Ekaterina Schulmann

Russian political scientist (born 1978)

In this name that follows East Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is  Mikhailovna and the family name is  Schulmann.

Ekaterina Schulmann

Екатерина Шульман

Schulmann in 2024

Born|

Ekaterina Mikhailovna Zaslavskaya

(1978-08-19) August 19, 1978 (age 46)

Tula, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union

Spouse| Mikhail Schulmann
Awards| Glamour Woman of the Year award (2020)
Federal Chamber of Advocates of Russian Federation Medal 'For Contribution to the Development of the Rule of Law' (2021)
Academic background
Education| RANEPA (Bachelor, Candidate of Sciences)
Thesis| Political Conditions and Factors of Transformation in the Legislative Process in Modern Russia (2013)
Doctoral advisor| Elena Morozova
Academic work
Discipline| Political science
Institutions|

* RANEPA (2013—2022)
* MSSES (2021—2022)
* Free University of Berlin (since 2022)
* Maqsut Narikbayev University [ru; kk] (2023—2024)

Main interests| Lawmaking, bureaucracy, decision-making mechanisms in contemporary autocracies

YouTube information

Channel|

* Екатерина Шульман

Subscribers| 1.22 million[1]
Views| 227 million[1]

Creator Awards

| 100,000 subscribers|
| 1,000,000 subscribers| 2022

* * *

Last updated: 31 March 2024
Signature

Ekaterina Mikhailovna Schulmann[a] (Russian: Екатерина Михайловна Шульман, Yekaterina Mikhaylovna Shulman; née Zaslavskaya (Заславская); born 19 August 1978) is a Russian political scientist specializing in legislative processes. Schulmann was a senior lecturer at RANEPA from 2013 to 2022 and an associate professor at the Moscow School for the Social and Economic Sciences from 2021 to 2022. She is currently a fellow of the Robert Bosch Academy Berlin, an associate fellow of Chatham House, a non-resident scholar at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin, and an invited lecturer at the Institute for East European Studies of the Free University of Berlin.

She works as a lecturer and political commentator, gives expert commentary to the media, and hosts her own political radio talk show. As of August 2022, her YouTube channel has one million subscribers.

## Biography

[edit]

### Education and career

[edit]

Schulmann was born in Tula to Michael and Olga Zaslavsky. Her maternal grandparents both were professors at the Tula State Pedagogical University [ru]. Michael Zaslavsky had a Ph.D. in engineering and worked as provost at the Tula Institute of Economics and Informatics.[2][3] Professor Olga Zaslavsky is Head of the Department of Theoretical and Practical Pedagogics at the TSPU.[4]

In 1995, Schulmann graduated with honors from public school №73 and went to Canada, where in 1996 she graduated from George Brown College in Toronto.[3] In 1999 she moved to Moscow, where In March–September 1999 she was a senior editor at Russian News and Information Agency Novosti.[5][6] Later in 1999, she started working at the State Duma, staying there in various posts (deputy’s assistant, political faction analyst and expert in the analytical department) until 2011.[7][5]

In 2001-2005, she studied law and political science at the RANEPA (Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration).[8]

In 2006-11, Schulmann was director of legislative research at The PBN Company, a consulting firm.[5]

In 2013, she obtained a Candidate of Sciences degree in political science at RANEPA[9] and was hired by the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. Her research interests include the legislative process in modern Russia, parliamentarism and decision-making mechanisms in hybrid political regimes.[10] From 2013 until its closure Schulmann was a lecturer in the Moscow School of Civic Education.[5]

Schulmann giving a lecture in Sakharov Center, 23 June 2017

In 2013, she became a senior lecturer at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.[11]

Schulmann during the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights meeting, 11 December 2018

In 2018, she was elected a member of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights.[5][12][13][11] On 21 October 2019, she was dismissed from the Council.[14]

In 2019, she was promoted to Director of RANEPA's Center for Legislative Studies and started working as an associate professor at MSSES.[5]

Since January 2023, Schulmann has been an associate professor at M. Narikbayev University (KAZGUU) in Astana, Kazakhstan; she teaches political science at the university.[15]

### Media projects

[edit]

Since 2013, Schulmann has written as a columnist or a commentator for Vedomosti, The New Times, Colta.ru, Republic.ru, Grani.ru [ru].[16][17]

In 2016, she launched her YouTube channel, dedicated to lawmaking and politics.[18] Soon she accumulated a wide audience of all ages, including teenagers. Memes and citations with Schulmann became viral in Runet, TikTok, etc.[19]

In 2017, she started her own show ‘Status’ on Echo of Moscow radio station. The show broadcasts every Tuesday at 9 PM, covering actual legal and political topics in Russia and includes educational material.[5][3]

## Political views and activities

[edit]

Schulmann at the "Golunov march" in Moscow, 12 June 2019 Schulmann during the New People roundtable discussion on changes in legislation devoted to fighting torture in Russia, 21 January 2022

As a member of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights, Schulmann contributed to the protection of the people accused under the Moscow Case (2019) [ru] after 2019 Moscow protests. She publicly opposed their charges under civil disorder article 212 of the Russian Criminal Code, visited the arrested in detention centers and helped with legal defense in court.[20]

When MSSES rector Sergey Zuev was arrested in October 2021, Schulmann publicly spoke out in his defense, signed a collective letter in his support[21][22][23] and waited in front of the courthouse during sessions to show her support along with other Zuev's friends and colleagues.[24]

On January 31, 2021, Schulmann's husband was detained during a protest rally in support of Alexei Navalny in Moscow.[25]

On 12 April 2022, Schulmann announced that she was offered a fellowship by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and left Russia for Germany to work as an associate professor, stating that she was not moving away indefinitely.[22][26]

On 15 April 2022, the Russian justice ministry included Schulmann in its "foreign agents" list.[26][27] As explained by Schulmann, it means she cannot return to Russia, because as a designated foreign agent, any public appearances and teaching are practically impossible for her to conduct there.[28] In February 2025, an investigation was initiated against Schulmann under Article 20.33 of the Code on Administrative Offenses for her involvement in an undesirable organization. In March 2025, the Russian internal ministry declared her a wanted fugitive.[29]

## Family

[edit]

She is married to Mikhail Schulmann, an expert on Vladimir Nabokov and a literary critic, whom she met on the Internet via LiveJournal.ru. The Schulmanns have three children (two daughters and a son) together.[30]

## Recognition

[edit]

Schulmann signs autographs at the Krasnoyarsk Book Fair in 2021

According to the Levada Center's 2020 research, Schulmann was one of the most inspiring Russians for respondents between 40 and 55 years of age.[31] Glamour magazine named her Woman of the Year in 2020.[32] On April 13, 2021, she was awarded a medal ‘For Contribution to the Development of the Rule of Law’ by the Federal Chamber of Advocates.[33]

Russian journalist Vladimir Guriev once jokingly said that he hoped Schulmann would be Russia's next president.[34] Though Schulmann herself has denied any ambition in that sphere, the slogan ‘Schulmann to presidency’ became popular on the Russian-speaking internet.[35][36]

In 2021, Oxxxymiron mentioned her in his rap song Agent ("No milf is sexier than Ekaterina Schulmann"), which was widely discussed online. Schulmann herself declined to comment on it.[37][38]

## Publications

[edit]

### Books

[edit]

* Законотворчество как политический процесс (Lawmaking as a political process, 2014)[17]
* Практическая политология: пособие по контакту с реальностью (Practical political science: A textbook on a contact with reality, 2015)[10]
* Возвращение государства. Россия в нулевые 2000-2012 (Return of the state. Russia in 2000-2012, 2023)

### Research articles

[edit]

In English

* Schulmann, Ekaterina (2015-07-04). "Duma-2014 Report". Russian Politics & Law. 53 (4): 57–65\. doi:10.1080/10611940.2016.1142334. ISSN 1061-1940. S2CID 148433319.
* Schulmann, Ekaterina (2018). "The Russian political system in transition: Scenarios for power transfer". NUPI Working Paper (883). Norwegian Institute of International Affairs: 20. hdl:11250/2578621.
* Noble, Ben; Schulmann, Ekaterina (2018). "Not Just a Rubber Stamp: Parliament and Lawmaking". The New Autocracy: Information, Politics, and Policy in Putin's Russia. Brookings Institution Press. p. 49\. ISBN 9780815732433. JSTOR 10.7864/j.ctt1zkjzsh.6.

## Notes

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1. ^ Also transliterated as Shulman.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "About Екатерина Шульман". YouTube.
2. ^ "Тулячка Екатерина Шульман" [Ekaterina Schulmann born in Tula] (in Russian). Pryaniki.ru. 2020-03-02. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
3. ^ a b c "Ekaterina Schulmann" (in Russian). Free Press. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
4. ^ "Заславская Ольга Владимировна" [Olga Vladimirovna Zaslavsky] (in Russian). International Principals Conference in Public Education. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
5. ^ a b c d e f g "Ekaterina Schulmann". Chatham House. Archived from the original on 2022-04-16. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
6. ^ ""Раздавать людям деньги в кризис выгодно государству" — политолог Екатерина Шульман" [‘Giving Money to People During Crisis is Beneficial for State’ — political scientist Ekaterina Schulmann] (in Russian). Moskvich Mag. 2020-04-13. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
7. ^ "Ekaterina Schulmann" (in Russian). Open University. 2020-11-07. Archived from the original on 2020-11-07. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
8. ^ "Фандом и никакого хейта: как политолог Екатерина Шульман стала интернет-феноменом и что она думает о внимании соцсетей" [Fans and No Hate: Ekaterina Schulmann as Social Media Phenomenon] (in Russian). TJ Magazine. 2020-05-29. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
9. ^ "Политические условия и факторы трансформации законотворческого процесса в современной России". cheloveknauka.com. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
10. ^ a b "Екатерина Шульман" (in Russian). Open University. Archived from the original on 2019-01-01. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
11. ^ a b "Шульман Екатерина Михайловна" (in Russian). Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights. Archived from the original on 31 December 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
12. ^ "Александр Асмолов и Екатерина Шульман вошли в состав Совета по правам человека" [Alexander Asmolov and Ekaterina Schulmann Elected Members of Russian Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights] (in Russian). RANEPA. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
13. ^ "Политолог Екатерина Шульман получила предложение войти в СПЧ" (in Russian). RBK Group. Archived from the original on 31 December 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
14. ^ "Обновленный состав СПЧ: без Федотова и Чикова, но с Фадеевым и Вышинским" (in Russian). BBC. 21 October 2019. Archived from the original on 22 October 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
15. ^ "Екатерина Шульман стала профессором казахстанского вуза". kazpravda.kz (in Russian). 2023-01-27.
16. ^ White, Richard Sakwa, Henry E. Hale and Stephen (17 November 2018). Developments in Russian Politics 9. Macmillan International Higher Education. ISBN 9781352004687. Archived from the original on 2020-08-23. Retrieved 2019-04-25.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
17. ^ a b Treisman, Daniel (2018). "About the contributors". The new autocracy: information, politics, and policy in Putin's Russia. Treisman, Daniel. Washington, D.C. p. 292\. ISBN 978-0815732433. OCLC 978604475. Archived from the original on 2020-08-23. Retrieved 2019-04-25.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
18. ^ "Шихман, Собчак и "Подруги": 10 популярных женских каналов в русскоязычном YouTube" [Shikhman, Sobchak and ‘Friends’: 10 Most Popular Female-Lead Channels in Russian Youtube]. Forbes (in Russian). 2020-04-28. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
19. ^ "Екатерина Шульман: "Знаете за что легко полюбить зумеров? У них нет конфликта с родителями"" [Ekaterina Schulmann: ‘You know, why is it easy to love Zoomers? They have no conflict with parents’] (in Russian). Bazaar. 2021-05-24. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
20. ^ Barisheva, Elena (2019-10-22). "Почему Путин обновил СПЧ: реакция на "московское дело" или ротация?" [Why Putin Changes Human Rights Council? Is It Rotation or Aftermath of the Moscow Case?] (in Russian). Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
21. ^ "В МВД заинтересовались преподавателями "Шанинки". Среди них – Екатерина Шульман и Константин Гаазе" [Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs Shows Interest in MSSES Professors, Including Constantin Gaaze and Ekaterina Schulmann] (in Russian). RTVI. 2022-04-01. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
22. ^ a b Batyrov, Timur (2022-02-13). "Политолог Екатерина Шульман уехала из России" [Political Scientist Ekaterina Schulmann Left Russia]. Forbes (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-04-15.
23. ^ ""Коммерсантъ": МВД заинтересовалось сотрудничеством Шанинки с Шульман и Гаазе" [‘Kommersant’: MIA Interested in Schulmann and Gaaze] (in Russian). Zaks.ru. 2022-04-01. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
24. ^ Karev, Andrew (2021-10-15). ""Это не тот человек и не та ситуация"" [‘Not That Man, Not That Case’] (in Russian). Novaya Gazet. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
25. ^ "В Москве задержали мужа политолога Екатерины Шульман" [Husband of Ekaterina Schulmann Detained in Moscow] (in Russian). RBC. 2021-01-31. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
26. ^ a b "Минюст включил в реестр СМИ-иноагентов блогера Дудя и политолога Шульман" [Russian Justice Ministry Adds Dud and Schulmann to Foreign Agents List]. Forbes (in Russian). 2022-04-16. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
27. ^ "Екатерина Шульман, Юрий Дудь и Роман Доброхотов внесены в реестр СМИ-иноагентов". BBC Russian. 15 April 2022.
28. ^ Marcus Gatzke, Kati Krause (2022-05-06). ""It was like the end of the world in real time"". Zeit. Retrieved 2022-05-27.
29. ^ "МВД России объявило в розыск политолога Екатерину Шульман". Meduza (in Russian). 25 March 2025.
30. ^ "Екатерина Шульман о знакомстве с мужем: "Думаешь, что вступил в переписку о Набокове, а потом глядишь ― и трое детей"" [Ekaterina Schulmann about meeting her husband: ‘You thought you were texting about Nabokov, and then you have three kids together’] (in Russian). TV Rain. 29 April 2019. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
31. ^ Tairov, Rinat (2020-06-11). "Россияне назвали Путина и Навального самыми вдохновляющими людьми". Forbes (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2020-11-06. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
32. ^ "Журнал Glamour назвал Оксану Пушкину, Zivert и Екатерину Шульман "Женщинами года"" [Oksana Pushkina, Zivert and Ekaterina Schulmann: Glamour Women of the Year] (in Russian). TASS. 2022-02-18. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
33. ^ "Награды за деятельность во благо адвокатуры, государства и общества" [Awards for Contribution to Public Defence, State and Society]. fparf.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-12-15.
34. ^ Vladimir Guriev (2018-12-13). "Владимир Гуриев: "Я придумал, кто должен стать президентом после Путина"" [Vladimir Guriev: “I Know Russia's Next Best President”] (in Russian). News.ru. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
35. ^ "ФОМ: 62% россиян готовы проголосовать за женщину на выборах президента. Главные авторитеты: Матвиенко, Терешкова и Хакамада" [Research Say 62% of Russians Want Woman President. Matvienko, Tereshkova and Khakamada Named as Most Popular] (in Russian). Fontanka. 2020-10-02. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
36. ^ Zheleznova, Maria (2017-10-17). "Не ищите женщину" [Don’t Look for Woman] (in Russian). Vedomosti. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
37. ^ "В Сети обсуждают новый альбом рэпера Oxxxymiron и его строчку про Шульман". ИА REGNUM (in Russian). Retrieved 21 August 2022.
38. ^ Биятов, Евгений. "Шульман отказалась комментировать свое упоминание в новом альбоме Оксимирона". РИА «Новости». Retrieved 21 August 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Publications by Ekaterina Schulmann at ResearchGate
* Official YouTube channel (in Russian, with some English-language content)

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Czech Republic
* Israel

Academics|

* ORCID
* Scopus

Other|

* IdRef
* Yale LUX