Mother Russia

Mother Russia PDF

Author: Joanna Hubbs

Publisher: Indiana University Press

Published: 1993-09-22

Total Pages: 326

ISBN-13: 9780253115782

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"Joanna Hubbs has found the trace of Baba Yaga and the rusalki and Moist Mother Earth and other fascinating feminine myths in Russian culture, and has added richly to the growing interest in popular culture." -- New York Times Book Review "... brave... fascinating... immensely enjoyable... " -- Times Higher Education Supplement "... a stimulating and original study... vivid and readable." -- Russian Review "An immensely stimulating, beautifully written work of scholarship." -- Francine du Plessix Gray "Joanna Hubbs has provided scholars... with a wealth of significant interpretive material to inform if not reform views of both Russian and women's cultures." -- Journal of American Folklore A ground-breaking interpretation of Russian culture from prehistory to the present, dealing with the feminine myth as a central cultural force.

Russia Without Putin

Russia Without Putin PDF

Author: Tony Wood

Publisher: Verso Books

Published: 2020-04-14

Total Pages: 225

ISBN-13: 1788731255

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How the West’s obsession with Vladimir Putin prevents it from understanding Russia It is impossible to think of Russia today without thinking of Vladimir Putin. More than any other major national leader, he personifies his country in the eyes of the world, and dominates Western media coverage. In Russia itself, he is likewise the centre of attention both for his supporters and his detractors. But, as Tony Wood argues, this focus on Russia’s president gets in the way of any real understanding of the country. The West needs to shake off its obsession with Putin and look beyond the Kremlin walls. In this timely and provocative analysis, Wood explores the profound changes Russia has undergone since 1991. In the process, he challenges several common assumptions made about contemporary Russia. Against the idea that Putin represents a return to Soviet authoritarianism, Wood argues that his rule should be seen as a continuation of Yeltsin’s in the 1990s. The core features of Putinism—a predatory elite presiding over a vastly unequal society—are in fact integral to the system set in place after the fall of Communism. Wood also overturns the standard view of Russia’s foreign policy, identifying the fundamental loss of power and influence that has underpinned recent clashes with the West. Russia without Putin concludes by assessing the current regime’s prospects, and looks ahead to what the future may hold for the country.

Myths about Russia

Myths about Russia PDF

Author: Vladimir Medinskiy

Publisher: Glagoslav Publications

Published: 2018-01-01

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 1782670890

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Russia’s rich history is full of secrets: there’s not another country in the world with so many skeletons in its closet. Vladimir Medinskiy’s new book offers the reader the opportunity to get better acquainted with some myths about Russia in an quick, easy and entertaining way. The book covers some of the most interesting, colourful and controversial debates in Russian history and the most popular myths about Russia: vodka and its role in some incredible adventures, Russia’s problems (apart from the roads and having too many fools), some lessons from the Bastille and the Civil War, the last testament of Peter the Great, amongst many others. In his book the author tackles some of the most pressing questions about Russia: whether you can trust Russians, the meaning of progress in Russian terms, who really won at the Battle of Borodino two hundred years ago, why Russians call Napoleon ‘the consummate liar’, and also whether Russians are the true originators of petrol, mobile phones and the cinema. Myths About Russia is Medinskiy’s original and humorous take on the subject: in this book, he diligently unravels the myths surrounding this vast and complex nation, picking them apart to uncover the truth about Russia and her fascinating history. *** Vladimir Medinskiy is a Russian statesman, professor, essayist and novelist. Since May 2012 he has held the post of Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation. Although he is the author of several popular books on advertising, PR and history, his Myths About Russia series is Medinskiy’s most famous, having been the bestselling Russian popular history series of recent years. In 2012 he published his first work of fiction, The Wall, which critics have called one of the best examples of the revival of the historical novel in Russia today. Medinskiy studied at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations and graduated with honours from the Faculty of International Journalism. During his university years, he also participated in the activities of student journalist associations, worked as a press service intern at the Soviet (and then Russian) Embassy in Washington, D.C. From 1992 to 1998 he was head of the PR agency Ya Corporation. After gaining his degree at the Moscow State Institute in 1997, Vladimir Medinskiy began his teaching career in the university’s Faculty of Journalism. He gained his doctorate in 1999 and since then has taught as a professor at the same university. From 2010 to its liquidation in 2012, Medinskiy was appointed as a member of the Presidential Commission to Counter Attempts to Falsify History to the Detriment of Russia's Interests. In July 2011, he became a member of the board of the Russkiy Mir Foundation, which aims to promote Russian language and culture through various programs internationally.

Yeltsin's Russia

Yeltsin's Russia PDF

Author: Lilii︠a︡ Shevt︠s︡ova

Publisher:

Published: 1999

Total Pages: 368

ISBN-13:

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Yeltsin's Russia: Myths and Reality is the most current and comprehensive account of the achievements - and failures - of Boris Yeltsin's Russia. Combining keen political analysis with the unique perspective of a native observer, Shevtsova's book also offers a valuable assessment of the forces that will shape the post-Yeltsin era.

The Soviet Myth of World War II

The Soviet Myth of World War II PDF

Author: Jonathan Brunstedt

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2021-07-15

Total Pages: 323

ISBN-13: 1108584888

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Provides a bold new interpretation of the Soviet myth of World War II from its Stalinist origins to its emergence as arguably the supreme myth of state under Brezhnev. Jonathan Brunstedt offers a timely historical investigation into the roots of the revival of the war's memory in Russia today.

Russian Myths

Russian Myths PDF

Author: Elizabeth Warner

Publisher: University of Texas Press

Published: 2002-07-01

Total Pages: 84

ISBN-13: 9780292791589

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The coming of Christianity to the state of Kievan Rus' at the end of the tenth century had an enormous impact on the development of Russian civilization. Despite the abandonment of the pagan gods, both Christian and pagan practices and beliefs continued to coexist for centuries, producing a system known as "dual faith." Russian Myths deals with mythic beliefs, notions, and customs—concerning the veneration of earth, water, fire, and air, demons and spirit-beings in the world of nature, the cult of the dead, and witchcraft—many of which have their roots in the pre-Christian past but still survive to the present day. To illuminate the evolution of major themes and motifs and set Russian myths in the context of mythology the world over, Elizabeth Warner draws upon a rich variety of sources, including anecdotal narrative forms and religious legends, epic songs, funeral laments and folk religion, and, of course, the folktales where the sacred gives way to pure imagination in the depiction of mythic themes and characters.

Mythmaking in the New Russia

Mythmaking in the New Russia PDF

Author: Kathleen E. Smith

Publisher: Cornell University Press

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 252

ISBN-13: 9780801439636

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Kathleen E. Smith examines the use of collective memories in Russian politics during the Yeltsin years, surveying the various issues that became battlegrounds for contending notions of what it means to be Russian.

Tsar and People

Tsar and People PDF

Author: Michael Cherniavsky

Publisher: New Haven, Yale U.P

Published: 1961

Total Pages: 306

ISBN-13:

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The author traces the ruler cult from its tenth-century origins to its demise late in the nineteenth century, pointing out that the princes of Russian history are seen as saints both through their actions and through their function as mediator between God and people.