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Arizona State University expert directory
Irina Levin
Irina Levin is an expert in less commonly taught languages and their role in national security.
Levin is the director of the Critical Languages Institute and the associate director of the Melikian Center for Russian, Eurasian and East European Studies.
She speaks Russian and Turkish and is an expert in the role of cross-cultural competence in national security.
She is also an anthropologist who has studied ethnic displacement in the former Soviet Union.
I think when people think about language learning for national security, they sometimes think ‘Oh we're going to spy on them or infiltrate.’ But it’s for better relations and better understanding. It’s respectful to understand someone’s culture and language. It’s a positive thing that helps to build relationships.
Irina Levin ASU News