Russia's Democratic Retreat: The Role of the Conflict in Chechnya, Declining Media Freedom, and a Subdued Middle Class

Presentation Type

Oral and/or Visual Presentation

Presenter Major(s)

Political Science

Mentor Information

Heather L. Tafel

Department

Political Science

Location

Kirkhof Center 2270

Start Date

11-4-2012 10:00 AM

Keywords

Changing Ideas/Changing Worlds, Freedom and Control, Human Rights, Media, Social Class, World Perspective

Abstract

The fall of the Soviet Union is argued to have brought more freedom to people in the region. However, is Russia really in a better place in 2012 than it was under communism? Drawing on scholarly research, news sources, and firsthand accounts, this paper challenges the popular understanding of Russian politics by arguing that the democratic decline in Russia has eroded many of the social gains of the 1990s. The focus will be on three specific problems with Russian democracy. First, the conflict in Chechnya demonstrates that political and civil rights continue to be violated on a regular basis. Secondly, the regime's muzzling of the media makes evident that it is still willing to violate individual rights to maintain power. Thirdly, due to the central role that middle classes historically have played in the struggle for democratization, the relative absence of middle class involvement in Russian civil society makes holding leaders accountable and defending human rights a Herculean task.

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Apr 11th, 10:00 AM

Russia's Democratic Retreat: The Role of the Conflict in Chechnya, Declining Media Freedom, and a Subdued Middle Class

Kirkhof Center 2270

The fall of the Soviet Union is argued to have brought more freedom to people in the region. However, is Russia really in a better place in 2012 than it was under communism? Drawing on scholarly research, news sources, and firsthand accounts, this paper challenges the popular understanding of Russian politics by arguing that the democratic decline in Russia has eroded many of the social gains of the 1990s. The focus will be on three specific problems with Russian democracy. First, the conflict in Chechnya demonstrates that political and civil rights continue to be violated on a regular basis. Secondly, the regime's muzzling of the media makes evident that it is still willing to violate individual rights to maintain power. Thirdly, due to the central role that middle classes historically have played in the struggle for democratization, the relative absence of middle class involvement in Russian civil society makes holding leaders accountable and defending human rights a Herculean task.