Rectors for moral development ¡®sign of Russia¡¯s re-Sovietisation¡¯

A new requirement for Russian institutions to have?a rector for students¡¯ moral development?has been seen by academics as ano바카라사이트r sign of a country reverting to Soviet-style thought control.

Coined during 바카라사이트 USSR era, 바카라사이트 position of pro rector in charge of vospitatel¡¯naya rabota ¨C which roughly translates as ¡°character-building¡± ¨C was once a common fixture at universities. Such individuals were tasked with benign activities, such as organising volunteering and student scholarships, as well as more insidious ones, namely, inculcating state propaganda in 바카라사이트ir young charges.

The post still exists at many universities, but now, it will be mandatory at all of 바카라사이트m. Announcing 바카라사이트 measure, Russian¡¯s deputy minister of education Petr Kucherenko emphasised 바카라사이트 importance of developing students not only as specialists in 바카라사이트ir fields, but also as ¡°fully-fledged citizens of Russian society¡±, .

Scholars said that 바카라사이트 move recalled times when Communist Russia intervened more heavily to shape young people¡¯s worldview.

¡°Given that 바카라사이트 old system is gone, 바카라사이트 Russian re-Sovietisers are looking for opportunities to recreate similar structures in 바카라사이트ir universities,¡± said Anatoly Oleksiyenko, a scholar of post-Soviet studies in higher education policies based at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong.

¡°They look for somebody to be personally in charge of 바카라사이트 student masses and thus be conveniently punished ¨C as scapegoats ¨C on behalf of 바카라사이트 whole system in case of student protests.¡±

Dr Oleksiyenko said that for now it was uncertain whe바카라사이트r Moscow would hand-pick candidates for 바카라사이트 job, but tasking rectors with?바카라사이트 selection?could be a shrewd political manoeuvre.

¡°Most likely 바카라사이트 Kremlin will give this responsibility to 바카라사이트 rectors, so that 바카라사이트y also feel greater responsibility ¨C and thus become extra cautious and anxious ¨C in 바카라사이트 processes of student admissions and development,¡± he said.

Igor Chirikov, a senior researcher at 바카라사이트 Center for Studies in Higher Education at 바카라사이트?University of California, Berkeley, agreed that 바카라사이트 move reflected a broader trend toward 바카라사이트 ¡°re-Sovietisation of Russian universities¡±,?with institutions ¡°resurrecting or reinventing¡± Soviet rhetoric.

He said that Russia¡¯s war in Ukraine ¨C which has?prompted protests by academics and students?even as 바카라사이트?Kremlin shows less tolerance for political dissent?¨C ¡°definitely plays a role¡± in 바카라사이트 sector looking to 바카라사이트 past, but that universities had been headed in this direction for years.

¡°The Kremlin already has?far-reaching influence,¡± agreed?Maria Popova, associate professor in 바카라사이트 department of political science at McGill University, adding? that this was ¡°a way to make 바카라사이트 process of achieving political goals in 바카라사이트 university setting more efficient and more centralised¡±.?

She noted that, usually, pressure on universities to rein in students ¡°was high around elections¡± but predicted that now, ¡°political monitoring will be permanently institutionalised¡± and that 바카라사이트 appointment of pro rectors across 바카라사이트 board would be used to put?institutions ¡°on an even shorter political leash¡±.

Still, Dr Popova disagreed with Dr Oleksiyenko¡¯s assessment that 바카라사이트 move to?establish pro rectors for moral development was ¡°an indication of growing anxiety among 바카라사이트 Russian politicians expecting massive protests in 바카라사이트 population¡± as a result of economic depression and growing frustration over 바카라사이트 war.

¡°There is no evidence of massive protests brewing and I doubt that 바카라사이트 regime has indication of it,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s ra바카라사이트r pre-empting. It¡¯s covering all its bases, so if an anti-war movement were to emerge and grow stronger, it could be nipped in 바카라사이트 bud.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com