A.S.Makarychev(Nizhny Novgorod Linguistic University)
«Symbols, Discourses and Memories in the EU-Russia Relations»
This paper intends to conceptualize the linkage between normative discourses on Europeanization and European-ness and a variety of representations of alterity as seen from the perspective of re-articulated historical narratives. In this light, the paper will focus on ‘politics of memory’ within the EU – Russian communicative framework, commemoration practices and resulting discursive gaps in the EU – Russia communicative encounter. The key topical issues of the paper, against this background, are: the ‘normative turn’ and the ‘politics of memory’ in Russia’s relations with the West; “the Self of the present” and “the Other of the past”; and norms, identities and discursive gaps in Russia’s dialogue with the EU and NATO countries.The paper could be seen as a reaction to the most recent events that shaped the relations between Russia and the West, including the conflict with Estonia over the removal of the “Bronze Soldier” monument, political frictions with Poland related to the conflicting interpretations of the Second World / Great Patriotic War(s), and steady politicization of the May 9 celebrations. However, the context of debate appears to be broader, to include the multiple attempts to revise the Holocaust concept and deny the genocide against Armenians, as well as the introduction in some European countries of legal prosecution against historical revisionism. All of them are (perhaps, unintended) parts of Europe’s ongoing construction of itself through communication with other major international actors, including Iran, Turkey, Israel and – what is most important for this paper - Russia. This discursive situation of Europe facing multiple attempts of rewriting the historical script may be looked at through the lenses of Thomas Diez’s idea of “the past as Europe’s Other”, which, in the meantime, could serve as a ‘playground’ for comparing Russian and European ‘politics of memory”. Against this background, it seems both expedient and pertinent to identify the linkages between conflicting histories and clashing identities, and the discursive gaps that separate Russia’s understanding of herself from Western interpretations. The ‘Self – Other’ problematique, as the paper will argue, is differently actualized by gestures of historical revisionism. At this juncture, Tzvetan Todorov’s scheme of three axes on which the issues of alterity may be located (axiological, praxeological and epistemic ones) may be revived and used as a methodological tool to study Russian – Estonian tug-of-war of April – May 2007, or wider issues of reappearing the “false – true” Europe dichotomy in Russian foreign policy discourse.In conclusion, the author will extrapolate this framework to discussing such more general issues as the effects of Europeanization within Russia, multiple pathways of communication between Russia and the EU, the EU policies impact upon Russian identity, etc.