scholarly journals Travesty of the cult image of Lenin in post-Soviet cinematography on the materials of the films “Comedy of the Strict Regime” and “Village of Khlyupovo Separates from the Union”

Author(s):  
Vera Vladimirovna Shelest

This article is written within the framework of the topic “The Image of Lenin in Art Cinematography of Russia of the XX – XXI centuries”. The author explores the period at the turn of eras, from collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 until the appearance of a new state of the Russian Federation on the world map. In the focus of attention are two films made in 1992, which subject to travesty the cult image of Lenin created by the founders of artistic Leniniana on stage and screen. Since the films were made at the turn of historical eras, there are attributes of a new artistic way of thinking – postmodernism, which are also analyzed in the article. The goal of this work lies in proving on the materials of films “Comedy of the Strict Regime” and “Village of Khlyupovo Separates from the Union” that the stylistic method of travesty is applied by cinematographers of post-Soviet period for debunking and ridiculing the cult image of Lenin created by the founders of secular Leniniana. The novelty of research is defined by the fact that these films have not been previously viewed from such perceptive. The article may serve as the foundation for future research on post-Soviet Leniniana. The author comes to the conclusion that it is not the persona of V. I. Ulyanov-Lenin to be debunked and ridiculed, but the image created by the masters of Soviet Leniniana. In ideological aspect, both films fall into the category of “iconoclastic”; the authors refer to the core problem of postmodernism – liberation of a person from totalitarian system, and display it in the ironic way.

2020 ◽  
pp. 233-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexei D. Voskressenski

Russia’s relations with China (and vice versa) have evolved steadily during the post-Soviet period. Leaders on both sides have proclaimed, for a number of years now, that their bilateral relations are at their best point in history. How did the China-Russia relationship reach such a stage, especially given their long (and largely discordant) history? This chapter traces the evolution of China-Russia relations since the collapse of the Soviet Union. It identifies the commonalities and common purposes Moscow and Beijing have in world affairs, as well as their bilateral economic, cultural, and military relations. The China-Russia relationship has important implications for the United States, as well as American allies in the world.


Author(s):  
Elena A. Kosovan ◽  

The author of the publication reviews the photobook “Palimpsests”, published in 2018 in the publishing house “Ad Marginem Press” with the support of the Heinrich Böll Foundation. The book presents photos of post-Soviet cities taken by M. Sher. Preface, the author of which is the coordinator of the “Democracy” program of the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Russia N. Fatykhova, as well as articles by M. Trudolyubov and K. Bush, which accompany these photos, contain explanation of the peculiarities of urban space formation and patterns of its habitation in the Soviet Union times and in the post-Soviet period. The author of the publication highly appreciates the publication under review. Analyzing the photographic works of M. Sher and their interpretation undertaken in the articles, the author of the publication agrees with the main conclusions of N. Fatykhova, M. Trudolyubov and K. Bush with regards to the importance of the role of the state in the processes of urban development and urbanization in the Soviet and post-Soviet space, but points out that the second factor that has a key influence on these processes is ownership relations. The paper positively assesses the approach proposed by the authors of the photobook to the study of the post-Soviet city as an architectural and landscape palimpsest consisting mainly of two layers, “socialist” and “capitalist”. The author of the publication specifically emphasizes the importance of analyzing the archetypal component of this palimpsest, pointing out that the articles published in the reviewed book do not pay sufficient attention to this issue. Particular importance is attributed by the author to the issue of metageography of post-Soviet cities and meta-geographical approach to their exploration. Emphasizing that the urban palimpsest is a system of realities, each in turn including a multitude of ideas, meanings, symbols, and interpretations, the author points out that the photobook “Palimpsests” is actually an invitation to a scientific game with space, which should start a new direction in the study of post-Soviet urban space.


Author(s):  
N. Gegelashvili ◽  
◽  
I. Modnikova ◽  

The article analyzes the US policy towards Ukraine dating back from the time before the reunification of Crimea with Russia and up to Donald Trump coming to power. The spectrum of Washington’s interests towards this country being of particular strategic interest to the United States are disclosed. It should be noted that since the disintegration of the Soviet Union Washington’s interest in this country on the whole has not been very much different from its stand on all post-Soviet states whose significance was defined by the U,S depending on their location on the world map as well as on the value of their natural resources. However, after the reunification of Crimea with Russia Washington’s stand on this country underwent significant changes, causing a radical transformation of the U,S attitude in their Ukrainian policy. During the presidency of Barack Obama the American policy towards Ukraine was carried out rather sluggishly being basically declarative in its nature. When President D. Trump took his office Washington’s policy towards Ukraine became increasingly more offensive and was characterized by a rather proactive stance not only because Ukraine became the principal arena of confrontation between the United States and the Russian Federation, but also because it became a part of the US domestic political context. Therefore, an outcome of the “battle” for Ukraine is currently very important for the United States in order to prove to the world its role of the main helmsman in the context of a diminishing US capability of maintaining their global superiority.


2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Piacentini ◽  
Gavin Slade

This article looks at the trajectory of prison reform in post-Soviet Georgia and Russia. It attempts to understand recent developments through an analysis of the resilient legacies of the culture of punishment born out of the Soviet period. To do this, the article fleshes out the concept of carceral collectivism, which refers to the practices and beliefs that made up prison life in Soviet and now post-Soviet countries. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 revealed a penal culture in notable need of reform. Less obvious, in retrospect, was how over the course of a century this predominantly ‘collectivist’ culture of punishment was instantiated in routine penal practices that stand in opposition to western penalities. The article shows how the social and physical structuring of collectivism and penal self-governance have remained resilient in the post-Soviet period despite diverging attempts at reform in Russia and Georgia. The article argues that persistent architectural forms and cultural attachment to collectivism constitute this resilience. Finally, the article asks how studies of collectivist punishment in the post-Soviet region might inform emerging debates about the reform and restructuring of individualizing, cell-based prisons in western jurisdictions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (34) ◽  
pp. 78-102
Author(s):  
Marek Brylew

After the collapse of the bipolar system, the Soviet Union, and then its heir, the Russian Federation, lost its position as a global player in favour of US hegemony. The arms race was abandoned, reduction of military spending began, and Russian troops were withdrawn from most bases outside the country. The changing conditions of Russia’s security, NATO enlargement, and loss of influence in many regions of the world have prompted the Russian authorities to change their security policy and restore the former balance. The security policy of the Russian Federation aimed at rebuilding its superpower position in the world is implemented, among others, through their military presence outside its borders. The use of this instrument in foreign policy serves both to regain a dominant role and to pursue particular interests – including internal ones. A critical analysis based on the literature on the subject, strategic documents of the Russian Federation, and reports and articles available on the Internet confirms the assumption that the Russian Federation successfully strengthens its position in the world, thus strengthening not only the security of the state, but also manifesting its power.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-167
Author(s):  
Dina Sharipova

Informal reciprocal exchanges continue to shape people’s interactions in post-Soviet Kazakhstan. State retrenchment from the social sphere and growing inequality has markedly limited citizens’, access to scarce resources including housing. This has stimulated people’s involvement in informal exchanges. The article analyzes housing policy during the Soviet and post-Soviet periods taking a closer look at the process of housing allocation. It claims that despite formalization of housing distribution, citizens continue using informal networks to gain access to that scarce commodity in the post-Soviet period. The article draws on data collected from interviews, textual analysis, and original surveys conducted in Kazakhstan in 2011 and 2013.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1080-1088
Author(s):  
Gertjan Plets

Despite the growing interest in post-Soviet space (the countries formerly located in the Soviet Union or its sphere of influence) in the field of memory studies, researchers have only just begun to the study how ‘things and practices’ from the past are mobilized, institutionalized and repackaged in this particular part of the world. This special collection explores how heritage is being made in a highly diverse and multicultural space where Soviet modernist conceptions of culture and identity interact with local deeply rooted attitudes as well as post-Soviet economic and political challenges.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-154
Author(s):  
K.A. AFANASYEVA ◽  

The reform of education in Russia in the post-Soviet period has become an illustrative example of the influence of the prevailing socio-economic and socio-political trends on a specific area of society. The purpose of the article is to identify the political prerequisites under the influence of which the institutional and functional transformation of the educational system took place, accompanied by social and economic changes. The research methodology is a set of systematic, normative, structural, and historical methods of cognition. As a result of the study, the main prerequisites and manifestations of the process of reforming the education sector are established, and the direction and content of changes made in this area since the early 1990s are evaluated.


2015 ◽  
pp. 1101-1122
Author(s):  
Carsten Schmidtke

This chapter explores the history of international activities and global education in the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and the Russian Federation. Although readers might expect that Russia has over the centuries had a significant impact on global matters, just the opposite has been the case. Rather than impressing its mark on the world, Russia has generally been a country that was affected by global developments and has had to react to its demands and influences. One of the barriers to Russia's assuming a more proactive role today is Russian suspicion toward globalization and the intentions of Western countries within a global framework. In addition, Russians fear that too hasty an introduction of globalization might help tear their multi-ethnic nation apart. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that unless Russia stabilizes its domestic cultural interactions and unless direct benefits for Russia can be discerned from a more global orientation, its involvement in global education will remain quite restrained.


Author(s):  
Carsten Schmidtke

This chapter explores the history of international activities and global education in the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and the Russian Federation. Although readers might expect that Russia has over the centuries had a significant impact on global matters, just the opposite has been the case. Rather than impressing its mark on the world, Russia has generally been a country that was affected by global developments and has had to react to its demands and influences. One of the barriers to Russia’s assuming a more proactive role today is Russian suspicion toward globalization and the intentions of Western countries within a global framework. In addition, Russians fear that too hasty an introduction of globalization might help tear their multi-ethnic nation apart. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that unless Russia stabilizes its domestic cultural interactions and unless direct benefits for Russia can be discerned from a more global orientation, its involvement in global education will remain quite restrained.


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