In 1930, in the narrow streets of Vilnius, a boy named Teodor Shanin was born. When the Soviet occupation struck Lithuania, Teodor and his mother were deported to Siberia. Many others in his family never returned—the Vilnius ghetto became their final home. Yet from the harshest beginnings, Teodor grew into one of the most visionary sociologists of the 20th century.

After the war, Teodor rebuilt his life in Israel. He served in the Palmach during the War for Independence, studied social work at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and went on to earn his PhD in the United Kingdom. His academic career flourished at the University of Manchester, where he revolutionized the understanding of peasant societies, the informal economy, and agrarian history.

But Teodor was not just a scholar—he was a builder. In the 1990s, in a newly post-Soviet Russia, he founded the Moscow Higher School of Social and Economic Sciences, affectionately nicknamed Shaninka. It quickly became one of the most respected independent universities in Eastern Europe, shaping generations of thinkers, researchers, and public leaders.

Teodor passed away in 2020. Three years later, the International Teodor Shanin Foundation was created in Vilnius—his birthplace—to ensure that his life, ideas, and courage continue to inspire.

By contributing to the Shanin Foundation, you help:

preserve the memory of a remarkable Lithuanian-born scholar,
support new generations of researchers,
and keep alive the values of intellectual freedom and human dignity that shaped Teodor’s life.

Together, we can ensure that Teodor Shanin’s story continues to inspire—here in Vilnius, across Europe, and around the world.

Join us in honoring a life shaped by hardship, defined by courage, and dedicated to knowledge.

Teodor Shanin legacy

Translations and academic discussion of Theodore Shanin's works. Organisation of the Theodore Museum and Library in his hometown of Vilnius (Lithuania)

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