I used to follow an African-American blogger who was doing a postgrad project on Russian history in Moscow. One of the most depressing things he said was that the younger generation seemed way more racist and xenophobic than their grandparents. The most older people had been raised with a sense of Soviet-style internationalism, whereas for the youngest people it was all far right nationalism.
That was back in the mid 2000s so I doubt he’s still there in Moscow.
It just goes to show things don’t always get better over the generations, but I’m such a determined political optimist I choose not to internalize that lesson.
Holy shit, I got curious and Googled his blog and this is one of his very last posts:
18 JANUARY 2009
ADVICE: Should People of Color Go to Russia?
I’m leaving this comment because since you have lived in Russia and know much more about what’s going on there than I do, I was wondering if you could answer a question for me. I was wondering, do you think it would even be smart at this point for a Black student to go to Russia to study? I was planning on going there after the summer for a year-long study abroad program but after hearing about all the racism I’m thinking that it might not be the right thing to do. Did you have a lot of close calls when you were over there?
This is a painful question for me.
On the one hand, I have had amazing experiences in Russia and I have been indelibly marked by the time I have spent with Russian history, literature and contemporary society. I can’t imagine my sense of the world outside of my interactions with Russia.
On the other hand, I simply don’t know if I can, in good conscience, advise people of Asian or African descent to travel to Russia in light of the continuing problem of racist violence.
Published
Lady Jace Of The Fae 