LMC 2019

One’s Own Place in the World? Russia’s Rising Generation

Russia

In Russia, a new generation is stepping into adulthood. Born during Putin’s reign, it has never experienced anything else. At the same time, Putin’s popularity is falling and the part of Russian society looking for change is growing. What are the aspirations, values, moods and perceptions of the new generation in Russia? How should the West view the recent shifts in Russian society? Are they footprints in the sand that will quickly vanish, or something more fundamental? Is the new generation a threat to the structure of Putin’s state or, as its child, will it simply develop it further? How is the health of Russia’s economy? Will economic decline lead to changes in ideology or systems of values? What is the role and significance of the huge numbers of young Russian expats living in the West? How should the West read the new signs in Russia and how should they be translated into the language of foreign policy? Will the new generation in Russia be able to find its own place?