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Russia’s Soviet Tread

Details: 09 May 2014; Poel Karp

In March, a pro-Kremlin TV commentator threatened to turn the U.S. into radioactive dust. It is clear, however, that there will be no escalation. The question remains unanswered: whom is the Kremlin trying to frighten? According to sociologist Poel Karp, the takeover of Crimea and the coming war in Ukraine are nothing but attempts by the ruling Russian elites at retaining power.

Details: Nation

Has Patriotism in Russia Been Hijacked?

Details: 08 May 2014; Boris Bruk

Patriotism has been officially named as one of the uniting foundations of the Russian state. However, it seems that Russian authorities are trying to monopolize the notion of patriotism in order to advance their own agenda. What remains excluded from the official discourse is how the Russian public understands patriotism. IMR Advisor Boris Bruk delves into this complicated issue and concludes that, in the current political environment, the concept of Russian patriotism has developed negative features of nationalism, xenophobia, and intolerance toward others.

Details: Politics

The Legislation Phantom

Details: 05 May 2014; Alexander Podrabinek

On April 23, the State Duma adopted in its second and third readings a law on liability for the public rehabilitation of Nazism. As writer Alexander Podrabinek observes, some parts of the new law repeat verbatim article 190-1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, according to which many Soviet dissidents were convicted for “spreading knowingly false fabrications” about the Soviet system.

Details: Nation

The Birth of Imperial National Communism

Details: 30 April 2014; Alexander Yanov

The Institute of Modern Russia continues its series of articles by well-known historian Alexander Yanov on the history of Russian nationalism. This essay begins a new cycle of the series: the history of the Russian idea in the Soviet Union. The author discusses what happened with the Russian idea in the first decade after the Russian Revolution, both in Russia and abroad.

Details: Politics

Decline of Free Speech

Details: 29 April 2014; Alexander Podrabinek

On April 29, Russia’s Federation Council passed a law that tightens government control over the dissemination of information on the Internet and treats bloggers as journalists. A week earlier this so-called “antiterrorism package” was adopted by the State Duma. According to writer Alexander Podrabinek, this law fits in with the current trend in Russia of giving the government a free hand while imposing restrictions on citizens.

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