2021c_tony

Sunday 2 May, 2021 at 2:00 pm

4 Matina Street, Narrabundah

The Russian National Character: The Motherland (Rodina) and National Cultural Identity

Trying to speak about a country’s national character or identity is full of pitfalls, especially when it is not your own country . And national identity is not unchanging, but is always evolving: it can sometimes change quite rapidly even in the course of two or three generations. But Tony Kevin, who has loved and studied Russia over many years, will attempt to share some thoughts on the things that in his view are characteristically Russian and unlikely to change quickly: in Russia and in the Russian world of nearby states that have been culturally influenced by Russia and its language.

Tony will offer personal views on some important continuities, factors that have contributed to Russia’s core identity: such as Pushkin (Russia’s Shakespeare); the Russian language; the almost endless landscape, shared by many nationalities and extending through eleven world time zones of steppes and forests and tundra; the harsh continental climate of hot summers and cold winters; the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in shaping Russian identity and values; Russia’s defensive military tradition as seen by Pushkin, Tolstoy, Turgenev, Blok, Pasternak, Grossman ; the old ideology of panSlavism and its modern successor русский мир, the Russian world; the meaning of the May 9 Victory Day military parades and the increasingly popular бессмертный полк citizens’ parades.

Tony will touch on language signifiers. Why does the word motherland Родина come more naturally to Russians than fatherland Отечество? There is no homegrown old Russian equivalent for the West-borrowed word patriotism патриотизм. Russians would more authentically say любовь к родине, love of motherland…

Tony Kevin is a former Australian diplomat (1968—1998) who ended his public service career as ambassador to Poland (1991—1994) and Cambodia (1994–—1997). He is now an ANU Emeritus Fellow and independent commentator on international affairs. His books include ‘Walking the Camino’ (Scribe, 2004) and ‘Return to Moscow’ (UWA Publishing, 2017). A few copies of the latter will be available for cash purchase $30 and author signing.

Refreshments will be provided. Bring your own glass due to COVID restrictions.