About this episode
The episode explores how informal networks and practices enable Russia to function despite its deficiencies, as discussed by guest Alena Ledeneva.
Many studies focus on how Russia doesn’t work and why. There’s a laundry list of reasons. Corruption. Autocracy. Imperialism. Exceptionalism. But, how, then, does Russia work? Because there are people, a state, and society. What greases the wheels? Alena Ledeneva has made this question the focus of her career. For her, it’s the informal networks and practices that allow the system, with all its deficiencies, to function. Her new book, Russian Pendulum , is a synthesis of her three books on informality. But instead of focusing on post-Soviet Russia, she examines the long duree of informality through the concept of paradox. For example, the Soviet paradox, “Shops are empty, but fridges are full.” Ledeneva says that this paradox contains a hidden informal relation that ameliorates shortage. She also takes a novel approach to this subject using sculpture and music to represent the paradoxes and practices of Russian everyday life. We at the Eurasian Knot wanted to know more. So we put the question to Ledeneva–How does Russia work? And what does that say about Russia’s historical development over the last few centuries? Russian Pendulum has a soundtrack: “ The System Made…
People in this episode
Host: The Eurasian Knot
Guest: Alena Ledeneva
Topics covered
- informality
- Russian society
- historical development
- corruption
- autocracy
- paradox
Keywords
- Russia
- informal networks
- corruption
- autocracy
- historical development
- paradox
- Alena Ledeneva
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: University College London
Books & works: Russian Pendulum, The System Made Me Do It
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