2021 Student Symposium: Avenging Angels: Russia’s Legacy of Female Terrorism

The Institute of World Politics

Full title: Avenging Angels: Russia’s Legacy of Female Terrorism in Revolution and the Chechen Conflict About the Lecture: Female-perpetrated terrorism is a compelling subject largely for the shocking dichotomy between traditional perceptions of femininity and brutal, premeditated violence. From the fiery revolutionaries of the 1800s to modern-day Chechen suicide bombers, Russia’s legacy of women’s involvement in terrorist activity is remarkable for its violence, fervor, and popular mythologization. This presentation will discuss what in Russia’s political history and society has encouraged such distinctive, violent female political actors by assessing the revolution’s “avenging angels” and modern “black widows” as part of the same legacy. It will also explore the personal, ideological, and cultural disparities between female terrorists in Russia’s revolutionary era and those in modern-day Chechnya. About the Speaker: Emily Miller is an international development professional with five years of experience in business development, communications, and program design/implementation. She graduates this semester with an M.A. in Statecraft and National Security Affairs from IWP, with a specialization in Public Diplomacy and Strategic Influence. Her graduate research has focused on pre-Soviet and Soviet Russia, the influence of non-state actors on international security, and the intersection of policymaking and ideology.