This study looks into how the Russian permanent residence permit (Propiska) effects the testing and treatment of HIV in Moscow.Propiska is a residence registration stamp in the Russian internal...Show moreThis study looks into how the Russian permanent residence permit (Propiska) effects the testing and treatment of HIV in Moscow.Propiska is a residence registration stamp in the Russian internal passport, which requires the permission from the police to reside a specific place.Show less
The trigger of this thesis is the war movie ’28 Panfilovcev’ by director and scriptwriter Andrey Shalyopa, released in Russia in November 2016. The movie is about the heroic story of General...Show moreThe trigger of this thesis is the war movie ’28 Panfilovcev’ by director and scriptwriter Andrey Shalyopa, released in Russia in November 2016. The movie is about the heroic story of General Panfilov’s 28 soldiers of the 316th Rifle Division and their defense of Moscow in November 1941. To mirror the heroic tale of the Battle for Moscow, the first-hand account of battalion commander Baurdzhan Momysh-Uly on the battle near Volokolamsk is used, written down by Russian reporter and writer Alexander Bek in 1943. Two primary sources that represent the October and November fighting in the Battle for Moscow in 1941, but from two different perspectives, a blockbuster movie one and a classic literary one. The research question of this thesis consisted of three questions: how can the nearly collapse of the Soviet state by Unternehmen Barbarossa (June-December 1941) historically be explained? How is its overarching symbol, the heroic story of Panfilov’s 28, presented in the war movie ‘28 Panfilovcev’? How do in comparison contemporary firsthand accounts of Red Army soldiers reflect to this heroic picture? This thesis will examine the heroic story of Panfilov’s 28 from its early roots of a newspaper article to its modern day presentation in a blockbuster movie, catapulted to the mass consumers in the large cinemas of Moscow and Saint Petersburg. The conclusions of this research of the story Panfilov’s 28 and its political use of the past will make a contribution to the academic debate of the disastrous early war months for the Soviet Union in 1941 as well as in understanding the movie ’28 Panfilovcev’ as an example of present day Russian cultural policy.Show less
A thesis about the Wall of Grief in Moscow, the first monument built for the victims of political repression during the Soviet era supported by the Russian government.
This thesis discusses the relevance of Islam in creating communities for Central Asian migrants in Moscow. Drawing upon academic sources and Russian newspapers, the analysis of the role of Islam...Show moreThis thesis discusses the relevance of Islam in creating communities for Central Asian migrants in Moscow. Drawing upon academic sources and Russian newspapers, the analysis of the role of Islam for migrants has focused on places frequently attended by Central Asian people in Moscow. It emerges that migrants attending mosques consider Islam as the main source to negotiate their identity while abroad, as well as the common denominator that helps them in developing personal connections. Moreover, the role of Islam in ethnic cafés and bazaars is described, showing that activities, behaviors and relationships developed in these places are often influenced by Islamic rules and values. In addition, a possible evolution of the role of Islam for migrants has been proposed through a comparison of the Muscovite situation with Vienna and West Berlin in 1950s and 1960s. Based on these analyses, it can be concluded that Islam plays a crucial role for migrants in various dimensions. Indeed, Islam may be helpful to tolerate their precarious living conditions, to provide norms and values, and to form communities based on the common religious background.Show less
