Soviet/Russian Cultural Imperialism: Past and Present

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Brief Description

This roundtable explores the mechanisms of cultural imperialism in the Russian and Soviet empires. By drawing on case studies from Central Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and beyond, this discussion will trace the historical continuities and transformations of Russian and Soviet cultural policies and their impact on the present. The roundtable discussion will focus on how cultural imperialism functioned as a tool of governance, the role of cultural diplomacy in Soviet development projects, the appropriation and reshaping of local histories and traditions, and the dissemination of Soviet ideals through literature, education, and film. The discussion will also address the contradictions within these efforts—how strategies intended to integrate peripheral populations often reinforced local identities and resistance. In considering the post-Soviet landscape, the roundtable will assess how these historical practices inform contemporary Russian cultural outreach and soft power strategies. This roundtable brings together historians and scholars of Soviet and post-Soviet studies with expertise in propaganda, cultural diplomacy, and imperial identity-building. Through interdisciplinary perspectives, the discussion will offer new insights into the legacies of Russian and Soviet cultural imperialism and their enduring significance.

Sub Unit

• History: 1945-1990

Chair

• Choi Chatterjee, California State U, Los Angeles

Roundtable Speakers

• Leora Eisenberg, Harvard U

• Julie Hessler, U of Oregon

• Alessandro Iandolo, U College London (UK)

• Margaret Elizabeth Peacock, U of Alabama