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Mentioned in 1 episodes

The Politics of Fantasy

Magic, Children's Literature and Fandom in Putin's Russia
Book •
Eliot Borenstein's 'The Politics of Fantasy: Magic, Children's Literature and Fandom in Putin's Russia' explores how fantasy narratives and fandom communities have been received, translated, and politicized in Russia.

Borenstein analyses controversies, translations, parodies, and moral panics surrounding works such as Harry Potter to show how cultural products become sites of ideological struggle.

The book considers both escapist impulses and patriotic or nationalist appropriations of fantasy, revealing how literature can both inspire change and reinforce resignation.

Through close readings and engagement with fandom practices, the study demonstrates the symbolic stakes of children's literature in debates over Western influence and Russian identity.

Ultimately, Borenstein argues that fantasy occupies a contested cultural terrain where politics, morality, and imagination intersect.

Mentioned by

Mentioned in 1 episodes

Mentioned by
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Mark Galeotti
as a study of fantasy, children's literature and fandom (notably Harry Potter) and how they intersect with politics in Russia.
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