Thread by @AllysonEdwards1

It's been two months since the start of #Russia's 3-day "special military operation."

Here are some of 🔑 things I've learnt abt 🇷🇺 militarism, particularly around youth militarisation & 🇷🇺's educative practices. (1/)

🇷🇺 has long used it's education system to shape the minds of its younger generation.
The youth is targeted specifically, as potential army recruits, & as those will take forward these military-patriotic discourses into the future. (2/)

Really imp to 🇷🇺 gov that they instil the youth with a particular worldview.
In Russia, this worldview is that their country is vulnerable to outside hostile neighbours.
There are several elements involved, but I cover 3. (3/)

1. Patriotism:
🇷🇺 elites define patriotism in several ways. But the main idea is that a person loves their country so much that they will defend it. (4/)

#Russia's Volunteers of Victory ask:

"What is #patriotism?"

They answer:

"Patriotism is 💜 for the Motherland, its history & traditions.
Our country has repeatedly proved that when in trouble, the Russian people are ready to defend its principles as a united front." (5/)

🇷🇺 youth are being taught hist at school from a younger age.
Nikita Mikhalkov recently said: "patriotism is something that should be absorbed with mother's milk."

How can we make our youth *even more* patriotic? (6/)

2. Struggling to maintain 'historical truth.'

I mean, 🇷🇺 has been fighting to secure its nation against those who 'falsify' their history for *at least* 27 yrs. You'd expect them to have their shit together by now.

Nope, bcos the threat of falsification is more valuable. (7/)

The 'falsification' narrative puts 🇷🇺 people in a state of perpetual mobilisation, helps cast doubts over oppositional voices, & also enables 🇷🇺 elites to change/ mould the story to fit their political objectives.

Anything that does not fit, is 'фейк ньюс.' (8/)

3. & finally, bcos I have to finish somewhere.

🇷🇺 militarism is 'renewable' & youth are 'replaceable'

As we've seen over the past 2 months. 🇷🇺 youth are forming major part of forces fighting in Ukraine.
Former Yunarmiya's being memorialised 🔗: (9/) yunarmy.ru/for-you/alley-…

Members of Yunarmiya & Victory Volunteers etc. are being told abt the great exploit of their 'peers.'
Or being told of their ancestors who were "of similar age" when they forged victory over Nazism in 1945.
Forming feelings of shame that friends are sacrificing for them? (10/)

This generation should be called the 'in-betweeners.' They live in the shadows of ancestors exploits & carry out their duty as a continuation of their victory, "for the future." (11/)

These are uniting discursive frameworks, of course, but what does it really mean for 🇷🇺 current youth?

Are they simply a bridge between generations?

Now, this may be the case - but it won't be long (imo) until their role in this war is immortalised. (12/)

I don't think so in the long term.

They are being co-opted on all fronts, into projects that emphasise or deal w/ the above issues.

I'm v. sure that they will become that 'greatest generation' as long as the goals are 'achieved.' (whatever they are) (13/)

What I have learnt is that militarism can survive w/out a strong military apparatus.
Yes, military is imp but militarisation is not just contingent on the physical.
This was something I found during my PhD, but this 'SMO' has just strengthened my views. (14/)

🇷🇺 military suffered massive losses & is embroiled in accusations of multiple-massacres, but 🇷🇺 discursive domains explain or repress these things within the public domain.

Discourses are imp bcos they are pervasive & are easily adaptable, sustain 🌍views, values, & myths. (15)