Presenter(s)

Liza Wisniewski

Comments

9:00-10:15, Kennedy Union Ballroom

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Description

The collapse of the USSR has remained prevalent in Vladimir Putin’s political strategy throughout his career. In his extended presidency, he has worked hand in hand with the Kremlin to promote a newly revised history of the past century. His administration can be seen using the concept of nostalgia for the Soviet Union to justify the violence of Russian Expansion in the 21st century. This research paper will dive into case studies surrounding the war in Ukraine and the occupation of Georgian Territories. The main goal of this research is to understand the manipulation tactics of the Russian government and how they are shaping public opinion through tactical historical changes in order to gain support for the ongoing wars and occupation. Vladimir Putin has taken the collective memory of the Russian people and strategically reshaped it to attempt to serve expansionist ideologies. This research is being conducted by consulting peer-reviewed academic journals and observing current trends and news stories coming out of Russian media. Observing the narratives and framing techniques used in Russian news sources and comparing them with peer-reviewed academic journals provides the primary evidence for this research. This research recognizes many patterns of disinformation. These patterns support the claim that Soviet Nostalgia and World War II rhetoric are being used as propaganda to justify the war to the Global community. The significance of this work is directly related to the current geopolitical landscape with Russia in its third year of the Ukrainian invasion. The concept of Soviet nostalgia and how it is being used for manipulation can be seen plainly throughout Putin’s administration. Understanding the phenomenon is crucial in analyzing the geopolitical movements shaping the international community today.

Publication Date

4-23-2025

Project Designation

Capstone Project

Primary Advisor

Masha I. Kisel

Primary Advisor's Department

Global Languages and Cultures

Keywords

Stander Symposium, College of Arts and Sciences

Institutional Learning Goals

Critical Evaluation of Our Times; Community; Scholarship

Soviet Nostalgia and how it is being leveraged to legitimize the war in Ukraine and Russian Expansionism

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