In 2003, in response to the terminal socioeconomic instability and political ignorance, the Georgian civil society initiated a wave of mobilization, consolidation and protest actions. The Rose...Show moreIn 2003, in response to the terminal socioeconomic instability and political ignorance, the Georgian civil society initiated a wave of mobilization, consolidation and protest actions. The Rose Revolution represents the culmination of elite tensions and civil disobedience. The Revolution continues to be one of the most influential and important Color Revolutions in the post-Soviet sphere because of the large-scale mobilization of Georgian citizens. Consequently, the purpose of this thesis is to identify how did the Rose Revolution develop and promote mass mobilization required for political change. The thesis adopts the concept of “framing” and the three different framing strategies (diagnostic, prognostic, motivational) and applies them to the case of the Rose Revolution in order to analyze the consensus and action mobilization of the protest actors. By pursuing these strategies, the Rose Revolution opened opportunities for confidence and hope among the Georgian citizens. People began to distinguish between politics and the party, and thus the parties began to lose the occupied space of the political. Especially the prognostic strategies liberated the activist cores, enabled them to ‘flourish’. In other words, the public got inspired to take part in the popular discontent with the governmental establishment.Show less
This thesis revisits the 1988 Sotheby’s auction in Moscow, an event that catalyzed the commercialization of the Soviet art market. For the first time in history, unofficial art, previously outlawed...Show moreThis thesis revisits the 1988 Sotheby’s auction in Moscow, an event that catalyzed the commercialization of the Soviet art market. For the first time in history, unofficial art, previously outlawed by the Soviet state, was auctioned off to predominantly Western buyers. While scholars have assessed the role of the auction in transforming the Soviet art market, none have contemplated the perceptions of commercialization from the perspective of the media. Additionally, pre-existing literature lacks application of cultural theory. Therefore, this thesis departs from previous works by assessing Western and Soviet news coverage of the event. Based on the conclusions drawn from this analysis, Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of symbolic capital is applied in order to understand the ‘re-shuffling of artistic hierarchies.’ By drawing on media- and theory-focused lenses, this thesis aims to contribute to the discussion on the nature of commercialization in the Soviet Union prior to its collapse, as well as invite a more careful reading on the effects of commercialization on Soviet artistic production.Show less
This thesis explores the stereotypes of different Cold War movies made in the Soviet Union. Three movies are analysed based on a critical literature review about stereotypes. Based on the...Show moreThis thesis explores the stereotypes of different Cold War movies made in the Soviet Union. Three movies are analysed based on a critical literature review about stereotypes. Based on the observations and different theories of scholars the stereotypes are defined and placed within their time period.Show less
The main objective of this thesis is to show that cultural memory on World War Two is stronlgy linked to the feminine myth persistent in Russian culture. This argument is proven on the basis of the...Show moreThe main objective of this thesis is to show that cultural memory on World War Two is stronlgy linked to the feminine myth persistent in Russian culture. This argument is proven on the basis of the analysis of three case studies. The cases at hand are “The Motherland Calls“ statue in Volgograd, “The Motherland“ statue in Kiev and Poklonnaya Gora harboring the Victory Park in Moscow. By examining the historical narratives created through cultural discourses and public debates about these monuments I was able to uncover power relations that direct these narratives. In addition, I examined the role of cultural memory in shaping national identity and social unity. To be able to do so I provide information on the feminine myth, cultural memory and present my own analytical framework for the investigation of cultural memory construction. The outcome of my analysis is the discovery of the defining role of the feminine myth with regards to cultural memory construction on World War Two in Russia and Ukraine.Show less
Male homosexuality in Russia cannot be interpreted through Western paradigms: it must be analyzed in relation to the Russian historical and socio-political context. Since the 18th century Russian...Show moreMale homosexuality in Russia cannot be interpreted through Western paradigms: it must be analyzed in relation to the Russian historical and socio-political context. Since the 18th century Russian rulers have framed homosexual men as enemies of the Russian nation. They have constructed a form of nationalism based on the notion of an authentic and pure heterosexual Russian in opposition to a false and corrupted homosexual non-Russian. The scholar Baer dismantles the Russian political discourse of national identity: he affirms that when reading male homosexuality in Russia from a cultural perspective, the Russian homosexual man stands at the very core of the Russian national identity. The scholar contends that there is an evident relation between the Russian homosexual man and the Russian dusha, or Russian soul. Baer argues convincingly that because of the socio-political marginalization and repression the Russian homosexual man constantly endures, he incorporates the intrinsic characteristics of the Russian dusha of depth of feeling and redemptive suffering. Therefore, he is the true perpetrator of the Russian national identity. The aim of this thesis is to enhance Baer’s innovative understanding of male homosexuality in Russia as to stimulate further research in the academia and contribute to the public debate regarding this topic. In order to do so, the artwork Asylum- a collection of photographs representing naked Russian homosexual men who immigrated to the United States to find political asylum- from the contemporary Russian artist Alexander Kargaltsev has been analyzed with the purpose of detecting how it contributes to the understanding of the Russian homosexual man as true perpetrator of the Russian national identity. The two photographs that best express the relation between the Russian homosexual man and the Russian dusha have been analyzed. By assessing different components of those two photographs in relation to the condition of homosexual men in contemporary Russia, it can be confirmed that the Russian homosexual man incorporates the intrinsic characteristics of the Russian dusha of depth of feeling and redemptive suffering. Hence, he is the true perpetrator of the Russian national identity, as Baer firmly asserts.Show less
In the last decade, Pro-Kremlin youth organizations became highly present in Russia’s socio-political environment. These organizations and especially the Young Guard of United Russia are seen as...Show moreIn the last decade, Pro-Kremlin youth organizations became highly present in Russia’s socio-political environment. These organizations and especially the Young Guard of United Russia are seen as the breeding grounds for Russia’s new leaders. The purpose of this thesis is to give the reader a better understanding of the factors that drive young Russians to participate in pro-Kremlin youth organizations.Show less
This thesis is about explaining stereotypes, the creation and use of stereotypes and its relation to imagology. These concepts are then applied on the movie Tangerines by Zaza Urushadze about the...Show moreThis thesis is about explaining stereotypes, the creation and use of stereotypes and its relation to imagology. These concepts are then applied on the movie Tangerines by Zaza Urushadze about the Georgian - Abkhaz conflict of 1992-1993.Show less
Recently a referendum has been held in the Netherlands, concerning whether the Dutch government should or should not ratify an association agreement between the European Union and Ukraine. Immense...Show moreRecently a referendum has been held in the Netherlands, concerning whether the Dutch government should or should not ratify an association agreement between the European Union and Ukraine. Immense political campaigns ensued, involving politicians, funding and political narratives from a multitude of countries. This same association agreement caused a revolution within Ukraine during the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014. While the then president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, was supposed to sign the association agreement with Europe, he instead decided to sign a new trade-treaty and loan with the Russian Federation. This decision sparked (student) protests in Ukraine's capital Kiev in November, which ended in a full fledged revolution by February 2014 that would eventually debouch into a civil war, still afflicting the country two years later. Although in November mostly students took to the streets, during the months to follow people from different lineages and classes with a variety of political ideas would team up to make sure the government which they deemed corrupt would resign. During these protests the portraits, and the name, of one historical figure would often come up. The figure in question is Stepan Bandera. During what has been named the EuroMaidan protests, Bandera portraits, alongside the wolfsangel, a former SS symbol, and the slogan “Слава Україні! Героям слава” (meaning: Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!) became more and more prominent especially among, but not limited to, ultra-nationalist protesters, often affiliated with the political party Svoboda (Freedom), or Praviy Sektor (Right Sector). Stepan Bandera, a political activist and leader of a militant group called the OUN-B during the 1930's until the end of the 1950's was mostly regarded as a (war)criminal in the Soviet Union, and is still regarded as such by many Russians and Eastern Ukrainians. By many Western Ukrainians he is however regarded a hero, and a symbol for an independent Ukraine. Not only was he hailed during, and after, the EuroMaidan revolution, he was awarded with the title of Hero of Ukraine in 2010, which has sparked many debates among academics, politicians and 'common folk'. The controversy surrounding this person has lead to the research question this thesis sets out to answer, being: Although regarded as a (war)criminal during Soviet times, Stepan Bandera has reached the status of national hero of contemporary Ukraine. Considering a country in conflict with not only varying political ideologies but also clashing identities/cultures a question arises: Why is someone previously regarded a (war)criminal now perceived as national hero, why is the role of this controversial person suddenly so important for modern Ukrainian ideologies, to summarize, what is Stepan Bandera's legacy and its impact on modern Ukrainian identity, culture and mentality?Show less
Eurasianism is a diverse ideology that exists in Russia and Kazakhstan. Aleksandr Dugin and Nursultan Nazarbayev propagate this ideology in their respective countries but envision their own country...Show moreEurasianism is a diverse ideology that exists in Russia and Kazakhstan. Aleksandr Dugin and Nursultan Nazarbayev propagate this ideology in their respective countries but envision their own country in the centre of Eurasia.Show less
An exploration of the implication's that the Kremlin's use of soft power during the annexation of Crimea has on the politics of the post-soviet space and, more broadly, on our understanding of soft...Show moreAn exploration of the implication's that the Kremlin's use of soft power during the annexation of Crimea has on the politics of the post-soviet space and, more broadly, on our understanding of soft power as a whole.Show less
