Russian Nationalism: anti-East or anti-West?
Russian nationalism and racial extremism seems to be a mini-theme of today’s Moscow Times. First there is an article on the recent report released by the Sova Center on the rise of nationalism and xenophobia. But I have a question why this report is suddenly news. According to Sova’s website, the report came out in September of last year. It hardly qualifies as the news of today as the MT portrays it. Overall their suggestion that nationalism and racism are on the rise is not surprising. How they explain this, however, is a bit curious. According to its authors, Alexander Verkhovsky, Galina Kozhevnikova, Russia has seen a rise not in skinheads becoming better organized, or with the emergence of new groups, or with old groups increasing membership. Nor do they claim that the “radical nationalist propaganda toolbox” has grown or that their ..read more
