3 ms·

What surprises me the most is that this was from a russian university. Compare with today, where "western decadence" is one of the main talking points of the ru

by xg15 3y ago

What surprises me the most is that this was from a russian university. Compare with today, where "western decadence" is one of the main talking points of the russian narrative. (The paper is from 2018, so before the invasion, but already after maidan, so the narrative was likely already taking shape)

oytis 3y ago
HSE has been one of the places which allowed a relative academic freedom - as soon as you don't criticise the government directly. These places existed for the whole duration of Putin's regime, and only after 24th of Feb 2022 the government declared zero tolerance to any dissent.
TeMPOraL 3y ago
"Western decadence" isn't anything new. It's been a talking point in USSR just as much. It's a talking point in Europe. It's a talking point in the US too. The generic "${contemporary dominant / liberal culture} decadence" has been a staple of religion and philosophy since the ancient days.
pessimizer 3y ago
You think that the concept of western decadence is Russian propaganda from the last five years?
- pjc50 3y ago
  Russian propaganda of the last three years has used "western decadence" as a theme a lot, but obviously the concept pre-dates that and is common in rightwing messaging throughout the 20th century.
  - lynx23 3y ago
    Critizing "western decadence" is not a rightwing only phenomenon. I wonder why you frame it as such.
    - pjc50 3y ago
      [flagged]
lynx23 3y ago
Ahh, there you go. Reading the .ru TLD at the main page, first thing that came to my mind is "I wonder how long it takes until someone makes this political. And there you go. No surprises anymore in this day and age.
- croisillon 3y ago
  isn't Larionova's paper on https://iorj.hse.ru/data/2023/06/09/2037222126/Vestnik_2023_01_%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B3%D0%BB05_06_23.pdf https://iorj.hse.ru/data/2023/06/09/2037222126/Vestnik_2023_... pure political bs?
culebron21 3y ago
In the late '00-s, Ministry of Education of Russia had set some incentives to universities, including the number of papers published in top-rated international journals. The more liberal, West-oriented folks were much more capable of doing this, hence they concentrated in many top-tier universities. Sometimes this led to political fights with the conservative top management. The latter got huge salaries from the ministry and was informally demanded to keep loyalty and suppress dissent. (Figures that I heard from a big regional uni: rector's salary $12K/mo, teacher's around $700/mo, part-time teacher doing a course twice a week ~$100/mo.) So rectors would bring as many capable people as possible, no matter their political position, and then softly tried to stop them from making political stances/scandals.

by xg15 3y ago

oytis 3y ago

HSE has been one of the places which allowed a relative academic freedom - as soon as you don't criticise the government directly. These places existed for the whole duration of Putin's regime, and only after 24th of Feb 2022 the government declared zero tolerance to any dissent.

TeMPOraL 3y ago

"Western decadence" isn't anything new. It's been a talking point in USSR just as much. It's a talking point in Europe. It's a talking point in the US too. The generic "${contemporary dominant / liberal culture} decadence" has been a staple of religion and philosophy since the ancient days.

pessimizer 3y ago

You think that the concept of western decadence is Russian propaganda from the last five years?

pjc50 3y ago
Russian propaganda of the last three years has used "western decadence" as a theme a lot, but obviously the concept pre-dates that and is common in rightwing messaging throughout the 20th century.
- lynx23 3y ago
  Critizing "western decadence" is not a rightwing only phenomenon. I wonder why you frame it as such.
  - pjc50 3y ago
    [flagged]

lynx23 3y ago

Ahh, there you go. Reading the .ru TLD at the main page, first thing that came to my mind is "I wonder how long it takes until someone makes this political. And there you go. No surprises anymore in this day and age.

croisillon 3y ago
isn't Larionova's paper on https://iorj.hse.ru/data/2023/06/09/2037222126/Vestnik_2023_01_%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B3%D0%BB05_06_23.pdf https://iorj.hse.ru/data/2023/06/09/2037222126/Vestnik_2023_... pure political bs?

culebron21 3y ago

In the late '00-s, Ministry of Education of Russia had set some incentives to universities, including the number of papers published in top-rated international journals. The more liberal, West-oriented folks were much more capable of doing this, hence they concentrated in many top-tier universities. Sometimes this led to political fights with the conservative top management. The latter got huge salaries from the ministry and was informally demanded to keep loyalty and suppress dissent. (Figures that I heard from a big regional uni: rector's salary $12K/mo, teacher's around $700/mo, part-time teacher doing a course twice a week ~$100/mo.) So rectors would bring as many capable people as possible, no matter their political position, and then softly tried to stop them from making political stances/scandals.