Keston Center for Religion, Politics, and Society

The Keston Center for Religion, Politics, and Society seeks to be a “voice of the voiceless” through lectures and special events and by promoting research, teaching and understanding of religion and religious persecution as the Center preserves, expands, and makes available the Keston Archives and Library, the world’s most comprehensive artificially assembled collection of materials on religious persecution under communism and other totalitarian regimes.

The Michael Bourdeaux Research Center houses the library and archives, beckoning scholars to explore Keston's press clippings, pamphlets, reports, manuscripts, bibliographies, photographs, and posters along with nearly 9,000 books and periodicals in English, Russian, German, Polish and other languages.

Keston Digital Archive

Explore some of the treasures of the Keston Center remotely using our digital collections.

OneSearch

Find Keston Center resources online using the Baylor Libraries' powerful research platform.

Baylor Archival Repository Database

BARD is a searchable resource used to discover archival collections, including personal papers and records.

Visiting Researchers & Scholars

Discover important information for Keston Center researchers and scholars, including information about scholarships.

Internships & Fellowships

Learn about internship and fellowship opportunities available through the Keston Center and the Baylor Libraries.

2026 Keston Spring Lecture

The Keston Center for Religion, Politics, and Society, the Department of History, the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, and the International Studies Program proudly welcome Dr. Scott Kenworthy, Professor of History and Associate of the Havighurst Center for Russian and Post-Soviet Studies, Miami University, and author of "The People’s Patriarch: Tikhon Bellavin and the Orthodox Church in North America and Revolutionary Russia" on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. in the Treasure Room of the Armstrong Browning Library & Museum and virtually via Zoom Webinar to deliver this year's Keston Center Lecture, "The Patriarch vs. the Revolution: Defending Religious Freedom in Early Soviet Russia.” This event is free and open to the public. Reception and book signing to follow.

Keston Center Mourns the Passing of Russian Historian Alyona Kojevnikov

Russian Historian and Interpreter Alyona (Helena) Kojevnikov, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Host from 1971 to late 1990s and Keston Institute Information Officer and trustee member, died at the age of 82 after being admitted to the Conquest Hospital during a downturn in her course of cancer treatment in Hastings, England, United Kingdom on Wednesday, November 26, 2025.

A Prayer for Ukraine

Lord of all the earth,

Be present with the people of Ukraine

at this time of danger, fear, and aggression.

Grant that wise and peaceable counsels may yet prevail,

and give to all suffering nations the freedom they desire and deserve.

Keston Center for Religion, Politics, and Society

Research and Resources

University Libraries, Museums, and the Press