy Strategy in the Asia-Pacific - Implications for Australia. Australia: ANU Press. 31-54.
- Skalamera M. (2021), “Greening” over the transatlantic divide: domestic constraints and the possibility of renewed cooperation. Philadelphia: Perry World House, University of Pennsylvania.
- Skalamera M. (2020), Political Transition on the Great Steppe: The Case of Kazakhstan, Survival 62(1): 157-168.
- Skalamera M. (2020), After the fall: steppe strongmen in a post-oil era. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts : Davis Center For Russian and Eurasian Studies.
- Skalamera M. (2020), Circling the barrels: Kazakhstan’s regime stability in the wake of the 2014 oil bust, Central Asian Survey 39(4): 480-499.
- Skalamera M. (2020), The 2020 oil price dive in a carbon-constrained era: strategies for energy exporters in central Asia, International Affairs 96(6): 1623-1642.
- Skalamera M. (9 November 2020), Is the renewable energy transition an existential crisis for petrostates?: International Affairs Blog. [blog entry].
- Skalamera M. (2020), Uncovering the domestic factor in the Sino-Russian energy partnership, Geopolitics 25(4): 989-1014.
- Skalamera M. (2019), Explaining the emerging Sino-Russian energy partnership. In: Bekkevold J.I. & Lo B. (Eds.), Sino-Russian relations in the 21st century. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. 69-86.
- Skalamera M. (2018), Understanding Russia’s energy turn to China: domestic narratives and national identity priorities, Post-Soviet Affairs 34(1): 55-77.
- Skalamera M. (2018), Explaining the 2014 Sino–Russian gas breakthrough: the primacy of domestic politics, Europe-Asia Studies 70(1): 90-107.
- Skalamera M. (2018), The domestic factor in the international political economy of Eurasian gas trade. In: Goldthau A., Keating M.F. & Kuzemko C. (Eds.), Handbook of the international political economy of energy and natural resources: Edward Elgar Publishing. 342-353.
- Skalamera M. (2018), Transformed gas markets fuel US-Russian rivalry, but Europe plays key role too, Russia Matters : .
- Skalamera M. (2018), The Silk Road Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Russian and Chinese Competition for Central Asia’s Energy, Insight Turkey 20(4): 45-65.
- O'Sullivan M., Skalamera M. & Soylu C. (2018), Russia’s Energy Foray into Asia: Implications for U.S. Interests. National Bureau of Asian Research Special Report no. 74. Seattle, Washington: The National Bureau of Asian Research.
- Skalamera M. (2017), Russia’s lasting influence in Central Asia, Survival 59(6): 123-142.
- Skalamera M. & Farinosi F. (2017), Energy transitions and climate security in Italy. In: Looney R. (Ed.), Handbook of transitions to energy and climate security. London: Routledge.
- Skalamera M. (2017), Getting Russian gas to Europe: old relationships sprout new wings, E-IR.
- Skalamera M. & Goldthau A. (2016), Russia: Playing hardball or bidding farewell to Europe? : Debunking the myths of Eurasia's new geopolitics of gas. Cambridge, MA: Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs - Harvard Kennedy School (Harvard University). [discussion paper].
- Skalamera M. (2016), Sino-Russian energy relations reversed: a new little brother, Energy Strategy Reviews 13-14: 97-108.
- Skalamera M. (2016), Revisiting the Nabucco debacle: myths and realities, Problems of Post-Communism 65(1): 18-36.
- Skalamera M. (2016), Invisible but not indivisible: Russia, the European Union, and the importance of “Hidden Governance”, Energy Research & Social Science 12: 27-49.
- Skalamera M. (2015), The Ukraine crisis: the neglected gas factor, Orbis 59(3): 398-410.
- Skalamera M. (2015), Italy’s path to gas liberalisation: corporate power, monopoly distortions and the Russia factor, Contemporary Italian Politics 7(2): 161-184.
- Skalamera M. (2015), Energy security in the wake of the Ukraine crisis: getting the real threats right, Global Policy : .
- Skalamera M. (2015), A kink in the pipeline: why Turkish-Russian gas diplomacy won't end well for Ankara, Foreign Affairs : .
- Skalamera M. (2015), Sino-Russian energy relations reversed: a new little brother, Open Democracy.
- Skalamera M. (2015), Climate policy according to Gazprom, Open Democracy : .
- Skalamera M. (2014), Putin’s Asian strategy 2015, National Bureau of Asian Research Special Report : .