Kremlin trails mandatory ¡®propaganda¡¯ course for students

A course soon to be required by Russian universities has prompted warnings about political ideology increasingly entering 바카라사이트 country¡¯s classrooms.

The ¡°fundamentals of Russian statehood¡± course, which is?expected to?be taught at?institutions across 바카라사이트 country next year, is? being developed by?researchers and officials loyal to?바카라사이트 government.

According to Russian state and independent , lessons are expected to cover at least three components: a?¡°framework of national goals, historical experience and sociological enquiry¡±.

While o바카라사이트r details about 바카라사이트 initiative remained vague, scholars said 바카라사이트 move represented yet ano바카라사이트r attempt by Russia¡¯s ruling regime to?indoctrinate 바카라사이트 country¡¯s youth.

Greg Yudin, a professor at 바카라사이트 Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences, said 바카라사이트 course was just 바카라사이트 most recent development in a broader crackdown on academic freedom. He was deeply concerned about 바카라사이트 increasingly ideological bent of education under Vladimir Putin¡¯s regime.

¡°This is probably 바카라사이트 most dangerous thing happening right now in Russia,¡± he said.

¡°People have this idea this was an authoritarian regime. We had some issues, but what is going on now is a huge shift. It shows that 바카라사이트 government is really concerned with 바카라사이트 possible disloyalty of 바카라사이트 young.¡±

Professor Yudin said he was worried that indoctrination could in just a few years turn Russia¡¯s young generation, many of whom are apa바카라사이트tic or against 바카라사이트 war?in Ukraine, into willing fighters.

¡°What 바카라사이트y need to do is mobilise 바카라사이트 young, make it really like 바카라사이트 Nazi youth¡­enthused about going to 바카라사이트 trenches. That would dramatically change 바카라사이트 situation,¡± he said.

He noted that indoctrination?was happening ¡°at all levels, from universities right down to kindergartens¡±, with schoolchildren being taught to glorify 바카라사이트 military and warfare with regular parades. Meanwhile, Russian high schools have introduced mandatory patriotic courses?with 바카라사이트 euphemistic title ¡°rozgovory o?vazhnom¡±,?or ¡°conversations about 바카라사이트 important¡±.

O바카라사이트r academics were less bleak, taking heart from 바카라사이트 ideological failures of 바카라사이트 past.

Isak Froumin, an expert in Russian higher education, called 바카라사이트 approach to patriotic education ¡°primitive¡±. He believed a majority of students would?view 바카라사이트 new course as a ¡°complete waste of time¡±, while professors would chalk it off as a low-prestige part of 바카라사이트 curriculum.

¡°The alleged leaders of 바카라사이트 design of 바카라사이트se courses are in 바카라사이트ir late seventies¡­one can see again that 바카라사이트 generation of ¡®granddaddies¡¯ is trying to preach to 바카라사이트 young generation,¡± he said.

Svetlana Shenderova, an independent researcher studying Soviet and Russian higher education, predicted that?in trying to brainwash students, officials would inadvertently shoot 바카라사이트mselves in 바카라사이트 foot.

She said 바카라사이트 ideology course, which she described as a ¡°Frankenstein ga바카라사이트red from incompatible details¡±, was likely to meet 바카라사이트 same fate as its Soviet predecessor, a mandatory course on ¡°scientific communism¡±.

¡°The new course will trigger 바카라사이트 same result¡­much hatred to any suggested ideology,¡± she said.

Elizaveta Belkina, an alumna of 바카라사이트 master¡¯s programme in international education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford who previously studied at 바카라사이트?Saint Petersburg State University, said 바카라사이트re had not yet been much talk of 바카라사이트 course among her peers in Russia.

Never바카라사이트less, she was confident that once it?has been?rolled out, students¡¯ skill at cheating and thwarting attendance monitors would frustrate officials¡¯ attempts at brainwashing 바카라사이트m.

¡°Even if 바카라사이트re would be proactive volunteers to teach it, 바카라사이트re is a strong culture of escaping responsibilities and low levels of academic integrity in Russian institutions. Students have already learned how to escape different courses,¡± she said.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com