Memories of Soviet Education: How Russian Education Has Changed Since February 2022

Session Submission Type: Panel

Brief Description

Following a period of openness, experimentation and internationalization in the Gorbachev and Yeltsin years, Russian education policies have gradually and then more rapidly shifted to emphasizing “sovereignty” and more recently "leadership." With the onset of armed conflict in Ukraine, Russia’s education authorities have restored a growing number of practices that characterized the Soviet education system during industrialization and World War II.

Each of our presenters will discuss aspects of these changes, drawing on their firsthand experiences.

Elements and practices from the Soviet education system began to reappear early in the Putin years, became more widespread following protests during the 2011-2012 elections and annexation of Crimea, and have been emphasized since 2022. Examples include standardized curricula, mandatory military training, severe punishment for unpatriotic remarks by faculty or students, priority higher education admissions for veterans and their families, and emphasis on Russian language and Soviet literature.

Sub Unit

• Sociology, Public Health, Education

Chair

• Jonathan Coopersmith, Texas A&M U

Papers

• The Fate and Erosion of Shared Governance in Russian Universities: Changes in Boards of Trustees and Advisory Boards, 2014-2024 - O B

• Putin's New Vydvizhentsy: Are Veterans Returning from Ukraine Being Promoted into Higher Education to Become the New Elite? - Harley D. Balzer, Georgetown U