Seven Russian Archetypes is a description of seven seminal Russian figures: the Victim (zhertva), the Fool (iurodivyi), the Rebel or the Bandit (buntar’ ili razboinik), the Wanderer (strannik), the Mother (mat’), the Peasant (muzhik), and the Intellectual (intelligent). Drawing from Russian history, folklore, literature, visual arts, and religion, these seven profiles are analyzed and presented in vivid and evocative detail. The seven portraits help to explain the Russian character and especially the groundedness of Russian culture in Orthodox Christianity. Many experts on Russian politics, business and culture, as well as admirers of Russian spirituality are aware of different features, both favorable and condescending, which display Russian mentality and temperament such as paternalism, messianism, collectivism, poor ability for self-organization, dogmatism, tendency toward asceticism and the penchant to bear suffering, radicalism, and inclination to extremes. From an external point of view, this is all accurate to a certain extent; nevertheless, these features explain neither the origin nor motivation behind the most evident behavioral manifestations. The more profound characteristics can be found only on the level of internal representations, which can best be revealed in symbols and archetypal characters. Seven Russian Archetypes explains these fundamental Russian symbols.

Seven Russian Archetypes is a description of seven seminal Russian figures: the Victim (zhertva), the Fool (iurodivyi), the Rebel or the Bandit (buntar' ili razboinik), the Wanderer (strannik), the Mother (mat'), the Peasant (muzhik), and the Intellectual (intelligent). Drawing from Russian history, folklore, literature, visual arts, and religion, these seven profiles are analyzed and presented in vivid and evocative detail. The seven portraits help to explain the Russian character and especially the groundedness of Russian culture in Orthodox Christianity. Many experts on Russian politics, business and culture, as well as admirers of Russian spirituality are aware of different features, both favorable and condescending, which display Russian mentality and temperament such as paternalism, messianism, collectivism, poor ability for self-organization, dogmatism, tendency toward asceticism and the penchant to bear suffering, radicalism, and inclination to extremes. From an external point of view, this is all accurate to a certain extent; nevertheless, these features explain neither the origin nor motivation behind the most evident behavioral manifestations. The more profound characteristics can be found only on the level of internal representations, which can best be revealed in symbols and archetypal characters. Seven Russian Archetypes explains these fundamental Russian symbols.

A sweeping view of the psychologies of cultures from the Sensitive Chaos of hunter-gatherers, to the Great Round of Neolithic villagers, to the Four Quarters of Bronze Age warrior chieftains, to the Pyramid of theocratic nation states, to the Radiant Axes of empires, to the Grid of commercial societies, to the Dissolution of collapse.

Russia, once compared to a giant sphinx, is often considered in the Anglophone world an alien culture, often threatening and always enigmatic. Although recognizably European, Russian culture also has mystical features, including the idiosyncratic phenomenon of Russian irrationalism. Historically, Russian irrationalism has been viewed with caution in the West, where it is often seen as antagonistic to, and subversive of, the rational foundations of Western speculative philosophy. Some of the remarkable achievements of the Russian irrationalist approach, however, especially in the artistic sphere, have been recognized and even admired, though not sufficiently investigated. Bridging the gap between intellectual cultures, Olga Tabachnikova discusses such fundamental irrationalist themes as language and the linguistic underpinning of culture; the power of illusion in national consciousness; the changing relationship between love and morality; the cultural roots of humour, as well as the relevance of various individual writers and philosophers from Pushkin to Brodsky to the construction of Russian irrationalism.

Gender and Sexuality in Russian Civilisation considers gender and sexuality in modern Russia in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Chapters look individually at gender and sexuality through history, art, folklore, philosophy or literature,but are also arranged into sections according to the arguments they develop. A number of chapters also consider Russia in the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. Thematic sections include: *Gender and Power *Gender and National Identity *Sexual Identity and Artistic Impression *Literary Discourse of Male and Female Sexualities *Sexuality and Literature in Contemporary Russian Society

Gender and Sexuality in Russian Civilisation considers gender and sexuality in modern Russia in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Chapters look individually at gender and sexuality through history, art, folklore, philosophy or literature,but are also arranged into sections according to the arguments they develop. A number of chapters also consider Russia in the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. Thematic sections include: *Gender and Power *Gender and National Identity *Sexual Identity and Artistic Impression *Literary Discourse of Male and Female Sexualities *Sexuality and Literature in Contemporary Russian Society