Ivo Mijnssen 
The Quest for an Ideal Youth in Putin’s Russia I 
Back to Our Future! History, Modernity, and Patriotism according to Nashi, 2005-2013

This important book analyzes the dubious role of the so-called Democratic Antifascist Youth Movement ‘Nashi’ in contemporary Russia. Part and parcel of the Putinist project of political stabilization, Nashi dominates state-sponsored youth politics in Russia, communicating demands from official discourse to a young audience. Idealizing the past, present, and future of Putin’s Russia, Nashi mobilized young Russians through its emotional appeal, skillful use of symbolic politics and the promise for professional self-realization. However, the movement’s impact remains limited – mostly due to its internal contradictions.

Based on original and meticulous research, Ivo Mijnssen skillfully picks apart the dynamics underlying Nashi’s influence and furthers a deeper understanding of state-sponsored youth politics in early 21st century Russia.

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Ivo Mijnssen, M.A., is a doctoral researcher at the Basel Graduate School of History. He currently holds a Gerda Henkel Foundation Scholarship.