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Russia Against Modernity

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( 156 ratings, 34 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Alexander Etkind’s Russia Against Modernity explores how Putin’s war on Ukraine is part of a broader assault on modernity itself. The regime’s strategy opposes contemporary values like climate awareness, energy transition and digital innovation. Etkind distinguishes between Russia’s ostentatious, weaponised paleomodernity and the progressive, decentralised gaiamodernity of the Anthropocene. The book analyses political, cultural and demographic mechanisms underpinning Russia’s resistance to modern transformation.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Essential reading for those interested in politics, contemporary Russian affairs, environmental issues, and the global impact of authoritarian regimes.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Putin’s war is a special operation against modernity. The invasion has been directed against Ukraine, but the war has a broader target: the modern world of climate awareness, energy transition and digital labour. By trading oil and gas, promoting Trump and Brexit, spreading corruption, boosting inequality and homophobia, subsidising far-right movements and destroying Ukraine, Putin’s clique aims at suppressing the ongoing transformation of modern societies.

Alexander Etkind distinguishes between Russia’s pompous, weaponised paleomodernity on the one hand, and the lean, decentralised gaiamodernity of the Anthropocene on the other. Putin’s clique has used various strategies – from climate denialism and electoral interference to war and genocide – to resist and subvert modernity. Working on political, cultural and even demographic levels, social mechanisms convert the vicious energy of the oil curse into all-out aggression.

Dissecting these mechanisms, Etkind’s brief but rigorous analyses of social structuration, cultural dynamics and family models reveal the agency that drives the Russian war against modernity. This short, sharp critique of the Russian regime combines political economy, social history and demography to predict the decolonising and defederating of Russia.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Critics praise the book as a concise, erudite and thought-provoking examination of Russia’s role amid global crises. Shaun Walker in The Guardian calls it "a concise book packed with big ideas." The New York Times describes it as "quick and incisive," while Inside Story highlights its brevity paired with deep insight. Ian Garner of The Russian Review notes its deft engagement with complex theory and history, making it stimulating even for sceptical readers.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781509556588

Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 21 April 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Polity Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 15.0mm

Width: 140.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 227g

Pages: 176

About the Author

Alexander Etkind is a professor at the Central European University in Vienna.

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