Silver City NM- This summer Western New Mexico University’s assistant professor of Political Science went to Russia in order to research company towns after the collapse of the Soviet Union. This visit was a personal trip but it also served a dual purpose. Part of her contract stipulates that Dr. Evans must publish journals and stay up to date in her research. For her latest project she will be writing a book on company towns and their impact on the economy.
“I received a double major in Russian and Political Science,” Dr. Evans said in an interview, “So it only made sense to begin my research in Russia.” This was her second trip to Russia, her last being in 2012, during which she spent two months immersed in the culture, learning about the company towns, and having a little fun too. Her time there focused on the progression of her first book which will entertain the protests that occurred in company towns right after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Creating more case studies is necessary for her book, and what she set out to do was gain more evidence concerning her dissertation. In Russia, company towns still employed their people even though there was no money to be paid. This meant that the factories stayed open, and as soon as possible employees were paid their salaries including their back pay. There were also two different kinds of protests occurring during this time, the peaceful and the raucous. What she learned was that peaceful protests worked better, but those took time to get what they wanted. The raucous people of course got what they wanted quicker, but it was not sustaining.
When asked when her book would be out she said she was unsure, she wanted to make a trip back to Russia first for some more research. Dr. Evans will be serving on a panel this November in order to gain more insight from other individuals researching a similar topic.
