Natalia Kazakova was a specialist in 19th and early 20th century Russian literature, journalism, culture, and Russian language teaching. She received her PhD in Russian Literature from the Moscow State University (MGU). Her academic interests included the works of Fyodor Dostoyevsky, the Russian philosopher Vasilii Rozanov, and literature of the Silver Age. Her first book, Filosofiia Igry (The Philosophy of the Game), was about Rozanov as a literary critic. Natalia’s second monograph, Rozanov ne byl dvulichen, on byl dvulik…(Moscow, 2021) appeared shortly after her death on May 19, 2021. Kazakova authored numerous articles on Dostoyevsky, Rozanov, and writers and poets of the Silver Age. Some of her essays on these themes were published in Novyi mir, Voprosy literatury, Znamia, Russia and Modern World.
Kazakova joined the Russian and Slavic Studies program at Hunter in 2012 and taught Russian language courses at different levels and in various formats, including intensive courses, summer courses and winter intercession courses. Prof. Kazakova considered the knowledge of the Russian language to be the essential prerequisite for understanding Russian culture, literature, philosophy, economy or politics, the belief she imparted to her students in all of the courses she taught at Hunter. Natalia Kazakova will be forever remembered by all whose lives she touched with her boundless love, energy, knowledge, kindness, and joy.