Punk statt Putin

In the course of Pussy Riot's punk prayer in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, it became clear that not all people in Russia are behind Putin. There are brave individuals who stand up for their music, art and literature despite the threat of repression in order to position themselves against the nationalist, patriarchal and homophobic mainstream.

The book "Punk instead of Putin" shows two contrasting worlds: On the one hand, an increasingly repressive authoritarian state and, on the other hand, oppositional artists and activists who look for niches, use leeway and deal with their desperate situation in a creative way. The author, Norma Schneider, describes the diverse forms and contents of Russian counterculture in Putin's Russia, both before and after the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine. The focus is not exclusively on the regime's repressions, but rather on what is still possible despite everything.

The book introduces us to the ideology of the Putin regime, presents the political and cultural mainstream as well as official cultural policy and describes the state's treatment of counterculture, which fluctuates between repression and attempts at appropriation. This is contrasted with a lively portrait of Russian counterculture, which highlights the underground scene, anti-war songs, queer literature, feminist self-organisation, Putin memes and artistic protest in public space.

In numerous interviews with artists in Russia and in exile, Norma Schneider illustrates hope and lack of perspective, courageous protest, safe spaces and the tireless will to continue fighting for a free Russia.

About the author:

Born in 1988, Norma Schneider devoted her studies to philosophy, sociology and German studies. Nowadays she is based in Frankfurt am Main and works as an independent journalist, writer and editor. Her interest in punk and protest movements in Russia was sparked when the band Pussy Riot was brought to justice in 2012. Since then, she has gained a profound insight into the various expressions of Russian counterculture, as well as into the ideology of the Putin regime. Schneider writes literary criticism and articles on topics such as culture, protest and the LGBTQ community in Eastern Europe and the post-Soviet space. Her work can be found in publications such as taz, nd.Aktuell, FAZ and Jungle World.