Pussy Riot protest
Gopniks, which are considered to be an example of Russian youth.
Russian youth on a streetcorner.

Russian youth are young Russians, including natives, (e)migrative immigrants, and refugees; definable as being the younger generation relative to their Russian elders. The term "Russian youth" refers to both young native inhabitants of Russia and the young Russian diaspora, although "Russian youth" usually is used chiefly in reference to the former instead of the latter.

Although unique in its own right, modern Russian youth shares many characteristics with other of the world's youth cultures, e.g. counterculture and revolution. Some Russian youth are sympathetic to the traditional ideals of the older generations, while others oppose it, and some Russian youth are apathetic or cynical.[2] The state of modern Russian youth culture has been influenced by several factors, including, but not limited to, the reign of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1991 and the 2023 Russian invasion. Music is a facet of Russian youth culture, and bands such as Pussy riot are an example of Russian youth culture in Russian music. The music genre "drift phonk" (which stemmed from the phonk genre, which was in turn inspired by Memphis rap) purportedly emerged from Russian youth culture in the early 2010s after being popularized by Russian street drifters on TikTok, a claim that was supported by Rolling Stone magazine in 2021, where it was quoted as being the "Russian version" of phonk music by YouTuber Ryan Celsius.[3]

Characteristics

A defining characteristic of modern Russian youth culture is they are the first post-Soviet Russian generation. As a result of being both the first generation to grow up with access to the internet and also from the largest country in the world, modern present-day extant Russian youth have been (and are) influenced by globalization due to the advent of social media which gives them access to Western music, fashion, and trends, which have had a significant impact on their lifestyles.[4] A source of division between modern young Russians is about their opinion on Vladimir Putin and his authoritarian leadership of Russia, which has resulted in a "Sovietization" of Russia.[5] The source of contention is over whether Russian ideals should change or stay the same.[6] According to Rosalind J. Marsh, the notion of national identity is "highly contested in post-Soviet Russia".[7]

A stereotype about Russian youth is that they commonly drink vodka, but this is a cliched misconception, as young people in Russia tend to drink cheap beer and fizzy alcoholic cocktails, such as alcopop or hard soda, rather than the stronger alcohols like vodka and cognac that are only sold to those over 21.[8]

History

The roots of current Russian youth culture can be traced back to ancient Russia, but more readily apparent signs of modern Russian youth culture are due to the reactionary influence because of both the Soviet Union's formation and its dissolution,

During the Tsardom of Russia started by Ivan the Terrible in 1547, Russian youths were split by segregation into two classes: the rich upper-class minority with lucrative access to Western culture and education, and the poorer oppressed lower class majority population. The former had frequently aimed to overthrow the Tsarist regime, while the former largely for the most part submitted to the rule of the law under the monarchy, whether it be out of apathy or loyalty.[9] This, in combination with the Russian Revolution, can be inferred to be what set the foundation for the formation of modern-day Russian youth culture. The radical elites who rebelled against the regime were usually killed, exiled, or suppressed by the Bolsheviks who saw them as their enemies, but some of them managed to escape to other countries, where they formed part of the White émigré community. Others tried to adapt to the new Soviet system but had faced similar discrimination and persecution. A few of them joined the Bolsheviks but had to renounce their previous views and affiliations.[10] Conversely, the oppressed common masses suffered a similar fate. A few of them became part of the new Soviet elite but had to conform to the party line and ideology.[11] This type of sociopolitical divide is mirrored today in modern Russian youth culture with the opposition between Золотая молодёжь ("Golden Youth") upper class and the гопников ("Gopnik") lower class.

The post-Soviet period starting in the early 1990s following the Russian Revolution wherein Russia transitioned from Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to the Russian Federation is when Russian youth experienced a period of chaos and uncertainty, as they faced economic hardship, social instability, cultural shock, and identity crisis. Many young people emigrated to other countries or regions, while others joined criminal gangs or extremist groups.

References

  1. ↑ Although the term "Russian youth" is used in the present day to refer to contemporary young Russians natives, the concept and culture is as old as Russia itself, and hence the term "Russian youth" can (therefore) have an ambiguous meaning depending on the linguistic context historically-speaking, as it can refer to either historically to pre-Soviet Russian youth or post-Soviet Russian youth now.
  2. ↑ Fürst, Juliane (2022-04-01). "A youthquake against Putin is unlikely. The history of Soviet hippies shows why". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  3. ↑ Leight, Elias (2021-04-29). "Russian Producers Obsessed With Three 6 Mafia Can't Stop Going Viral". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  4. ↑ Pilkington, Hilary (2002). Looking West?: Cultural Globalization and Russian Youth Cultures. Penn State Press. ISBN 978-0-271-02186-7.
  5. ↑ Kryshtanovskaya, Ol'ga; White, Stephen (October 2009). "The Sovietization of Russian Politics". Post-Soviet Affairs. 25 (4): 283–309. doi:10.2747/1060-586X.24.4.283. ISSN 1060-586X. S2CID 154854227.
  6. ↑ Foy, Henry (2020-01-09). "Generation Putin: young Russians on the only leader they've ever known". Financial Times. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  7. ↑ Marsh, Rosalind J. (2007). Literature, History and Identity in Post-Soviet Russia, 1991–2006. Peter Lang. ISBN 978-3-03911-069-8.
  8. ↑ "Russia's drinking habits today – still hooked on vodka, or do they prefer vino?". openDemocracy. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  9. ↑ "Long Read: Russian Youth against War | Wilson Center". www.wilsoncenter.org. Retrieved 2023-09-26.
  10. ↑ academic.oup.com https://academic.oup.com/jsh/article/46/2/273/918936. Retrieved 2023-09-26. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. ↑ academic.oup.com https://academic.oup.com/jsh/article/46/2/273/918936. Retrieved 2023-09-26. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
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