The Imperial mentality of Russia and Anglo-American research in Russian Studies of the 1980s and 2000s
This article is dedicated to the reflection of the topic of the Russian imperial spirit and its manifestations in the Anglo-American historiography of 1970 – 2000. The article relies on the works of the representatives of American Russian studies, from its major figures (Z. Brzeziński and R. Pipes) to modern representatives (A. Grigas). The author reviews the key positions of American researchers of Russia on the general characteristic of the imperial mentality that are inherent to the Russian people and determine their political and life behavior. Reference to the manifestations of the imperial spirit and its analysis in the modern period is important, as it allows seeing the history of Russia from an outside perspective, as well as carrying out a political-sociological and historical-chronological analysis to avoid similar mistakes in the future. The main conclusions are based on the works of Anglo-American Russian studies, which indicate that the study of imperial mentality, traditions, life and political behavior of Russia remains popular in the Western sector of Russian studies. On the one hand, it continues the tradition of American Soviet studies, while on other – separates from it and delves into the local and culturological research. However, the politological component retains its positions, and searches for the new topics and approaches. The author believes that these two trends would continue to be viewed in parallel in the Anglo-American Russian studies for a long time.