This episode of The IR thinker explores the world of Russia’s high society, from philanthropy and the “genetic” dimensions of wealth to gender roles, generational divides and the everyday lives of the rich. The discussion follows Dr Elisabeth Schimpfössl’s research journey, examining how she gained access to affluent interviewees, why politics and business were set aside, how she handled accusations of being “pro Kremlin,” and what her findings reveal about oligarchs and the broader Russian elite.
Dr Elisabeth Schimpfössl is the author of the acclaimed book Rich Russians: From Oligarchs to Bourgeoisie, published by Oxford University Press in 2018. The book received the 2019 Women’s Forum Book Prize from the British Association of Slavonic and East European Studies and has been reviewed in outlets such as The Guardian, The Financial Times, Foreign Affairs and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
Content
00:00 - Introduction
01:36 - Research Inspiration: Russian High Society
05:27 - Engaging with Russia’s Affluent Individuals
08:41 - Unveiling the Reasons for Participating in Interviews
11:10 - Why Sidestep Politics and Business?
14:07 - The Duration of Interviews
14:17 - Interview Methodology: In-person or Online?
15:02 - Choice of Language: Russian or English?
15:42 - Crafting the Opening Question
17:55 - Any Encounters with the ‘Thieves in Law’?
18:41 - Surprising Responses and Reactions
24:00 - Emotional Response during Interviews
26:37 - Analysing the Collected Data
30:27 - Confronting ‘Pro-Kremlin’ Label Accusations
35:15 - The ‘Genetic’ Factor in Russian Wealth
36:53 - Philanthropy’s Role in Russian High Society
40:58 - Women in the Realm of Russian Wealth
42:01 - Offspring of Affluence and Society
46:56 - The Wealthy Russian Generation Divide
49:40 - Perception of Oligarchs: Before and After
53:25 - Western Academia and the Oligarch Understanding
56:25 - Elisabeth’s Gains: Research Insights and Russian Elite Understanding
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