Russians’ Dreams for Society and Themselves

This article examines the specific features of the “Russian dream” and some of its key elements using materials from a number of national studies conducted by the Institute of Sociology over the past several years. It highlights the cultural-civilizational features of the Russian dream and its connection with the values and identities of Russians. It will show that the presence of a dream is the norm for Russian culture in general, but that in recent years this norm has eroded. Although the Russian civilizational project with its characteristic “high dream” still exists, it is gradually losing its significance; instead, the dreams of a consumer society are transforming into dreams about ordinary survival.