Collectivities need such mirrors to recognize themselves.
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The same person might see different reflections of him- or herself in the mirror depending on the lighting, mood, and other factors. Collective identity is akin to societal reflection in the mirror, which can differ depending on the context. The metaphor of the red mirror captures the concept of identity well. In my book, The Red Mirror, I tried to build an analytical bridge for seeing and understanding this “other world.” The central argument relies on viewing Russian politics through the prism of collective identity politics that underpinned not only Vladimir Putin’s popularity but also the Russian public’s renewed sense of social well-being and even euphoria. Indeed, it seemed that not just Putin (as Chancellor Angela Merkel noted in 2015) but the whole of the Russian society was living in “another world.” Meanwhile, different polling organizations in Russia were reporting a record-high sense of well-being, optimism, and hope for Russia’s future among survey respondents. After Russia’s Crimea grab, the West viewed Russia with anxiety, fear, and weariness. This gap in perceptions turned massive after 2014. Russia was ranked “unfree” in 2004 for the first time and has stayed so ever since. In February of that year Vladislav Surkov used the term “sovereign democracy” (суверенная демократия) in a speech before members of the governing United Russia party to suggest that Russia’s democracy was special but still a democracy, present and future, even as the Freedom House rankings of democracy in Russia indicated otherwise. The gap between the West and Russia in terms of how the two sides perceive what is happening in Russia has been growing since 2006.
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Science and Technology Innovation Program.The Middle East and North Africa Workforce Development Initiative.Kissinger Institute on China and the United States.Nuclear Proliferation International History Project.North Korea International Documentation Project.Environmental Change and Security Program.
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Hyundai Motor-Korea Foundation Center for Korean History and Public Policy.