Feminist Politics in Neoconservative Russia: An Ethnography of Resistance and Resources (Gender and Sociology)

In this book, the author provides an ethnographic account of feminist activism and politics at the grassroots level in neoconservative and increasingly authoritarian Russia in the 2010s. Feminist politics is interrogated from a broad perspective, encompassing both overt and covert forms of resistance, and local and global influences behind feminist action. The author analyses how a new feminist generation that emerged in the early 2010s chose feminism as its political beacon. Drawing on rich ethnographic material from interviews, observation and online ethnography, the author walks the reader through different feminist practices and cases, revealing their historical and contemporary political echoes. She illustrates how political limitations led activism to shift from more traditional spaces of resistance, such as the streets, to the arenas of theatre, art and the internet. Both camouflaged and highly visible feminist actions are discussed, as well as some of the struggles within the movement. The feminist movement and its actions are also uncovered from the perspective of resources. Indeed, the author suggests that while feminism has been an immense therapeutic resource for individual activists, the movement itself lacks resources, intensifying struggles between feminists. Four key dimensions of feminism are explored: reparative politics, politics of sheltering, politics of expertise and politics of appearances. Front Cover -- Series -- Feminist Politics In Neoconservative Russia: An Ethnography Of Resistance And Resources -- Copyright Information -- Table Of Contents -- List Of Abbreviations -- Acknowledgments -- Series Editors' Preface -- 1 Introduction: Feminist Resistance In Russia -- Producing The Research With Feminist Ethnography -- Introduction To The Feminist Activists Interviewed -- Theoretical Road Map Of The Book -- Tracing Feminist Resistance In Russia -- Discovering Spatialities And Temporalities -- Mapping Feminist Culture -- Structure Of The Book 2 Civic Activism And Feminist Politics In Russia -- Politics Of Gender And Feminism In Russia -- Soviet Gender Politics And The 'woman Question' -- Feminist Politics In Post-soviet Russia -- The Neoconservative Turn In Formal Politics -- 3 Feminists Repairing The Self And Society -- Working On The Patriarchal Self -- Relinquishing The 'culture Of Violence' And Related Trauma -- Radically Challenging Conservative Premises Of Politics -- Articulating An Alternative Tradition -- Conclusion: Reparative Politics -- 4 Activists Negotiating The Politics Of Space -- Underground In/visible Spatial Tactics Of Feminism And Lgbt/q -- Escaping The System Without Leaving It -- Street -- Art Spaces As The New Streets? -- Performances Challenging Private/public Relations -- Shelter -- Closing Feminist Space For Safety And Shelter -- Space Brokers Struggling To Open Feminist Space -- Conclusion: Politics Of Sheltering -- 5 Epistemic Resources And Struggles -- Harnessing Female Experience As An Epistemic Resource -- Queer As A Resource For Epistemic Experiments -- Academic Resources: Producing A Feminist Underclass -- Everyday Experiences As An Epistemic Resource Conclusion: Politics Of Expertise -- 6 Mediatized Manifestations Of Feminism -- Overt Lines Of Action: Producing Media Shocks -- Covert Lines Of Action: Smuggling And Masking -- Staging And Stealing Publicity -- Mirroring The Power Politics -- Conclusion: Politics Of Appearances -- 7 Resources And Their Effect On Feminist Resistance -- Gazing Through Feminist Lenses: What Next? -- Appendix: Methodology -- Production Of The Research Material -- Research Interviews -- Observation Off- And Online -- Analysing The Material -- Ethical Questions -- Reflections On The Research Process -- Notes Inna Perheentupa. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Electronic Reproduction. Baltimore, Md Available Via World Wide Web. Front Cover Series Feminist Politics in Neoconservative Russia: An Ethnography of Resistance and Resources Copyright information Table of contents List of abbreviations Acknowledgments Series Editors’ Preface 1 Introduction: Feminist Resistance in Russia Producing the research with feminist ethnography Introduction to the feminist activists interviewed Theoretical road map of the book Tracing feminist resistance in Russia Discovering spatialities and temporalities Mapping feminist culture Structure of the book 2 Civic Activism and Feminist Politics in Russia Politics of gender and feminism in Russia Soviet gender politics and the ‘woman question’ Feminist politics in post-Soviet Russia The neoconservative turn in formal politics 3 Feminists Repairing the Self and Society Working on the patriarchal self Relinquishing the ‘culture of violence’ and related trauma Radically challenging conservative premises of politics Articulating an alternative tradition Conclusion: Reparative politics 4 Activists Negotiating the Politics of Space Underground In/visible spatial tactics of feminism and LGBT/Q Escaping the system without leaving it Street Art spaces as the new streets? Performances challenging private/public relations Shelter Closing feminist space for safety and shelter Space brokers struggling to open feminist space Conclusion: Politics of sheltering 5 Epistemic Resources and Struggles Harnessing female experience as an epistemic resource Queer as a resource for epistemic experiments Academic resources: producing a feminist underclass Everyday experiences as an epistemic resource Conclusion: Politics of expertise 6 Mediatized Manifestations of Feminism Overt lines of action: producing media shocks Covert lines of action: smuggling and masking Staging and stealing publicity Mirroring the power politics Conclusion: Politics of appearances 7 Resources and Their Effect on Feminist Resistance Gazing through feminist lenses: what next? Appendix: Methodology Production of the research material Research interviews Observation off- and online Analysing the material Ethical questions Reflections on the research process Notes References Index Back Cover This is a nuanced and compelling analysis of grassroots feminist activism in Russia in the politically turbulent 2010s. Drawing on rich ethnographic data, the author illustrates how a new generation of activists chose feminism as their main political beacon, and how they negotiated the challenges of authoritarian and conservative trends. As we witness a backlash against feminism on a global scale with the rise of neoconservative governments, this highly relevant book decentres Western theory and concepts of feminism and social movements, offering significant insights into how resistance can mobilize and invent creative tactics to cope with an increasingly repressed space for independent political action. This is a nuanced and compelling analysis of grassroots feminist activism in Russia in the politically turbulent 2010s. Drawing on rich ethnographic data, the author illustrates how a new generation of activists chose feminism as their main political beacon, and how they negotiated the challenges of authoritarian and conservative trends. As we witness a backlash against feminism on a global scale with the rise of neo-conservative governments, this highly relevant book decentres Western theory and concepts on feminism and social movements, offering significant insights into how resistance can mobilise and invent creative tactics to cope with an increasingly repressed space for independent political action This is an important account of grassroots feminist activism in Russia in the politically turbulent 2010s characterized by authoritarian and conservative trends. Drawing on interviews and rich ethnographic data, the book walks the reader through different feminist practices, revealing their historic and contemporary political echoes.