Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026
Time: 11:00 AM (Eastern Time)
Location: Jones Hall, Room 202, Department of Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University (in person)
Format: Hybrid format (in person and on Zoom)
Please use this Zoom link if you plan to join the event online:
https://kean-edu.zoom.us/j/93691831963?pwd=VtVSwVUuuqxGAHmMhni5Xk5bjctKhg.1
AANCS is a newly established scholarly organization dedicated to advancing research, teaching, collaboration and public engagement on the North Caucasus and its global diasporas.
Hosted at Princeton University and available both in person and via Zoom, the inaugural forum will feature presentations on the arts, cultures, histories, and diasporas of the North Caucasus, a featured conversation with Professor Michael Reynolds (Princeton University), and a roundtable discussion on the future of North Caucasus Studies as a distinct area of scholarly inquiry, with particular attention to building a more visible, interconnected, and sustainable scholarly infrastructure for the field.
During his conversation, Professor Reynolds will offer reflections on why the North Caucasus is an important region to study, how it has been positioned within broader academic frameworks, and what methodological and historical considerations scholars should keep in mind when approaching the region and its many complexities.
This event is envisioned as an introduction to AANCS and a preview of the topics, collaborations, and programming AANCS hopes to develop in the years ahead.
Please see the attached program for the full schedule. AANCS warmly welcomes scholars, students, community members, and anyone interested in the North Caucasus and its global connections.
For questions, contact:
Lidia Zhigunova
President and Co-Founder
Association for the Advancement of North Caucasus Studies (AANCS)
lzhiguno@tulane.edu