Violence after Stalinism is the theme of this research project. Using the dichotomy of violence and civility, it seeks to develop a better understanding of the transformation of Russian society from the late Brezhnev era into the present. The first studies conducted in this area dealt with the role of the Soviet Army in late socialism, with Afghanistan as a violent space or with Mikhail Gorbachev’s perestroika as an attempt to ‘civilise from above’. The project will look at the violence perpetrated by institutions of the one-party state as well as the notions of civility introduced by dissidents and the democratic movement in Russia. Overall, it aims to make productive use of the tension between violence and civility, which is characteristic for Russian society, for taking a fresh look at Russia’s recent past.
