Trial of Memory: Legal Regulation as a Tool of Memory Politics in Contemporary Russia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15826/csp.2024.8.2.280

Abstract

The article examines how law enforcement sanctions, typically applied to real-life actions, are being transferred to online activities. Building on François Hartog’s ideas, the study links memorial legislation to a new “regime of historicity,” highlighting its unique role in commemoration. By examining relevant laws and media discussions, the study follows the evolution of memorial legislation, demonstrating its importance in commemorating the Great Patriotic War in post-Soviet symbolic politics. Analysis of the amendments to Article 354.1 of Russia’s Criminal Code from its original formulation in 2014 to the revisions in 2021 reveals the shifting legal landscape surrounding online commemorative practices. As virtual spaces are gaining prominence in public discourse and legal interpretations, the boundaries between online activities and real-world actions are becoming increasingly blurred. The key trends in this process include the growing reliance on virtual platforms for information dissemination, the evolving notion of publicity in legal contexts pertaining to online behavior, and the broadening enforcement of Article 354.1. This research sheds light on the intricate interplay between memory politics, virtual spaces, and legal frameworks, reflecting broader societal shifts in information consumption and expression.

Author Biography

Oksana V. Golovashina, Institute for Philosophy and Law, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yekaterinburg, Russia

Oksana V. Golovashina, Dr. Sci. (Philosophy), Leading Research Fellow, Ural Institute of Humanities, Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg, Russia; Leading Research Fellow, Institute for Philosophy and Law, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Her main research interests are social theory, social epistemology, cultural memory. She is the author of numerous books and articles including the following: Short memory: representations of the past in the context of modern temporal transformation (2017); From intersubjectivity to interobjectivity: A social ontology of time (2019); “In the battle you will attain your memory”: Peasant uprising 1910–1921 in the views of modern residents of Tambov Region (2020); Event as object: Towards a flat-event theory (2021); The observation event and the observed event in M. Halbwachs’ “legendary topography” (2024).

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Published
2024-07-19
How to Cite
Golovashina, O. (2024). Trial of Memory: Legal Regulation as a Tool of Memory Politics in Contemporary Russia. Changing Societies & Personalities, 8(2), 399–417. doi:10.15826/csp.2024.8.2.280
Citation Formats
Issue
Vol. 8, No. 2 (2024): Special Issue “Demographic Well-Being as a Factor of Social Development”
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Articles