Russia's Nineties Generation and their Cultural & Collective Memory of the Soviet Union

Abstract

This thesis explores the legacy of Russia’s Soviet past in the memory of its youth. It examines the ways of remembering and interpreting the past in light of Russia’s present tenure and global collective, and cultural memory theory. Primary findings support the anti-establishment view that history is manipulated with a propagandistic aim in Russia. Findings also show that the memory of this generation is frequently recalled from two divergent and contradictory perspectives, referred to as memory parallels in this work. An assertion is made that this generation’s memory of its Soviet past is constructed and susceptible to current trends in Russia’s internal and foreign policy. The memory of Russia’s ‘90s generation lacks autonomy and uniformity, when recalling their Soviet past.