On October 21st, 2021, William M. Reisinger, a professor from the Department of Political Science at the University of Iowa, delivered an online keynote speech on “How Public Opinion in Russia Influences Its Foreign Policy Making” at the invitation of the Northeast Asian Research Center and the Northeast Asian Studies College of Jilin University. Conducted in English, the symposium attracted teachers and students from the Northeast Asian Studies College, the School of Public Administration, and the School of Foreign Studies at Jilin University. Professor Xu Bo of the Institute of International Politics of the Northeast Asian Studies College presided over the symposium. Wang Yanjun, Vice Dean of the Northeast Asian Studies College, attended and addressed the symposium.
Professor Reisinger is a renowned expert in comparative politics in the U.S. and served as Associate Provost of the University of Iowa and Dean of the International Programs and chair of the Political Science Department. He enjoys a high academic reputation in the Russian-Eurasian studies community in the U.S.
In his speech, Professor Reisinger explained the necessity for foreign policy analysts to study public opinion and the domestic political influence factors of public opinion. He further classified different schools of thought in Russian foreign policy and elaborated on the influence of public opinion on each school of thought. Finally, Professor Reisinger analyzed the influence of public opinion in Russia’s China policy and the potential direction of future related research.
The speech was well received. During the Q&A section, teachers and students asked questions in English on the quantitative research methods and model design of public opinion, the trend of Russian-American relations, and the development of domestic politics in Russia, to which Professor Reisinger gave wonderful answers. At the end of the symposium, Professor Xu Bo expressed gratitude to Professor Reisinger for his wonderful lecture and academic sharing.
This academic report is a session of the High-end Symposium on Northeast Asia International and Regional Studies and also the third in the lecture series on Russian studies. This lecture provided a rare opportunity for teachers and students to have direct exchange with foreign scholars, helping broaden their international vision and improve their international communication skills. It is also of positive significance for the college to carry out academic exchange with top universities in the U.S.
