Modern Culture of Russia and the Eurasian Republics

​Modern Culture of Russia and the Eurasian Republics

​Objectives/Goals

​Vocabulary

• Describe aspects of culture that define Russia and the Eurasian republics

• Describe examples of how Russian and Eurasian culture impacts the rest of the world

• Explain the effects of Russia's changing population

• Intelligentsia

• Replacement Rate

• Pro-Nationalist Polocies

• Atheism

Essential Question: How do aspects of culture in Russia and the Eurasian Republics influence the world?

Open Ended

Where in the World is Comet?

(Location, City, and Country)

Clue 1: This country stretches across eleven time zones.

Clue 2: This city is also home to the Kremlin.

Clue 3: When visiting this place, you have to go inside to go far, far away. .

Clue 4: It costs about 11,000 rubles to see the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turles and the Smurfs here.

Clue 5: This location is the first of its kind in the country and the largest in Europe.

Where is Comet?

Open Ended

Pysanky eggs are an example of surface culture (culture that is easy to see) and deep culture (culture’s rules, beliefs, and behaviors). 

How do you think these eggs are an example of culture?

​Population of Russia

• Russia and the Eurasian Republics have a wide variety of ethnic groups

  • many of these ethnic groups were able to gain their own republics or territories when the Soviet Union fell. 

  • Slavs are the dominant ethnicity in Russia

• 85% of Russians live in Western Russia

  • Rich soil

  • Waterways

  • Milder climate. 

• Siberia is rich in natural resources, but because of the harsh climate, only about 15% of the population lives in this region. 

​Population of Eurasian Republics

• The Eurasian Republic population is higher near the Caspian Sea and major Rivers

  • Political Tensions in this area cause changes to population

    • Refugees

• 70 Million people live in the Eurasian Republics and Central Asia

• physical geography and harsh landscapes impact settlement patterns

• Location: The Silk Road helped major urban centers grow. 

​Russia's Changing Population

• Problems to Solve with Increasing Population

  • More Housing

  • More Jobs

  • More infrastructure

  • More Resources

• Problems to Solve with Decreasing Population: Russia is facing a decreasing population

  • Fewer people to work

  • Fewer people to pay taxes/infrastructure

  • Caregivers for the aging population

• Russia is improving the Replacement Rate: the number of children a couple would have to replace themselves in a community

  • 2 parents and 2 kids = population equality

  • 2 parents and 1 kid - population decrease

  • 2 parents and 4 kids = population increase

• Russia is Encourage younger immigrants to come to this region. 

Solving the Problem: Decreasing Population

• Lower Life Expectancy

  • Improve Health Care

• Pro-Natalist Policies (In Favor of Birth)

  • 'Baby Bonus': Monetary incentives for women who had two or more children

  • Free Healthcare for Pregnant Women

  • Maternity Leave: time off for women after giving birth

    • Russia: 18 months of paid time off

    • US: 10 weeks

  • 'Heroine Mother Award': women who have five or more children receive 1 million rubles (USD 16,000)

Open Ended

What is one issue that Russia is facing due to it's declingin population?

​Religion in Russia and Eurasian Republics

• 988 CE - Kievan Rus leader, Prince Vladimir, made Eastern Orthodox Christianity the official religion

• Soviet Union period - atheism (belief there is not God) was promoted

• Major Regions found in Russia and the Eurasian Republics

  • Islam: predominant religion in Eurasian Republics

  • Judaism suffered persecution in this region

  • Buddhism: predominantly near the Caspian Sea and growing in major cities

​Education in Russia and the Eurasian Republics

• Russia Formal Education: Starts around 6-7

  • Focuses on math, science, and engineering

  • Soviet Union Era - Intelligentsia: technology-focused officials, educators, writers, and artists; intellectual elite

• Eurasian Republics: focuses on science, Mathematics, and Literature

  • Many children attend until the secondary level (Middle School)

  • Traditionally, boys are educated over girls

• Siberia - nomads (attend boarding school or wandering schools

​Family Life

• Russia

  • Tradition

  • Extended Family Live together or near

  • Close Community

  • Patriarchal

• Eurasian Republics

  • Turkmenistan: Patriarchal and importance of children

  • Uzbekistan: Patriarchal and women have fewer rights (Marriage and education)

  • Kazakhstan: Community Life is very important

  • Kyrgyzstan: Men work abroad and send money home

  • Tajikistan: high levels of poverty; family business

Let's Relax

• Sports

  • Hockey and Ice Skating

    • Skates were made from animal bones 4,000 years ago

  • Hiking, camping, fishing

  • Russia usually performs well in the summer and Winter Olympics

    • Olympic Controversies

  • Bandy: traditional sport similar to ice hockey

• Urban Areas

  • Theaters, Concerts, Ballets, museums

Celebrations and Holidays

• Russian May Day

  • Speeches and parades to celebrate Russian Workers

  • Celebrates the coming spring

  • Give Gifts of Flowers

• Nowruz

  • Persian New Year

  • Celebrates the coming spring

  • Celebrated on March 21st - equal number of daylight and nighttime hours

  • Cultural performances, games, gifts, and family time

• Unity Day

  • Celebrated in Kazakhstan

  • honors its multicultural diversity

  • Cultural food, dress, and traditions

​Arts and Literature

• Leo Tolstoy: War and Peace and Anna Karenina - some of the greatest novels of all time

• Alexander Pushkin: founder of modern Russian Literature

• Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker and Swan Lake

​Cuisine

• DIVERSITY

• Russia

  • Borscht: beet soup

  • Shchi: cabbage soup

  • Piroshki: fried bun with fillings

  • Potatoes

• Eurasian Republics

  • Nayrn: lamb (eaten with hands)

  • Kebabs (meat on a stick)

  • Rice and vegetables

  • Teas (Green and Black Tea)

Open Ended

What is one aspect of the Culture of Russia and the Eurasian Republics that you found interesting?