Description
Efforts by the state in Putin’s Russia to use historical memory to encourage young people to glorify war and military service have reached a fever pitch since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. While many of these efforts aim to permeate everyday life – for example through changes to the school curriculum and textbooks or through popular culture – this paper examines militarising discourses that Russian youth encounter during a day out. Using critical discourse analysis, the paper identifies key messages aimed at young people that have been disseminated through events surrounding the annual Victory Day celebrations on 9 May since 2022. The paper focuses on discourses that construct direct links between the heroism and victory of the Great Patriotic War, the role assigned by the state to youth in protecting the memory of Soviet experiences and achievements in that war, and the expectations instilled in young people that war is a normal part of their lives and one that they should embrace.
