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Flexible Authoritarianism Summary

Flexible Authoritarianism: Cultivating Ambition and Loyalty in Russia by Anna Schwenck (Habilitation Candidate in Sociology, Habilitation Candidate in Sociology, University of Siegen)

Flexible Authoritarianism challenges the idea that the transnational rise of authoritarianism is a backlash against economic globalization and neoliberal capitalism. Flexible authoritarianism--a form of government that simultaneously incentivizes a can-do spirit and suppresses dissent--reflects the resonance between authoritarian and neoliberal ideologies in today's comeback of strongman rule. The book conveys the look and feel of flexible authoritarianism in Russia through the eyes of up-and-coming youth. Drawing on field observations, in-depth interviews, and analyses of documents and video clips, Anna Schwenck demonstrates how flexible authoritarianism is stabilized ideologically by the insignia of cool start-up capitalism and by familiar cultural forms such as the summer camp. It critically evaluates how loyalty to the regime--the order underlying political and economic life in a polity--is produced and contested among those young people who seek key positions in politics, business, the public sector, or creative industries.

Flexible Authoritarianism Reviews

This is a truly excellent and original work of cultural and political sociology, asking questions profoundly important for understanding the legitimation, acceptance, and enthusiasm for 'flexible authoritarianism' in many contexts but vitally important for understanding burning questions provoked by Russia's 2022 war on Ukraine and responses to it from within Russia, particularly those of younger people. * Nancy Ries, Professor of Anthropology, Colgate University *
Why citizens submit to the limits on personal freedoms that characterize collective life under conditions of authoritarianism is a puzzle that scholars of this regime type frequently confront. Anna Schwenck's concept of 'flexible authoritarianism' provides an answer. No political regime is completely authoritarian-rather, it usually provides its members with opportunities for autonomy as well as the imposing constraints. Deftly reasoned and engagingly written, her analysis contributes substantially to the study of authoritarian governments while providing a nuanced account of totalitarianism in action. As authoritarian governments flourish, Schwenck's work will no doubt stand as an essential source. * Mabel Berezin, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Director of the Institute for European Studies, Cornell University *

About Anna Schwenck (Habilitation Candidate in Sociology, Habilitation Candidate in Sociology, University of Siegen)

Anna Schwenck is a cultural sociologist studying resonances between authoritarian, neoliberal, and supremacist ideologies and practices in and beyond the Euro-American world. Her research entails the premise that an understanding of the conditions under which these ideologies and practices are tolerated or accepted is a precondition to overcoming them.

Additional information

NGR9780197751596
9780197751596
0197751598
Flexible Authoritarianism: Cultivating Ambition and Loyalty in Russia by Anna Schwenck (Habilitation Candidate in Sociology, Habilitation Candidate in Sociology, University of Siegen)
New
Paperback
Oxford University Press Inc
2024-02-05
328
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
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