About

About Philip Skorokhodov

Philip Skorokhodov is an academic researcher with a background in History, political science, and international relations. His research focuses on historical themes such as the Second World War and deep studies of cities such as Moscow and Paris. He is fluent in Russian and French, has a passion for teaching, and has worked extensively as an instructor at the high school and college levels.

Early Life and Education

Philip Skorokhodov was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He attended Manzano Day School for his elementary education and later enrolled at Albuquerque Academy, where he completed his high school education. Philip was an outstanding student and earned several commendations, especially in History and English.

College Years at Swarthmore

After high school, Philip attended Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania and entered the Honors Program. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in History with a minor in Political Science. While at Swarthmore, Philip wrote his undergraduate thesis, “Who Won the War? Teaching the Young Generation: The Case of France (1946-2008),” which explored how the French education system addressed the difficult topic of World War II history in the decades following Liberation.

During his junior year, Philip took the opportunity to study abroad in Paris, France. He participated in the Internships in Francophone Europe program, which allowed him to gain a deeper understanding of the French language, culture, and politics.

From Student to Scholar

Philip’s passion for History continued to grow after college. He pursued a Master of Arts Program in Social Sciences at the University of Chicago. He completed his thesis, “The Second World War Debates in Russia (2000-2010): Political and Academic Obsession,” which analyzed the ongoing historical and political discussions surrounding the war in modern Russia. His coursework at UChicago covered a wide range of topics, including Latin American Civilization, Soviet History, and Contemporary European History.

Philip’s academic journey didn’t stop there. He moved to Arizona State University (ASU) to begin his PhD in History. While at ASU, he worked on his dissertation titled “A Tale of Two Cities: Food, Hunger and Rationing in Moscow and Paris during WWII.” Though Philip has yet to complete his dissertation, he reached ABD status (All But Dissertation), meaning he completed all necessary coursework and exams for his PhD but has not yet defended his dissertation.

Research and Academic Projects

Philip’s academic journey included several research projects that took him worldwide. During the summers of 2013 and 2014, he conducted research in Moscow, Russia, at various historical archives, including the State Archive of the Russian Federation and the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History. His research focused on the wartime government rationing policies and the societal impacts of extreme food scarcity in Moscow during World War II. In 2016, he continued his research in Paris, France, where he worked at the National Archives of France and the Paris City Historical Archive. The main focus of his dissertation is a comparative analysis of government rationing policies and survival strategies of city inhabitants in the Soviet and French capital cities during the Second World War.

In addition to his dissertation research, Philip worked as a research assistant throughout his academic career. He assisted Professor Helene Belanger at the Centre d’Histoire, Institut de Sciences Politique in Paris, gathering data on the abolition of the death penalty in France. He also worked as a research assistant for Professor Richard Robbins at the University of New Mexico, translating Russian documents that later became part of the source base for Dr. Robbins’s award-winning biography of Vladimir Djunkovskii.

Teaching Journey and Non-Profit Experience

Philip has a rich teaching background, having worked as an instructor at high school and college levels. He taught history courses at Arizona State University, including Western Civilization and U.S. History. His professional responsibilities included designing the curriculum, selecting course materials, giving lectures, and grading assignments. In 2012, he also worked as a substitute and teacher’s assistant at his alma mater, Albuquerque Academy, where he also taught a summer program class on global skills for young students.

From 2018 to 2019, Philip worked as an adjunct faculty member at Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Arizona, covering topics such as World History and U.S. History. Additionally, he taught Russian language to K-8 students at the Arizona Academy of Math and Science in early 2019, replacing an instructor who was on maternity leave.

While attending grad school, Philip also worked part-time as an administrative assistant at the Albuquerque International Association (AIA), a New Mexico-based NGO “dedicated to enriching the lives of the community by creating a vibrant intellectual environment dealing with foreign affairs, international business, culture, and art.” In this role, he helped with membership services, lecture planning, and management of special AIA events (book club meetings, international cuisine cookouts, and foreign film nights). In addition, Philip assisted with two AIA-organized trips abroad, which took small groups of members on excursions to Peru (2013) and Italy (2016).

Knowledge of Languages and Travel

Philip’s love for learning is reflected in his knowledge of several languages. He is bilingual in English and Russian, fluent in French, and highly proficient in Spanish. His passion for languages is tied to his love for travel. He has spent time in various countries, especially in Europe, exploring the cultures, History, and politics of nations like the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia.

Personal Life and Hobbies

Philip’s life is not all about academia and research. He enjoys a variety of hobbies and activities. He is passionate about outdoor activities like skiing, hiking, biking, and swimming. To stay active, he also engages in weightlifting. In addition, Philip has a strong interest in cultural pursuits, including attending concerts and visiting museums.

Lastly, Philip really enjoys spending time with his beloved corgi, Ryzhik, who has been an endless source of joy and comfort for him during difficult times.