Maxim Bulanov

I’m in my second year of a PhD in American Studies and Philanthropy at IU Indianapolis. My research interests focus on Pride organizations as civic and nonprofit institutions within urban cultural infrastructures, with particular attention to Indiana. I analyze how these organizations navigate local governance, funding regimes, public legitimacy, and community representation, and how they shape the politics of visibility, belonging, and public space across cities in the state.

As an education innovator with a human-centered, interdisciplinary approach, I’ve moved from teaching Russian Language Arts to consulting on urban education development. I've collaborated with educators, architects, anthropologists, and urbanists to pioneer Educational Urbanism in Russia and lead place-based learning initiatives that unlock the educational potential of territories. Drawing inspiration from UNESCO’s Learning Cities, Ron Dvir’s Knowledge Cities, and hyperlocal projects, I bridge professionals and communities to transform urban environments through participatory, project-driven learning.