Intergenerational Transmission of Imperial Legacies and Familial Structures in Russia's Political Culture

• In Event: Intergenerational Construction and Transmission of Memory and Support for (Non-)Democracies: The Cases of Czechia, Russia, and beyond

Abstract

This paper explores the complex interplay between familial structures and political culture in Russia, drawing on Alexander Wendt's "structure-agent" framework. The study argues that familial and social domains mutually constitute each other, influencing generational attitudes toward authority, power dynamics, and gender roles. The study examines the historical emergence of Russian political culture through familial metaphors, particularly from the era of Ivan the Terrible and the emergence of the Domostroy—a 16th-century household guide emphasizing strict patriarchal control. Tracing the evolution of Domostroy’s familial structures to the radical transformations brought by the Bolshevik Revolution and Alexandra Kollontai's advocacy for the emancipation of women—the paper examines how shifts in domestic norms have corresponded with broader political and ideological changes. Kollontai's radical reshaping of family norms under early Soviet rule facilitated initial decolonization efforts and egalitarian reforms, demonstrating the deep link between the private sphere and the public political domain. However, the eventual rollback of these emancipatory changes under Stalin and the contemporary revival of "traditional values" under Putin indicate a resurgence of familial metaphors rooted in Russia's imperial past.

Author

• Galina Bogatova, Union College