

Ideological Seduction and Intellectuals in Putin’s Russia
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Description
Ideological Seduction and Intellectuals in Putin’s Russia by Dmitry Shlapentokh provides a critical analysis of how Russian intellectuals have engaged with and often supported the ideological frameworks promoted by Vladimir Putin’s regime. Shlapentokh argues that many of Russia’s leading thinkers, scholars, and cultural figures have been drawn into an ideological narrative that combines nationalism, traditionalism, and a vision of Russia as a unique civilization distinct from the West. Far from being coerced participants, these intellectuals are portrayed as willing contributors to the regime’s discourse, seduced by the promises of national revival, cultural pride, and historical destiny. Shlapentokh explores how this ideological seduction taps into deep-rooted Russian philosophical traditions and messianic thinking, where the state is often seen as the embodiment of collective purpose and moral authority. The book examines how intellectuals rationalize authoritarian governance, limited political freedoms, and state-led narratives of history and identity. By analyzing their writings and public pronouncements, Shlapentokh shows how they provide legitimacy to the regime’s domestic and foreign policies, reinforcing a worldview that prioritizes stability, order, and a strong centralized state. Ideological Seduction offers a sobering look at the complicity of Russia’s intellectual elite in the construction of an authoritarian ideological project, revealing how power, identity, and thought are deeply intertwined in contemporary Russian politics.