Performing Nationalism in Russia

This Element shows the performative strategies of the Russian state to uphold its nationalist project and map theatre artists' resistance.

Yana Meerzon (Author)

9781009451932, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 29 February 2024

88 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 0.6 cm, 0.265 kg

Following Homi Bhabha's prompt on reading nationalism as a set of discursive and performative practices, this Element focuses on the cultural geography of today's Russia and examines a range of performative strategies used by the Russian state to uphold its nationalist project. Simultaneously, it maps artistic strategies of resistance to the ideology of nationalism as employed by both state-funded and independent theatre companies, via new dramaturgies, performance practices and strategies of storytelling.

1. Introduction what is Russian nationalism?
2. Performing institutional nationalism
3. An infant terrible of Russian nationalism
4. Myth-making and myth-breaking of nationalism
5. Staging the other – contesting nationalism
6. Conclusion from nationalism to totalitarianism
References.

Subject Areas: Theatre studies [AN]