What’s at the Heart of Journalism?

To exiled Russan journalist and visiting Duke lecturer Elena Kostyuchenko, journalists must not fear people

Photo of exiled Russian journalist, Elena Kostyuchenko, standing in room with a window.
Exiled Russian journalist Elena Kostyuchenko, a visiting lecturer at Duke University's Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies this past academic year, says journalists must practice their craft with fearlessness.

This is a summary of a story originally on Trinity College of Arts and Sciences.

For exiled Russian journalist, Elena Kostyuchenko, fearlessness is at the heart of effective journalism.

 “The main trick we as journalists possess is not be afraid of other people,” said Kostyuchenko, who arrived on Duke’s campus for the 2025-2026 academic year to work as a visiting lecturer with the Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies.

“There are no stupid questions,” she explained. “There are questions that people don’t want to answer.” 

Prior to Kostyuchenko’s lecturing post at Duke, she was a longtime investigative journalist with Novaya Gazeta, garnering international recognition for her coverage of corruption, LGBTQ rights, environmental issues, and the war in Ukraine.

In 2023, Kostyuchenko’s book “I Love Russia: Reporting From A Lost Country” was published and subsequently translated into multiple languages.

In addition to teaching two courses this academic year, Kostyuchenko worked to establish initiatives that brought together journalism, activism and students from a spectrum of disciplines. 

During the fall semester, she organized a two‑week series in partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The event brought together activists who are involved in meaningful activities against authoritarian states. There were talks, art workshops, and seminars on writing letters to political prisoners. 

The celebrated journalist-turned-educator realized the series wouldn’t be documented, and its insights could be lost. That realization led her to what she now calls the “resistance lab,” an evolving project she hopes will become an archive of activist knowledge. 

“Many practices surrounding resistance are being forgotten,” she said. “This can lead to societies facing authoritarian tendencies for the first time having to invent the bicycle again.”

To learn more about Kostyuchenko’s work go to Trinity College of Arts and Sciences.