Anastasiya Astapova:

As one of the remarkable people I had the privilege to meet at Stanford put it, being there is like “drinking from a firehose.” The metaphor, often used to describe the overwhelming yet exhilarating influx of knowledge and opportunity, could not be more accurate. My visit as a short-term scholar was a time of intense intellectual engagement, inspiring connections, and meaningful cross-cultural experiences—for both myself and my family.

My main project, Russophones’ Conspiratorial Thinking in Estonia: Three Years Post-Invasion to Ukraine, focused on conspiracy theories about the war in Ukraine as articulated by Russian-speaking communities in Estonia. At the beginning of my stay, on January 17, I delivered a talk on this topic at Stanford’s Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies (CREEES), based on long-term ethnographic fieldwork. I explored the evolution of conspiratorial narratives, the sociopolitical conditions that enable them, and the role of humor and genre in their spread. Thanks to the valuable feedback I received at Stanford, by the end of my stay I was able to finalize the article A Longitudinal Study of Russophone Conspiracy Theories about Ukraine: Content and Methodological Insights, which has now been submitted to Nations and Nationalism, a leading peer-reviewed journal. I also began work on a NordForsk grant application on antagonistic threats—an idea that grew out of interdisciplinary conversations and contacts made during the fellowship. This early presentation proved to be pivotal, offering both scholarly critique and ample time to deepen the research through additional lectures, meetings, and informal exchanges.

On some days in Stanford, I had marathons od attending up to five events—and still felt I was missing out, given how much Stanford has to offer. I regularly followed courses such as Erosion of Democracy, Nations and Nationalism, International Security in the Changing World, and The Social and Economic Impact of AI. I also participated in numerous events organized by CREEES, the Hoover Institution, the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, and many other institutions—including public lectures by prominent scholars such as Serhii Plokhy. This immersion into lesser unfamiliar fields—particularly technology, military studies, and AI—brought fresh perspectives that will significantly shape my future research. Equally impactful was observing the pedagogical approaches used at Stanford: from expertly delivered 90-minute lectures to lively seminars and group discussions, often enhanced by interactive tools like quizzes and structured participation. These methods will undoubtedly enrich my own teaching practice. In addition, I gained valuable insights into the structure and philosophy of the one-year interdisciplinary MA program at CREEES. Meeting its students and faculty helped me reflect on curriculum design for our own MA in Folkloristics and Applied Heritage Studies at the University of Tartu, especially regarding final projects and course organization.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the visit was connecting with scholars across disciplines and institutions. I had the pleasure of engaging in profound and inspiring conversations with my host Jovana Lazic, whose intellectual and personal generosity left a lasting impression. I am also deeply grateful to John Truman, whose help with countless practical matters made my day-to-day work at Stanford seamless. This experience would not have been possible without the dedication and warmth of Kadri Paju and Liisi Esse. From the early planning stages to on-the-ground support, their proactive attitude, constant availability, and genuine kindness made a world of difference. Thanks to Liisi’s initiatives, I was also able to attend the opening of Estonia’s new honorary consulate in San Francisco and had a meeting with Estonian Minister of Culture—both of which underscored the value of academic and cultural diplomacy. I also got in touch and met with scholars such as David Laitin, whose foundational work in nationalism and migration intersects with my interests; Sam Wineburg, a leading expert in media literacy; as well as Quinn Dombrowski, Maryna Antaniuk-Prouteau, Katherine Jolluck, Jelena Batinic, Alexis Peri, Michael Keller, and many others. Encounters with fellow Estonian colleagues Janar Pekarev and Mari-Liis Jakobson were also truly rewarding—ironically, it often takes being abroad to fully appreciate the richness of our own academic community.

Beyond Stanford, I was invited to give a talk at UC Berkeley on January 29, titled Conspiracy Theories in Academia: The Case of Russian Spy Professor Vyacheslav Morozov. The talk, hosted at the Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies, analyzed how different ideological groups in academia responded to the controversial case of Morozov’s arrest in Estonia, interweaving narratives of suspicion, imperial memory, and the recent rise of “spytainment.” Zachary Kelly, an Assistant Director of the Institute, also organized the meeting with students of it, at which they could share their research and learn more about the opportunities to visit the University of Tartu from me. My folklorist colleague Timothy Tangherlini also studying conspiracy theories introduced me to the famous archive of the folklorist Alan Dundes in UC Berkeley.

My time at Stanford was not only academically productive but personally transformative. The cultural and linguistic diversity of California enriched our entire family’s experience. Weekends spent exploring the Bay Area, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and even Disneyland offered a welcome contrast to the Estonian winter. And, on a more personal but very real note, the mild climate meant our children were sick far less often—which, in turn, meant more uninterrupted time for writing, thinking, and engaging.

Now back in Estonia, I find myself slowly digesting all that I absorbed—processing, finally, some of the water I drank from that metaphorical firehose. My stay at Stanford has left a deep and lasting impact, broadening my academic horizon and inspiring new research paths, teaching ideas, and international collaborations that will continue to unfold for years to come.