Mora Ognian

I am a second-year MPhil student in Comparative Government at Mansfield College. Prior to studying in Oxford, I completed a BA at University of California, Davis, as a Political Science major and Human Rights minor.

My academic interests revolve around political economy, inequality, development and democracy in Latin America. My current research focuses on social welfare policies and the political representation and interests of economic elites.

Dismantling the rule of law in Russia: reflections from three public filings

I will discuss the under-theorized role that the erosion of the rule of law has played in the attempted consolidation of Russian democracy and re-establishment of authoritarianism. As a means of periodization and development of analytical concepts, I will discuss three public legal filings that I have made: (1) a 2011 report on the second conviction of Mikhail Khodorkovsky requested by the Presidential Council of the Russian Federation for Civil Society and Human Rights; (2) a 2020 third-party intervention before the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Navalnyy & Ofitserov v.

After Navalny: evaluating the impact of Alexei Navalny and his movement on Russian politics

Alexei Navalny was the leading Russian opposition figure – even when behind bars. One year on from his death, what can we say about the impact he, his team, and his movement made on Russian politics? Is his country further away than ever from the “Wonderful Russia of the Future”? And what do his own memoirs reveal?

Childhood under attack: three years of Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine.

Special panel marking the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Dame Rachel de Souza (Children's Commissioner for England); Oleksandra Romantsova (Executive Director of the Centre for Civil Liberties in Ukraine and Nobel Peace Prize co-recipient); ⁠⁠Inna Hryhorovych, MBE (Headteacher of St Mary’s Ukrainian School); Tetyana Nesterchuk (Barrister and Arbitrator at Fountain Court Chambers); ⁠Oksana Lebedeva (Founder of Gen.Ukrainian). Moderator: Kseniia Iaremych (Ambassador for Gen.Ukrainian). Co-hosted with Oxford University Ukrainian Society.

Oligarchic networks of influence and legislatures in developing democracies: evidence from Ukraine

State capture by wealthy elites is a widespread phenomenon in developing democracies, yet the mechanisms through which it works and the impact it has on political and policy outcomes remain poorly understood. In this research, I develop a network-based approach to studying captured legislatures and argue that, in the context of a competitive political environment and weak rule of law, oligarchs defend their wealth by promoting as members of parliament individuals who are linked to them via interpersonal ties.

Colonial echoes, Uzbekistan’s voice: historical narratives as spaces for agency in relations with China and Russia

Uzbekistan's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative is framed through agential narratives of resistance, highlighting historical conflicts and cautious economic relations with China. I delve into the long history of Sino-Uzbekistani relations, particularly pre-colonial times, to present a perspective beyond the Eurocentric view that sees modern Central Asia as a creation of the Russian Empire and the USSR. I add depth to the postcolonial aspect of Uzbekistan's relations with Russia by exploring local narratives about China's historical colonial role in the region.
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QS WORLD RANKINGS FOR POLITICS & INT’L STUDIES: 2

BEST UK UNIVERSITIES FOR POLITICS – THE GUARDIAN: 1

THE WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS FOR POLITICS AND INT’L STUDIES: 1 IN THE UK