Symbolic politics (in/of) the Russian empire: the state of theoretical and historiographic fields

The article discusses the study of the symbolic politics in the Russian Empire in national historiography over the past two decades. The author examines the theoretical foundations of research, terminology, and characteristics of various political science approaches, arguing that these tools can be applied to historical studies of the long 19th century. These approaches help reframe the issues of cultural memory and commemorations, significantly expanding the source base for research and deepening our understanding of political and cultural processes within the Empire. An analysis of Russian historiography over the last two decades reveals a shift in research strategies for this issue, driven by the integration of foreign approaches to cultural memory into Russian academia. Through the use of various reference works as examples, the author describes the process of heuristic transition from a narrow understanding of symbolic politics as a minor component of the political process, to the idea of its versatility, multi-actor nature, and interconnectedness with cultural, national, and social issues. The final part of the article analyzes a monograph by Russian historian Ekaterina Boltunova relevant to this topic. By presenting an example of using political science and the “mixed” approach of R. Wortman, the book clearly demonstrates the prospects for studying the symbolic aspects of autocratic power’s activities in connection with a wide range of issues of the national and cultural policies of the Empire.