Richard Connolly is a Lecturer in Political Economy. His research interests centre on the political economy of Russia. After completing his doctorate at the Centre for Russian and East European Studies in 2009, Richard was appointed CEELBAS Postdoctoral Research Fellow until 2011, carrying out research on knowledge-based economic development in Russia and the wider post-socialist region. He was appointed Lecturer in Political Economy in October 2011. His current research is principally concerned with the political and economic development of Russia.
Richard has presented his research to a wide variety of academic and non-academic audiences, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the International Trade Committee of the European Parliament, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Moscow State Institute for International Relations (MGIMO), the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce (RBCC), and the Royal Institute for International Affairs (Chatham House). He has also commentated on Russian affairs for BBC News.
Dr. Connolly's research on the political economy of Russia focuses on industrial development and structural transformation, trade and investment, financial sector development, and Russia's integration into the wider global economy.
He is currently working on two book projects exploring the structural barriers to economic and political modernisation in Russia.