Anatoli Ulyanov
University of California, Los Angeles
Dept. of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Languages & Cultures
ulyanov@UCLA.eDU / orcid: 0009-0006-6831-8885
Anatoli Ulyanov is a writer, refugee, and researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His work spans critical theory, visual anthropology, and cultural studies, focusing on power dynamics, identity politics, and underrepresented perspectives. He specializes in Critical Discourse Analysis and Sensory Ethnography.
With over two decades in media—and a history of censorship and persecution by Russian and Ukrainian authorities—he offers unconventional insights that challenge dominant power structures and narratives. His research explores post-Soviet transitions, nationalism, neocolonialism, propaganda, and memory wars.
EDUCATION
2024 — Ph.D. Fellow, Dept. of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Languages & Cultures,
University of California / Los Angeles, CA
2006 — M.A. Journalism, Taras Shevchenko National University / Kyiv, Ukraine
2005 — B.A. Journalism, Taras Shevchenko National University / Kyiv, Ukraine
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Politics and Power: History of Social Movements; Identity Politics; Political Theology; Conservatism and Traditionalism; Human Rights Discourses.
Media Studies: Propaganda Narratives; Critical Discourse Analysis; Semiotics; Memes and Digital Communities.
Post-Soviet Studies: Russian Imperialism; Ukrainian Nationalism; Soviet Culture; Neocolonialism; Decolonization; Historical Trauma; Memory Wars.
Visual Anthropology: Sensory Ethnography; Documentary Photography and Film; Marginalized and Underrepresented Communities; Self-Representation and Digital Diaries.
Awards, Grants & Fellowships
2024 — Eugene V. Cota-Robles Award — Fellowship (UCLA)
Research Experience
2024 — UCLA, GSR, Department of History, Supervised by Professor Jared McBride
• Analyzed Soviet-era newspapers and criminal records related to the Holocaust and Volhynia ethnic cleansing.
• Provided historical, cultural, and semiotic insights to support research.
• Organized a network of local researchers, librarians, and archivists.
• Located rare archival materials, facilitating their digitization and transfer.
• Deciphered and translated handwritten texts in Russian and Ukrainian.
• Developed detailed notes and archival reports.
2024 — UCLA, GSR, Department of Slavic, East European and Eurasian Languages & Cultures, Supervised by Professor Lilya Kaganovsky
• Conducted data collection and synthesis on Russian Imperial and Soviet cinema, highlighting women's contributions to the film industry.
• Analyzed gender trends in Russian and Soviet cinema.
• Designed and maintained an organized database to visualize and streamline data collection for enhanced research insights.
• Compiled a research bibliography.
Editorial Work
2021—22 — Head of (Media) Concept, Babyn Yar Memorial Holocaust Center / Kyiv, Ukraine
Led the development of visual media, guiding an international team to create content that sparked nationwide discussions on history, memory, trauma, and inclusion.
2000—present — Founding Writer & Editor, DADAKINDER Blog / Los Angeles, CA
Produced cross-format content, built a 50,000-strong social media following, and contributed to cultural discourse through digital media.
2010—20 — Founding Editor-In-Chief, Looo.ch Digital Publishing / New York, NY
Developed educational projects that promoted critical thinking and inclusivity, engaging participants in creative, equity-focused learning experiences.
2007—09 — Deputy Editor-In-Chief, SHO Magazine of Cultural Resistance / Kyiv, Ukraine
Led editorial production for an international bilingual cultural magazine.
2003—09 — Founding Editor-In-Chief, PROZA.com.ua (Ukrainian Literary Portal) / Kyiv, Ukraine
Founded and edited Ukraine’s first popular online literary and cultural platform, shaping national literary conversations in a digital space.
Field Work
2022—24 — Interviewer, Dose of Society / Los Angeles, CA
Captured diverse social narratives, contributing to a global digital platform with significant public outreach (2M followers) and fostering discourse on contemporary social issues through multimedia storytelling.
2010—present — Creative Producer, Photo & Video Production / New York, NY, Los Angeles, CA
Produced award-winning documentaries and branded content, with work showcased at international festivals and cultural venues, contributing to interdisciplinary dialogues on media, identity, and cultural expression.
2000—03 — Reporter, X3M Magazine / Kyiv, Ukraine
Reported on youth culture and identity, offering insights into post-Soviet cultural shifts and contributing to the discourse on urban identity in independent Ukraine's first urban culture magazine.
Appearances
2024 — Critical Perspectives on Emerging Forms of Global Solidarities, Conference, Institute for Criminological and Sociological Research, Belgrade, Serbia
2023 — New East Cinema Symposium, Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Pittsburgh, PA
2023 — War By Other Names, 16BEAVER, New York, NY
2022 — Beneath The Surface, KRFL/Jacobin Radio, Los Angeles, CA
2022 — Anti-War Panel and Fundraiser, Democratic Socialist of America Panel, Los Angeles, CA
2014 — Looo.ch vs Censorship, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME
2014 — Language and Violence, Izolyatsia Cultural Platform, 1st Ukrainian Writers' Forum, Ukrainian Literary Festival, Donetsk, Ukraine
2009 — “Henry Miller” Action, The National Expert Commission of Ukraine on the Protection of Public Morality (NEC) Panel in the Ukrainian Parliament / Kyiv, Ukraine
Film Projects
2021 — “I Am Somebody” (Archival Documentary, 4 min.). Explores themes of dignity and self-acceptance through archival footage featuring Martin Luther King Jr. and Jesse Jackson.
2021 — “The Sun In The Locked Room” (Archival Documentary, 4 min.). Highlights Palestinian resistance narratives through a 1970s interview with writer Ghassan Kanafani.
2020 — “I Am Revolutionary” (Archival Documentary, 7 min.). This short film documents Fred Hampton’s revolutionary ideals.
2020 — “Because We Are Men Not Beasts” (Archival Documentary, 9 min.). Tribute to Thomas Sankara, focusing on anti-colonial resistance.
2019 — queer underground (Documentary): Church Of Fun (5 min.), Fickle Wish (10 min.), In the Womb of a Dragon (6 min.) Verité documentary exploring Los Angeles's LGBTQ+ community.
2018 — “Black Man In A Red Suit” (Archival Documentary Series, 113 min.). Examines representations of Black individuals in Soviet cinema, intersecting with Soviet ideological narratives.
2018 — “My First Memory of Color” (Survey Documentary, 9 min.). Investigates the formation of racial identity, connecting personal and collective experiences.
2017 — “Homeless Angels” (Poetic Documentary, 12 min.). Depicts the diverse marginalized communities in Los Angeles, with a focus on race, immigration, and LGBTQ+ identities.
2016 — “American Revolution” (Verité Documentary Series). Covers political activism during Donald Trump’s presidency: Women’s March (2 min.), George Floyd Rebellion (4 min.), American Democratic Regime (22 min.), Blacklight (2 min.), Women’s Strike (2 min.).
2015 — Russian American: (Documentary Series): Wonderland (25 min.), Dima (8 min.), Dunsama (10 min.), Angel (7 min.) A documentary exploration of the post-Soviet diaspora in NY and LA.
2014 — “Elliot Rodger Here” (Archival Documentary, 20 min.). Analyzes the sociocultural factors behind Elliot Rodger’s actions, with a focus on masculinity and violence.
2013 — “My New Orthodox Video” (Archival Documentary, 19 min.). Explores Russian Imperial pride through the diaries of Sergey Astahov.
Publications
A full archive of texts in Russian is available at dadakinder.com
2024 — “To Blow (Up) the Museum,” in “Lenin: The Heritage We (Don’t) Renounce,” edited by Hjalmar Jorge Joffre-Eichhorn and Patrick Anderson (Daraja Press and Kickass Books, 2024), 37.
2022 — “The Superfluous People Of Eastern Ukraine,” LeftEast
2022 — “Die Überflflüssigen Menschen Aus Der Ostukraine,” Widerspruch
2020 — “Human Soup,” Arts Of The Working Class
2020 — “Belarus Streikt – Brief An Die Arbeiter*Innen,” Transitory White
Books
2012 — “Fuhrer of God” (Digital, Looo.ch, New York, NY).
2012 — “Homosexuality for Kids” (Digital, Looo.ch, New York, NY).
2007 — “Slam! Theory and Practice of Poetic Revolution” (Paperback, Chili, Kyiv, Ukraine).
Interviews
“Impossible Interview From Ukraine,” LeftEast
“Shocker Man. Anatoli Ulyanov,” Vlashchenko
“Sovok Is A Part Of Us,” Novoye Vremya
“Ukrainische Unmoral,” Vice / Motherboard
“See You On The Moon,” Detector.Media
“Discomfort For Idiots,” Art Ukraine
PRESS