Oleg Manaev

Oleg Manaev (; ; born February 3, 1952, in Vladivostok, USSR) is a well-known Belarusian sociologist and public person.

Career He graduated from the School of Journalism at the Belarusian State University in 1974, got Ph.D. in 1983, and Dr. Habilitate (Professor) in Sociology in 1991. Published over 180 scholarly articles, and edited dozen books on mass media, communication and democracy, civil society and political process in the USSR, Belarus and abroad (USA, Brazil, Korea, Canada, South Africa, Australia, and Europe).

Manaev was teaching, lecturing and doing research as Visiting Professor and Fellow at various universities and institutes in the US (including Fulbright Program), Canada, Brazil, and many European countries. He also managed dozens of national and international projects, and organized dozens of national and international conferences and seminars. Based on the cooperation with Western scholars in media and communication in 1996 founded a new Program “Information & Communication”, and in 1997 a new Department of Social Communication in the School of Philosophy and Social Sciences at the Belarusian State University.

In 1990 he was co-founder of the United Democratic Party of Belarus (now United Civic Party), the first officially registered alternative to the Communist Party in the BSSR. In 1992 became a Founding Chairman of the Belarusian Soros Foundation (BSF), and coordinated oversight of dozens of research, education, media and public policy programs. Due to its contribution to independent education, social sciences, and civil society development BSF faced various pressures from the state authorities, and in September 1997 was shut down by the Supreme Court.

In 1992 Manaev founded and headed the Independent Institute of Socio-Economic & Political Studies (IISEPS) – the first independent think tank in post-Communist Belarus. Due to its contribution to independent social sciences and democratic public policy IISEPS also faced various pressures from the state authorities, including KGB, Ministry of Justice, General Prosecutor Office, Ministry of Interior, and the Supreme Court. After shutting down by the Supreme Court in April 2005 the Institute had to remove its legal status to Vilnius (Lithuania) but continues its mission in Belarus as a group of private experts.

In 1997 he founded and chaired the Belarusian Association of Think Tanks (BTT), united almost 100 researchers and analysts in sociology, economics, philosophy, psychology, and political science from 18 independent research and analytical centers across the country. Due to its contribution to independent social sciences and democratic public policy BTT faced various pressures from the state authorities, and in August 2006 was shut down by the Supreme Court as well.

In 1990s and 2000s Manaev consulted various structures of civil society in Belarus including the Coordinating Council of Democratic Forces, Belarusian Union of Employers and Businessmen, Young Front, Independent TV Network, and others.

He was a member of the Soviet (SSA) and then Belarusian Sociological Association (BSA), International Association for Mass Communication Research (IAMCR) and its International Council (nominated its Vice-President in 1996). Now is a member of the World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR), and American Political Science Association (APSA).

He was also Editorial Board member of Intercome (Brazil), European Journal of Communication (UK), Analytical Bulletin of the Belarusian Think Tanks (Belarus), Political Communication (USA), and IISEPS News (Belarus-Lithuania).