Religion in Post-Soviet Russia: From the Religious Renaissance to Anticlericalism

This course will outline the periods of the post-Soviet transformation of religion in Russia, examine the factors that influenced the formation of the contemporary religion situation, and discuss the contemporary cultural and political developments affecting religion in Russia. Special attention will be paid to the relations among the church, government, and society, the development of the so-called “four traditional religions of Russia” and contemporary religious minorities, and the role of the Russian Orthodox Church not only as Russia’s most influential religious organization but also as a serious political force with a clearly defined social agenda. The course will also examine the formation of religious identity, religion and contemporary Russian mass culture, religion and education, religion and interethnic relations, religious tolerance and intolerance, and religious fundamentalism and anticlericalism. Each class will include readings from Russian media and scholarly articles.