Dr Ilya Yablokov (Leeds University) will present his new book "Fortress Russia: Conspiracy Theories in the Post-Soviet World".
| Dates: | 28 November 2018 |
|---|
| Times: | 16:15 - 17:30 |
|---|
| What is it: | Seminar |
|---|
| Organiser: | School of Arts, Languages and Cultures |
|---|
| Speaker: | Ilya Yablokov |
|---|
|
|
Allegations of Russian conspiracies meddling in the affairs of Western countries have been a persistent feature of Western politics since the Cold War, but Russian politics are rife with conspiracies about the West too. Everything bad that happens in Russia is traced back by some to an anti-Russian plot that is hatched in the West. Even the collapse of the Soviet Union - this crucial turning point in world politics that left the USA as the only remaining superpower - was, according to some Russian conspiracy theorists, planned and executed by Russia's enemies in the West.
This book is the first-ever study of Russian conspiracy theories in the post-Soviet period. In it, Yablokov examines why these conspiracy theories have emerged and gained currency in Russia and what role intellectuals play in this process. The book shows how, in the new millennium, the image of the 'dangerous, conspiring West' provides national unity and has helped legitimize Russia's rapid turn to authoritarianism under Vladimir Putin.
Ilya Yablokov received his MA in Nationalism Studies with Distinction from Central European University (Budapest) and PhD in Russian Studies from the University of Manchester (UK). Ilya currently teaches Russian history, politics and culture at the University of Leeds (UK). His research interests include conspiracy theories, nation-building and politics in post-Soviet Russia, history of post-Soviet journalism and international broadcasting. He is the principal investigator of the British Academy funded project ‘Self-Censorship in post-Socialist states’ (with Elisabeth Schimpfossl of Aston University). In 2015 he received a prize of the British Association of Slavonic and East European Studies for the best peer-reviewed article. He is now working on two book projects: the first project is about conspiracy theories in the broadcasts of the Russian international TV channel Russia Today (RT). The second project is the study of the history of media management in post-Soviet Russia. The book is concerned with the biographies of Russia’s main media
Travel and Contact Information
Find event
A202
Samuel Alexander Building
Manchester
