Is the Russian case of the transformation of youth cultural practices unique?

Abstract

The article focused on the experience of studying youth cultural practices and group identities in Russia in the post-soviet era. The attention to 25 years period of the youth cultural space transformation could be explained not only with scientific interest and an attempt to understand the changes that have occurred in this historical period, but with the fact, that during these years the theoretical and practical findings and work of the Scientific Centre “Region”, Ulyanovsk State University (founded in 1995) and Centre for Youth Studies, Higher School of Economics, St. Petersburg (founded in 2009) were developed. The task to include in the frame of one article all our results is ambitious and perhaps could not be complete. That is why we will focus the main attention on the key directions of the transformation of youth cultural practices, on the crucial plots of the direct and mediated influence of global trends as well as local discourses. It is important to understand: did these changes follow the global tendencies (Europe, North America, and Australia) described in the key works of researchers of youth cultures and practices? Or is the Russian case an exception fallen out the ‘classical’ picture? The basis for the analysis is the data from key research projects of our Centers, as well as new theoretical and methodological approaches to the analysis of changing youth sociality in the frame of political and cultural transformations of Russian society.

Digital political practices of Russian youth: YouTube top bloggers

“…• The practice of political non-engagementa conscious refusal to discuss political or socially significant topics in their vlog. Even though the political theme may attract a great number of subscribers, Kate Clapp (6.5 million subscribers) said that she is not interested and that there would never be any policy in her vlogs 15 . In addition, on the eve of the 2018 presidential elections in Russia, Kate Clapp opposed the participation of bloggers in political agitation, popularization and promotion of elections among young people 16 .…”

“…Basically, as a trend, researchers record such digital practices of young people that are implemented outside of formally existing political institutions, namely, the representation of citizenship through a post on social networks; ignoring information, repost or comment on the network (for example, in response to messages of an extremist nature); consumption and discussion of news on the Internet, viewing political talk shows, battles, etc. and participation in online discussions; online protest organization, virtual flash mobs, petition activity; practices of "small deeds", volunteering, as well as deliberate disregard of the political agenda [14,15,16,17,18].…”

Run Runet Runaway: The Transformation of the Russian Internet as a Cultural-Historical Object

“…At the same time both YouTube and Instagram are key sites for new celebrities competing with traditional media content, such as videobloggers, beauty bloggers and musicians. However, these phenomena are rarely treated as specifically characteristic of Runet, since they partly belong to a global culture of micro-celebrities, various youth scenes (Omelchenko 2019) or particular genres. They use the Russian language, but it is arguable whether they share that sense of commonality which was so important for the Runet culture of the 1990s and 2000s.…”