The sudden dissolution of the Soviet Union altered the routines; norms; celebrations; and shared understandings that had shaped the lives of Russians for generations. It also meant an end to the state-sponsored; nonmonetary support that most residents had lived with all their lives. How did Russians make sense of these historic transformations? Serguei Alex. Oushakine offers a compelling look at postsocialist life in Russia.In Barnaul; a major industrial city in southwestern Siberia that has lost 25 percent of its population since 1991; many Russians are finding that what binds them together is loss and despair. The Patriotism of Despair examines the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union; graphically described in spray paint by a graffiti artist in Barnaul: "We have no Motherland." Once socialism disappeared as a way of understanding the world; what replaced it in people's minds? Once socialism stopped orienting politics and economics; how did capitalism insinuate itself into routine practices?Oushakine offers a compelling look at postsocialist life in noncosmopolitan Russia. He introduces readers to the "neocoms": people who mourn the loss of the Soviet economy and the remonetization of transactions that had not involved the exchange of cash during the Soviet era. Moving from economics into military conflict and personal loss; Oushakine also describes the ways in which veterans of the Chechen war and mothers of soldiers who died there have connected their immediate experiences with the country's historical disruptions. The country; the nation; and traumatized individuals; Oushakine finds; are united by their vocabulary of shared pain.
#2930958 in Books Cornell University Press 2008-07-17Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 10.00 x 1.00 x 7.01l; 1.96 #File Name: 0801445825472 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Excellent research of the relations between Karaites and rabbanites Jews ...By Sami MangoubiExcellent research of the relations between Karaites and rabbanites Jews under Islamic rule during the 9th to 12th century. Very well written and very pleasurable to read.2 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Stories of Jewish unity (and sometimes not so much)By Michael LewynI had always thought that Karaites and rabbinic Jews were mortal enemies; but this book shows that (in the pre-Crusades Middle East) that this was anything but true. First of all; Rustow shows (based on Cairo Geniza documents) that there were really three major halachic communities in many places: Karaites; rabbinic Jews who followed rabbis based in Iraq; and other rabbinic Jews who followed rabbis based in Israel. We owe the tradition of non-anonymous; grammar-oriented Bible commentaries to the first group; the Talmud (and most modern halacha) to the second; and the Masoretic text of the Torah to the third.Karaites were more likely than other Jews to hold high office in Cairo (the capital of the Fatimid caliphate in the 10th century); so Rabbanites often needed favors from them; for example; rabbinic leadership at the highest levels was appointed by the caliphs; and Karaite courtiers were often helpful in this regard. Rabbanites and Karaites married each other; prayed in each other's congregations now and then; and contributed money to each other's yeshivot (religious schools). I found a chapter on marriage contracts to be especially interesting; where Rabbanites married Karaites; marriage contracts often specified how to negotiate religious differences (usually specifying that each spouse had to respect the other's stringencies; but; surprisingly; saying little about how to raise children).On the other hand; rabbinic leaders had to fight with their own side's zealots; for example; in 1029 a mob of Rabbanites in Jerusalem agitated to excommunicate the Karaites; but were stopped by the leadership. The gaon (essentially; chief rabbi) of the Israel Rabbanites wrote; in words that ring true even today: "[Should we excommunicate] those who spread gossip? But most [engage] in gossip! .. anyone who performs magic? But many-- both men and women--- do it! ... Are there no commandments left for us to uphold except [those dividing Rabbanites and Karaites]?"The book concludes with a comparison to 12th century Spain; where Rabbanites sometimes suppressed Karaites. Why was there so much less religious tolerance in Spain? Rustow suggests that 1) most Jewish courtiers were Rabbanites and Karaites were few and powerless; and 2) because of the constant wars between Christians and Muslims; the rabbinic majority felt that "any successful attack on rabbinic tradition and its exclusive legitimacy would render Judaism and the Jews vulnerable to the attacks of Christians and Muslims."2 of 3 people found the following review helpful. A study of Jewish gossip of the middle ages.By Kindle CustomerMarina Rustow writes on her subject with considerable amount of Jewish wit (one may even call it Jewish sarcasm). Her excerpt on how YÅ«suf al-SijilmÄsÄ«; the head of the Iraqi community of Ramla; foresaw the earthquake of 1033 in a dream is hilarious. In this event one can see parallels with the story of how Umar bin khattab and some other Companions dreamt the wording of the Muslim prayer call on a 'communal dream' in Medina along with the Prophet Muhammad.I recommend this book to all interested in the contents of the Cairo genizah.
